Doug La Follette

{{Short description|American politician (born 1940)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Doug La Follette

|image = Doug La Follette 2007.jpg

|office = 28th & 30th Secretary of State of Wisconsin

|governor = Tony Earl
Tommy Thompson
Scott McCallum
Jim Doyle
Scott Walker
Tony Evers

|term_start = January 3, 1983

|term_end = March 17, 2023

|predecessor = Vel Phillips

|successor = Sarah Godlewski

|governor1 = Patrick Lucey
Martin J. Schreiber

|term_start1 = January 6, 1975

|term_end1 = January 3, 1979

|predecessor1 = Robert C. Zimmerman

|successor1 = Vel Phillips

|state_senate2 = Wisconsin

|district2 = 22nd

|term_start2 = January 1, 1973

|term_end2 = January 6, 1975

|predecessor2 = Joseph Lourigan

|successor2 = John J. Maurer

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1940|6|6}}

|birth_place = Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic

|education = Marietta College (BS)
Stanford University (MS)
Columbia University (PhD)

|module = {{Infobox scientist

|embed = yes

|field = Organic chemistry

|workplaces = University of Wisconsin–Parkside

|thesis_title = Intramolecular Solvation

|thesis_url = http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/44904376

|thesis_year = 1967

|doctoral_advisor = Ronald Breslow}}

}}

Douglas J. La Follette (born June 6, 1940) is a retired American academic, environmental scientist, and Democratic politician from Wisconsin. He was the 28th and 30th secretary of state of Wisconsin, serving from 1975 to 1979, and from 1983 to 2023. With his 44 years as secretary of state, La Follette is the longest-serving statewide elected official in Wisconsin history, and at the time of his retirement, he was the longest-serving statewide elected official in the United States (excluding U.S. senators).{{cite web|url=https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS9535 |title=La Follette, Douglas J. |date=8 August 2017 |publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society |access-date=March 17, 2018}} Earlier in his career, he was a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing Wisconsin's 21st Senate district during the 1973–1974 term. He was also the Democratic Party nominee for lieutenant governor of Wisconsin in 1978, and made unsuccessful bids for U.S. House of Representatives (in 1970 and 1996) and for governor of Wisconsin (in 2012).

Early life and career

A distant relative of the prominent Wisconsin La Follette family, 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. La Follette also served as a research associate at University of Wisconsin–Madison. He also owned a small business.Wisconsin Blue Book 2017-2018. Madison: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, 2017, p. 5.

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/about/|title=About Us|publisher=Clean Wisconsin|access-date=December 1, 2023}}

His great-grandfather has been described as an uncle of Robert "Fighting Bob" La FolletteBill Glauber. "[http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/111734629.html La Follette weathers Republican tsunami]" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 11, 2010.Carmen Drahl. "[https://cen.acs.org/articles/90/i20/Douglas-La-Follette.html]" "Douglas La Follette Chemist-turned-politician ran low-budget gubernatorial campaign", May 14th, 2012. by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Chemical & Engineering News, while Dissent Magazine referred to the great-grandfather as Robert La Follette's brother.Peter Dreier. "[https://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/la-follettes-wisconsin-idea]" Dissent Magazine, April 11th, 2011. WKOW News and WEAU News state that Robert La Follette was Doug's great-uncle.Dan Plutchak. "[https://wkow.com/2018/11/06/lafollette-wins/]" "Longtime Democratic Secretary of State Doug La Follette wins re-election", November 6th, 2018.AP. "[https://www.weau.com/content/news/La-Follette-re-elected-as-secretary-of-state-499905411.html]" WEAU 13 News, Nov 6th, 2018. Robert's grandson, former Wisconsin Attorney General Bronson La Follette, has described Doug La Follette as a "second cousin, three times removed" from Robert La Follette."[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19700210&id=FtsjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NygEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7393,5379077 Bronson La Follette critical of relative]". The Milwaukee Journal, February 10, 1970, p. 12. Alternatively, Milwaukee Magazine has noted Doug as a first cousin three times removed of Robert La Follette.Staff Archive. "[https://www.milwaukeemag.com/whatdoesdouglafollettedoallday/]" Milwaukee Magazine, November 20th, 2006. According to professor and author Nancy Unger, Doug is a third cousin of Bronson.{{cite book |last=Unger |first=Nancy |year=2008 |title=Fighting Bob La Follette: The Righteous Reformer |location=Madison |publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society Press}} Doug went on to serve with Bronson from 1975 to 1979 and from 1983 to 1987.

