Fred Risser

Fred A. Risser (born May 5, 1927) is a retired American Democratic politician from Madison, Wisconsin. He holds the record as the longest-serving state legislator in American history, having served 58 years in the Wisconsin State Senate and six years in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Risser represented most of the city of Madison, including the campus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He was president of the Senate for 26 years and never lost an election. By 2019 Risser was the last World War II veteran serving as a state legislator in the United States. Risser was the fourth generation of his family to serve in the state legislature. His father, Fred E. Risser, had represented the same state senate district.

Early life, education and career
Risser was born in Madison, Wisconsin on May 5, 1927 into a prolific Wisconsin political family. Risser's father (Fred E. Risser), grandfather (Ernest Warner), and great-grandfather (Clement Warner) served at various times as Wisconsin legislators representing part or all of Dane County, although none were Democrats.

Risser served in the United States Navy during World War II from 1945 to 1946. He was sworn into the Navy shortly before his high school graduation and Victory in Europe Day. He was a medic and served in Newport, Rhode Island, and the Panama Canal Zone.

Risser used the G.I. Bill to attend college, attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, before earning a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Oregon School of Law. He became a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and the Oregon State Bar and practiced law in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Assembly
Risser was first elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1956, succeeding fellow Democrat Ivan A. Nestingen (who had resigned in April of that year after he was elected mayor of Madison). Risser was re-elected in 1958 and 1960. He was elected to the state Senate in a 1962 special election triggered by the appointment of Horace W. Wilkie to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He was succeeded in the Wisconsin Assembly by fellow Democrat Edward Nager.

Wisconsin Senate
Risser was elected to a full term in 1964 and was reelected every four years until his retirement. He rose through the ranks quickly, becoming the minority leader in 1967, which he credits to his intense study of parliamentary procedure. After the Democrats gained the Senate majority in the 1974 election, Risser was elected as president pro tempore, beginning in the 1975 session. He continued as president pro tempore until a state constitutional amendment in 1979 separated the offices of Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin and President of the Senate. When the amendment was certified on May 1, 1979, Risser was elected president of the Senate and the office of president pro tempore became defunct for a number of years. Risser held the office of president of the Senate continuously for the next 16 years, until Democrats lost the majority in the 1994 election. He was returned to the office of president every time the Democrats held the majority in the subsequent 20 years. In total, he served about 26 years as president of the Senate.

2011 Wisconsin protests


During the protests in Wisconsin, Risser, along with the 13 other Democratic State Senators, left the state to deny the State Senate a quorum on Governor Scott Walker's "Budget Repair" legislation.

Retirement
On March 26, 2020, Risser announced that he would not run for re-election in November 2020.

Other political involvement
Risser was a delegate to both the 1960 Democratic National Convention and the 1964 Democratic National Convention. He served as the Chair of Wisconsin's Presidential electors during the 1964 presidential election.

Personal life
Risser's first wife, Betty, died after 21 years of marriage. Risser is married to Nancy Risser, a retired Spanish teacher. He has three children and several grandchildren.