Doug La Follette

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Doug La Follette
Secretary of State of Wisconsin
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 1983
Preceded by Vel Phillips
In office
January 6, 1975 – January 3, 1979
Preceded by Robert Zimmerman
Personal details
Born June 6, 1940 (1940-06-06) (age 71)
Des Moines, Iowa
Political party Democratic
Residence Madison, Wisconsin
Alma mater Marietta College (B.A.)
Stanford University (M.S.)
Columbia University (Ph.D.)
University of Freiburg (International research associate)
University of Wisconsin (Research associate)
Occupation Professor, researcher, environmentalist, politician

Douglas J. "Doug" La Follette (born June 6, 1940) is an American academic, environmental activist, and politician from the state of Wisconsin. A Democrat, he is the current Secretary of State of Wisconsin.[1]

Contents

[edit] Early life and career

La Follette was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Marietta College, his Master of Science in chemistry from Stanford University, and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Columbia University. He began a teaching career as an assistant professor at University of Wisconsin–Parkside in Kenosha.

Known as an environmentalist before running for public office, he was a Wisconsin organizer of the first Earth Day for Gaylord Nelson in 1970 and co-founded Wisconsin's Environmental Decade (now known as Clean Wisconsin) with Peter Anderson.

His great-grandfather and "Fighting Bob" La Follette's father were brothers.[2]

[edit] Political career

La Follette first ran for office in the 1970 U.S. House of Representatives election, losing to Les Aspin in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district. La Follette served in the Wisconsin State Senate for Kenosha for one term.

La Follette was elected Secretary of State of Wisconsin in 1974. He unsuccessfully ran for Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin on a ticket with Governor Martin Schreiber in 1978. In 1982, he was again elected Secretary of State, defeating incumbent Vel Phillips. La Follette has been the Secretary of State of Wisconsin ever since.

He has run unopposed several times for Secretary of State and shuns fundraising in the style of former Wisconsin Senator William Proxmire. In 1990, his opponent, Madison attorney and radio personality Stuart Levitan, campaigned on a promise to eliminate the Secretary of State's office, whose duties have been reduced and transferred to other agencies, including the State Board of Elections, under La Follette's tenure.

Since being elected Secretary of State, La Follette has run twice for federal office. In 1988, he ran for the U.S. Senate, losing the primary to Herb Kohl. In 1996, he made another bid for the U.S. House of Representatives, losing in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district to Lydia Spottswood, who went on to lose the general election to Mark Neumann.

[edit] Other roles

[edit] Electoral history

  • 2006 Race for Secretary of State - Democratic Primary[3]
    • Doug La Follette (D), 72%
    • Scot Ross (D), 28%
  • 2006 Race for Secretary of State - General Election[4]
    • Doug La Follette (D), 57%
    • Sandy Sullivan (R), 38%
    • Michael LaForest (Green), 4.5%

[edit] 2010 election

On November 2, 2010, La Follette won re-election over challenger David King, a Milwaukee Republican, 52% to 48%.[5]

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Robert Zimmerman
Secretary of State of Wisconsin
1975–1979
Succeeded by
Vel Phillips
Preceded by
Vel Phillips
Secretary of State of Wisconsin
1983—present
Incumbent
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