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 in 1973 and 1974.Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (comp.). [http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/WI/WI-idx?type=goto&id=WI.WIBlueBk1973&page=64&isize=L The State of Wisconsin 1973 Blue Book]. Madison: 1973, p. 64.

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 in the primary.

During his time in office, the Wisconsin legislature repeatedly reduced the office's duties and budget.{{Cite web |title=Doug La Follette sues Scott Walker over budget cuts to his office |date=15 July 2015 |url=https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/doug-la-follette-sues-scott-walker-over-budget-cuts-to-his-office/article_b5488681-6bce-5382-95b4-8641bc69e732.html |access-date=July 5, 2021 |publisher=Wisconsin State Journal}}

In his campaigns for Secretary of State, among other campaigns, La Follette shunned 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 had been reduced and transferred to other agencies (including the State Board of Elections) by the state legislature, under La Follette's tenure. In the Republican wave election year of 1994, despite being outspent more than 2 to 1 by his Republican opponent (both candidates had a low budget), he held him to less than forty percent of the vote.

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.

In 2012, La Follette ran in the Democratic primary in the special election to recall Scott Walker.

In 2023, three months into his eleventh term, La Follette resigned as secretary of state. Governor Tony Evers appointed former State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski to the position.{{Cite web |last1=Bauer |first1=Scott |last2=Richmond |first2=Todd |date=March 17, 2023 |title=Wisconsin Democratic Secretary of State La Follette resigns |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ap-wisconsin-democratic-secretary-of-state-madison-b2303196.html |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=Independent}} In his resignation letter, he stated that he didn't want to "spend the next three and a half years trying to run an office without adequate resources and staffing levels."{{Cite web |last=Gunn |first=Erik |date=March 17, 2023 |title=La Follette steps down as secretary of state, replaced by former treasurer Godlewski |url=https://wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/la-follette-steps-down-as-secretary-of-state-replaced-by-former-treasurer-godlewski/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=Wisconsin Examiner |language=en-US}} At the time of his retirement, La Follette was the longest serving non-federal statewide elected official in the United States holding the same office, having served from January 3, 1983 to March 17, 2023.

Other roles

Electoral history

=U.S. House (1970)=

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Election

!Date

! colspan="4" |Elected

! colspan="4" |Defeated

!Total

!Plurality

rowspan="3" valign="top" |1970

| rowspan="3" valign="top" |Primary{{cite report |url=https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/4QZIH6JIJYFLR8R |title=The State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1971 |publisher=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |pages=[https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A4QZIH6JIJYFLR8R/full/A2SD4HP2I3XRDB8F 296], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A4QZIH6JIJYFLR8R/full/ANYMFSA4Q6DXRY8J 312] |year=1971 |chapter=Elections in Wisconsin |accessdate=September 28, 2023}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Sep. 8}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" |{{nowrap|Les Aspin}}

| valign="top" rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

| rowspan="3" align="right" valign="top" |15,185

| rowspan="3" align="right" valign="top" |39.83%

| valign="top" |{{nowrap|Doug La Follette}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |15,165

| align="right" valign="top" |39.78%

| rowspan="3" align="right" valign="top" |38,124

| rowspan="3" align="right" valign="top" |20

valign="top" |{{nowrap|Gerald T. Flynn}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |6,130

| align="right" valign="top" |16.08%

valign="top" |{{nowrap|Perry J. Anderson}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |1,644

| align="right" valign="top" |4.31%

=Wisconsin Senate (1972)=

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Senate, 22nd District Election, 1972{{cite report|chapter-url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1973 |title= The state of Wisconsin 1973 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin|author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |access-date= 2019-04-07 |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 802, 822 }}}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic Primary, September 12, 1972

