William A. Schmidt
William A. Schmidt (May 21, 1902 – June 19, 1992) was an American welder and shop foreman who served two terms as a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Senate from the Sixth District (the 2nd, 7th, 10th, 20th & 25th Wards of the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin).
Background[edit]
Schmidt was born in Princeton, Wisconsin.[1] He was Roman Catholic. He received his early education at parochial school in Montello, Wisconsin and the Montello High School. He attended Marquette University for one year. He was a welder who became a maintenance foreman for A. O. Smith. Schmidt was active in his labor union, serving as chairman of the bargaining and coordinating committees of his local. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Holy Name Society of St. Michael's Church, Badger Fisherman's League, and Montello Rod and Gun Club.
Career[edit]
In the 1948 Democratic primary election for the Sixth Senate District, Schmidt (a former Wisconsin Progressive[2]) won the nomination by 22 votes from incumbent Edward Reuther, and went on to win the general election in a four-way race against Republican Assemblyman Paul Jaeger, as well as a Socialist and a Wallace "People's Progressive" candidate.[3] During the 1951 session, he served as assistant floor leader for the Democrats. He was re-elected in 1952; unopposed in his primary, he again defeated Republican Jaeger, whom he had faced in 1948.[4]
Schmidt would remain a member of the Senate through 1956, but did not run for re-election, but instead ran for Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin; Schmidt and gubernatorial running mate William Proxmire lost in the general election.[5] (The man who beat Schmidt for Lieutenant Governor, Warren P. Knowles, would eventually become governor himself). Schmidt was succeeded in the Senate by fellow Democrat William R. Moser.
References[edit]
- ^ "William A. Schmidt". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
- ^ "Frank Graass Loses in Bid for Assembly", Wisconsin State Journal, September 22, 1948; p. 2, col. 2
- ^ Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1950 Madison: State of Wisconsin, 1950; p. 28, 655, 673, 757
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1954 Madison: State of Wisconsin, 1954; pp. 24, 660, 775
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1958 Madison: State of Wisconsin, 1958; pp. 663, 778
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