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Doug La Follette

|votes = 4,654

|percentage = 32.11%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = John J. Maurer

|votes = 3,332

|percentage = 22.99%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Edwin Anderson

|votes = 2,582

|percentage = 17.81%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Ronald F. Lourigan

|votes = 2,478

|percentage = 17.10%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Richard Lindgren

|votes = 1,448

|percentage = 9.99%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 1,322

|percentage = 9.12%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 14,494

|percentage = 100.0%

|change =

}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 7, 1972

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Doug La Follette

|votes = 25,522

|percentage = 53.98%

|change = -1.90%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = George W. Anderson

|votes = 21,161

|percentage = 44.75%

|change = +0.63%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = American Party (1969)

|candidate = Chester Hensley

|votes = 601

|percentage = 1.27%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 4,361

|percentage = 9.22%

|change = -2.54%

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 47,284

|percentage = 100.0%

|change = +15.44%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

=Wisconsin Secretary of State (1974)=

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 1974{{cite report|chapter-url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1975 |title= The state of Wisconsin 1975 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin|author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |access-date= 2019-04-07 |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 797, 817 }}}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic Primary, September 10, 1974

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Doug La Follette

|votes = 237,077

|percentage = 75.39%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Eugene Parks

|votes = 77,409

|percentage = 24.61%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 314,486

|percentage = 100.0%

|change =

}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 5, 1974

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Doug La Follette

|votes = 697,528

|percentage = 59.87%

|change = +22.45%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Kent C. Jones

|votes = 406,602

|percentage = 34.90%

|change = -26.81%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = American Party (1969)

|candidate = Eugene R. Zimmerman

|votes = 60,962

|percentage = 5.23%

|change = +4.36%

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 290,926

|percentage = 24.97%

|change = +0.69%

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 1,165,092

|percentage = 100.0%

|change = -10.58%

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no swing

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

|loser = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

=Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor (1978)=

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election, 1978{{cite report|chapter-url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1979 |title= The state of Wisconsin 1979-1980 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin|author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |access-date= 2019-04-08 |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 894, 895, 914 }}}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic Lieutenant Governor Primary, September 12, 1978

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Doug La Follette

|votes = 151,366

|percentage = 44.78%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Dale McKenna

|votes = 47,257

|percentage = 13.98%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Harout O. Sanasarian

|votes = 40,268

|percentage = 11.91%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Paul Offner

|votes = 40,008

|percentage = 11.84%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Robert A. Anderson

|votes = 21,230

|percentage = 6.28%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Charles F. Smith Jr.

|votes = 19,504

|percentage = 5.77%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Monroe Swan

|votes = 18,392

|percentage = 5.44%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 338,025

|percentage = 100.0%

|change =

}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 7, 1978

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Lee S. Dreyfus
/ Russell Olson

|votes = 816,056

|percentage = 54.37%

|change = +12.30%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Martin J. Schreiber (incumbent)
/ Doug La Follette

|votes = 673,813

|percentage = 44.89%

|change = -8.30%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Constitution Party (US)

|candidate = Eugene R. Zimmerman
/ George Reed

|votes = 6,355

|percentage = 0.42%

|change = +0.12%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Independent

|candidate = George C. Doherty
/ Marion A. Doherty

|votes = 2,183

|percentage = 0.15%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Independent

|candidate = Adrienne Kaplan
/ William Breihan

|votes = 1,548

|percentage = 0.10%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Independent

|candidate = Henry A. Ochsner
/ Robert E. Nordlander

|votes = 849

|percentage = 0.06%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party =

|candidate = Scattering

|votes = 192

|percentage = 0.01%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 142,243

|percentage = 9.48%

|change = -1.65%

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 1,500,996

|percentage = 100.0%

|change = +27.00%

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no swing

|winner = Republican Party (United States)

|loser = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

= Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction (1981) =

= Wisconsin Secretary of State (1982–2022) =

class=wikitable
Year

! Election

! Date

colspan="4"| Electedcolspan="4"| Defeated

! Total

! Plurality

rowspan="6" valign="top" | 1982

| rowspan="3" valign="top" | Primary{{cite report |url=http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1983 |title=The State of Wisconsin 1983-1984 Blue Book |publisher=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |pages=878, 901 |access-date=2019-04-08 |chapter=Elections in Wisconsin}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Sep. 14}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 275,729

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 51.13%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Ada Deer}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem.

| valign="top" align="right" | 166,371

| valign="top" align="right" | 30.85%

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 539,227

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 109,358

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Vel Phillips (inc)}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem.

| valign="top" align="right" | 66,576

| valign="top" align="right" | 12.35%

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Lewis T. Mittness}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem.

| valign="top" align="right" | 30,551

| valign="top" align="right" | 5.67%

rowspan="3" valign="top" | General

| rowspan="3" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 2}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 984,835

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 65.57%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Frederick H. Rice}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 496,024

| valign="top" align="right" | 33.03%

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 1,501,899

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 488,811

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Leslie G. Key}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Libertarian }} | Lib.

| valign="top" align="right" | 13,481

| valign="top" align="right" | 0.90%

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Leslie G. Key}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Constitution}} | Con.

| valign="top" align="right" | 7,559

| valign="top" align="right" | 0.50%

rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1986

| rowspan="2" valign="top" | General{{cite report |url=http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1987 |title=The state of Wisconsin 1987-1988 Blue Book |publisher=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |pages=878, 897 |access-date=2019-04-08 |chapter=Elections in Wisconsin}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 4}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 754,032

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 52.07%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Clifford Krueger}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 670,672

| valign="top" align="right" | 46.31%

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 1,448,189

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 83,360

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Richard L. Ackley}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Labor}} | L-F

| valign="top" align="right" | 23,485

| valign="top" align="right" | 1.62%

rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1990

| valign="top" | Primary{{cite report |url=http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1991 |title=State of Wisconsin 1991-1992 Blue Book |publisher=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |pages=889, 907 |access-date=2019-04-08 |chapter=Elections in Wisconsin}}

| valign="top" |{{nobreak|Sep. 11}}

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| valign="top" align="right" | 129,926

| valign="top" align="right" | 72.38%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Stuart Levitan}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem.

| valign="top" align="right" | 49,590

| valign="top" align="right" | 27.62%

| valign="top" align="right" | 179,516

| valign="top" align="right" | 80,336

valign="top" | General

| valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 6}}

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| valign="top" align="right" | 733,390

| valign="top" align="right" | 55.67%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Robert M. Thompson}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 583,955

| valign="top" align="right" | 44.33%

| valign="top" align="right" | 1,317,345

| valign="top" align="right" | 149,435

rowspan="3" valign="top" | 1994

| rowspan="3" valign="top" | General{{cite report |url=http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1995 |title=State of Wisconsin 1995-1996 Blue Book |publisher=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |pages=893, 913 |access-date=2019-04-08 |chapter=Elections in Wisconsin}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 8}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 845,742

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 57.03%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Erling G. Jackson}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 590,666

| valign="top" align="right" | 39.83%

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 1,482,943

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 255,076

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Kevin Scheunemann}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Libertarian}} | Lib.

| valign="top" align="right" | 26,397

| valign="top" align="right" | 1.78%

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Ernest Brusubardis III}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Constitution}} | Tax.

| valign="top" align="right" | 20,138

| valign="top" align="right" | 1.36%

rowspan="4" valign="top" | 1998

| rowspan="4" valign="top" | General{{cite report |url=http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1999 |title=State of Wisconsin 1999-2000 Blue Book |publisher=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |pages=888, 889 |access-date=2019-04-08 |chapter=Elections in Wisconsin}}

| rowspan="4" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 3}}

| rowspan="4" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| rowspan="4" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| rowspan="4" valign="top" align="right" | 973,744

| rowspan="4" valign="top" align="right" | 57.98%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Linda A. Cross}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 660,406

| valign="top" align="right" | 39.32%

| rowspan="4" valign="top" align="right" | 1,679,484

| rowspan="4" valign="top" align="right" | 313,338

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Donald L. Carlson}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Libertarian}} | Lib.

| valign="top" align="right" | 18,074

| valign="top" align="right" | 1.08%

valign="top" | {{nowrap|William C. Hemenway}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Constitution}} | Tax.

| valign="top" align="right" | 17,354

| valign="top" align="right" | 1.03%

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Leroy Mueller}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Reform}} | Ref.

| valign="top" align="right" | 9,906

| valign="top" align="right" | 0.59%

rowspan="2" valign="top" | 2002

| rowspan="2" valign="top" | General{{cite report |url=https://whs.access.preservica.com/download/file/IO_ae534b25-9fc6-4986-b261-7c785e581f09 |title=Results of Fall General Election |date=2002-11-05 |publisher=Wisconsin State Elections Board |page=2 |access-date=2019-04-08 |via=Wisconsin Historical Society}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 5}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 950,929

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 56.60%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Robert Gerald Lorge }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 693,476

| valign="top" align="right" | 41.27%

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 1,680,164

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 257,453

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Edward J. Frami}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Constitution}} | Con.

| valign="top" align="right" | 34,750

| valign="top" align="right" | 2.07%

rowspan="3" valign="top" | 2006

| valign="top" | Primary{{cite report |url=https://whs.access.preservica.com/download/file/IO_652d86d6-b92d-424b-8ebe-b58a0781ae29 |title=Results of Fall Primary Election |date=2006-09-12 |publisher=Wisconsin State Elections Board |page=4 |access-date=2019-04-08 |via=Wisconsin Historical Society}}

| valign="top" |{{nobreak|Sep. 12}}

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| valign="top" align="right" | 236,547

| valign="top" align="right" | 71.19%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Scot Ross }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem.

| valign="top" align="right" | 95,354

| valign="top" align="right" | 28.70%

| valign="top" align="right" | 332,265

| valign="top" align="right" | 141,193

rowspan="2" valign="top" | General{{cite report |url=https://whs.access.preservica.com/download/file/IO_cd4cdebd-cf01-4526-b8ef-a99e58f86c56 |title=Results of Fall General Election |date=2006-11-07 |publisher=Wisconsin State Elections Board |page=2 |access-date=2019-04-08 |via=Wisconsin Historical Society}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 7}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 1,184,720

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 58.07%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Sandy Sullivan }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 796,686

| valign="top" align="right" | 39.05%

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 2,040,144

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 388,034

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Michael LaForest }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Green}} | Grn.

| valign="top" align="right" | 57,326

| valign="top" align="right" | 2.81%

valign="top" | 2010

| valign="top" | General{{cite report |url=https://whs.access.preservica.com/download/file/IO_be643609-c3c6-4892-83fa-89695a980af3 |title=2010 Fall General Election Results Summary Post Recount |date=2010-11-30 |publisher=Wisconsin Government Accountability Board |page=2 |access-date=2019-04-08 |via=Wisconsin Historical Society}}

| valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 2}}

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| valign="top" align="right" | 1,074,118

| valign="top" align="right" | 51.61%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|David D. King }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 1,005,217

| valign="top" align="right" | 48.30%

| valign="top" align="right" | 2,081,198

| valign="top" align="right" | 68,901

rowspan="3" valign="top" | 2014

| rowspan="3" valign="top" | General{{cite report |url=https://elections.wi.gov/media/5146/download |title=Canvass Results for 2014 General Election |date=2014-11-04 |publisher=Wisconsin Government Accountability Board |page=2 |access-date=2019-04-08 |via=Wisconsin Elections Commission}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 4}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 1,161,113

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 50.00%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Julian Bradley }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 1,074,835

| valign="top" align="right" | 46.29%

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 2,322,035

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 86,278

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Andy Craig }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Independent}} | Ind.

| valign="top" align="right" | 58,996

| valign="top" align="right" | 2.54%

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Jerry Broitzman }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Constitution}} | Con.

| valign="top" align="right" | 25,744

| valign="top" align="right" | 1.11%

rowspan="3" valign="top" | 2018

| valign="top" | Primary{{cite report |url=https://elections.wi.gov/media/8614/download |title=Canvass Results for 2018 Partisan Primary |date=2018-08-14 |publisher=Wisconsin Elections Commission |page=6 |access-date=2019-04-08}}

| valign="top" |{{nobreak|Aug. 14}}

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| valign="top" align="right" | 327,020

| valign="top" align="right" | 65.84%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Arvina Martin }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem.

| valign="top" align="right" | 169,130

| valign="top" align="right" | 34.05%

| valign="top" align="right" | 496,720

| valign="top" align="right" | 157,890

rowspan="2" valign="top" | General{{cite report |url=https://elections.wi.gov/media/9401/download |title=Canvass Results for 2018 General Election |date=February 22, 2019 |publisher=Wisconsin Elections Commission |page=2 |access-date=November 23, 2022}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 6}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| rowspan="2" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 1,380,752

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 52.74%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Jay Schroeder }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 1,235,034

| valign="top" align="right" | 47.18%

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 2,617,948

| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 145,718

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Brad Karas (write-in) }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Green}} | Grn.

| valign="top" align="right" | 60

| valign="top" align="right" | 0.00%

rowspan="4" valign="top" | 2022

| valign="top" | Primary{{cite report |url=https://elections.wi.gov/media/16386/download |title=Canvass Results for 2022 Partisan Primary - 8/9/2022 |date=August 26, 2022 |publisher=Wisconsin Elections Commission |page=3 |access-date=November 23, 2022}}

| valign="top" |{{nobreak|Aug. 9}}

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| valign="top" align="right" | 300,773

| valign="top" align="right" | 63.57%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Alexia Sabor }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem.

| valign="top" align="right" | 171,954

| valign="top" align="right" | 36.34%

| valign="top" align="right" | 473,144

| valign="top" align="right" | 128,819

rowspan="3" valign="top" | General{{cite report |url=https://elections.wi.gov/media/18161/download |title=Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 |date=November 21, 2022 |publisher=Wisconsin Elections Commission |pages=1–2 |access-date=November 23, 2022}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" |{{nobreak|Nov. 8}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Doug La Follette (inc)}}

| rowspan="3" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 1,268,748

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 48.30%

| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Amy Loudenbeck }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep.

| valign="top" align="right" | 1,261,306

| valign="top" align="right" | 48.01%

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 2,626,943

| rowspan="3" valign="top" align="right" | 7,442

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Neil Harmon}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Libertarian}} | Lib.

| valign="top" align="right" | 54,413

| valign="top" align="right" | 2.07%

valign="top" | {{nowrap|Sharyl R. McFarland }}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Green }} | Grn.

| valign="top" align="right" | 41,532

| valign="top" align="right" | 1.58%

= U.S. Senate (1988) =

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Election

!Date

! colspan="4" |Elected

! colspan="4" |Defeated

!Total

!Plurality

rowspan="4" valign="top" |1988

| rowspan="4" valign="top" |Primary{{cite report |url=https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/GWSZSEDPAWDVC84 |title=State of Wisconsin 1989–1990 Blue Book |year=1989 |publisher=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |pages=[https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AGWSZSEDPAWDVC84/full/A2Y5DPKEZG23RX8W 904], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AGWSZSEDPAWDVC84/full/AYCZCKHH7CQTWZ9B 918] |editor-last1=Barish |editor-first1=Lawrence S. |editor-last2=Theobald |editor-first2=H. Rupert |chapter=Elections in Wisconsin |accessdate=December 28, 2023}}

| rowspan="4" valign="top" |{{nowrap|Sep. 13}}

| rowspan="4" valign="top" |{{nowrap|Herb Kohl}}

| valign="top" rowspan="4" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

| rowspan="4" align="right" valign="top" |249,226

| rowspan="4" align="right" valign="top" |46.78%

| valign="top" |{{nowrap|Tony Earl}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |203,479

| align="right" valign="top" |38.19%

| rowspan="4" align="right" valign="top" |533,004

| rowspan="4" align="right" valign="top" |45,747

valign="top" |{{nowrap|Ed Garvey}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |55,225

| align="right" valign="top" |10.37%

valign="top" |{{nowrap|Doug La Follette}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |19,819

| align="right" valign="top" |3.72%

valign="top" |{{nowrap|Edmund Hou-Seye}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |5,040

| align="right" valign="top" |0.95%

=U.S. House (1996)=

{{Election box begin no change| title=Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District Election, 1996{{cite report |url=http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1997 |title=State of Wisconsin 1997-1998 Blue Book |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |access-date= 2019-04-06 |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 878, 881 }}}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic Primary, September 10, 1996

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Lydia Spottswood

|votes = 16,945

|percentage = 45.68%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Doug La Follette

|votes = 13,594

|percentage = 36.64%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Jeffrey C. Thomas

|votes = 4,691

|percentage = 12.65%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Jerry Maiers

|votes = 1,867

|percentage = 5.03%

}}

{{Election box plurality no change

|votes = 3,351

|percentage = 9.03%

}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 37,097

|percentage = 100.0%

}}

{{Election box end}}

= Wisconsin Governor (2012) =

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Election

!Date

! colspan="4" |Elected

! colspan="4" |Defeated

!Total

!Plurality

rowspan="10" valign="top" |2012

| rowspan="10" valign="top" |Recall Primary{{cite web |title=Canvass Results for 2012 May 8 Recall Primary |url=http://elections.wi.gov/sites/default/files/Recall%20Primary%20Canvass%20Results%20%285.18.12%29.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215033612/http://elections.wi.gov/sites/default/files/Recall%20Primary%20Canvass%20Results%20%285.18.12%29.pdf |archive-date=2017-02-15 |access-date=May 1, 2025 |publisher=Wisconsin Government Accountability Board}}

| rowspan="10" valign="top" |{{nowrap|May 8}}

| rowspan="10" valign="top" |{{nowrap|Tom Barrett}}

| rowspan="10" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

| rowspan="10" align="right" valign="top" |390,191

| rowspan="10" align="right" valign="top" |58.10%

| valign="top" |{{nowrap|Kathleen Falk}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |229,236

| align="right" valign="top" |34.13%

| rowspan="10" align="right" valign="top" |671,602

| rowspan="10" align="right" valign="top" |160,955

valign="top" |{{nowrap|Kathleen Vinehout}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |26,967

| align="right" valign="top" |4.02%

valign="top" |{{nowrap|Douglas La Follette}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |19,497

| align="right" valign="top" |2.90%

valign="top" |{{nowrap|Gladys Huber}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |4,847

| align="right" valign="top" |0.72%

valign="top" |{{nowrap|Scattering}}

| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem.

| align="right" valign="top" |864

| align="right" valign="top" |0.13%

References

{{Reflist}}