Merrill E. Stalbaum

Merrill E. Stalbaum was born on his family's farm in the town of Norway, Wisconsin, in Racine County. He lived nearly his entire life in the town of Norway, attending the Hill Crest primary school, the Rochester Agricultural School, and then graduating from Waterford High School. He worked on his family farm and also trained as a land surveyor.

In 1937, he was elected clerk of the town of Norway, and was retained in that office for the next 30 years. He was also appointed to the County School Committee by the County Board, and served on that body from 1948 to 1960, during a significant reorganization of the Racine County school districts. During these years he was also active in a number of community organizations, including a local farm insurance company and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Committee.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-times-asc-racine/132555848/ |title= Pick ASC Community Committeemen; Plan County Convention on Aug. 25 |newspaper= Racine Journal Times |date= August 15, 1960 |page= 9 |accessdate= September 28, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}

In 1960, Stalbaum was a candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly in Racine County's 3rd Assembly district. The district then comprised all of the county outside of the city of Racine.{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/5BZZBS2FDP3LV8O |title= The Wisconsin Blue Book 1962 |year= 1962 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library |editor-last1= Toepel |editor-first1= M. G. |editor-last2= Theobald |editor-first2= H. Rupert |chapter= Biographies |page= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A5BZZBS2FDP3LV8O/full/A4DS7W4TLPQ42R9C 59] |accessdate= September 28, 2023 }} He ran on the Republican Party ticket, challenging Democratic incumbent John R. Hansen. In the November 1960 general election, Stalbaum narrowly prevailed over Hansen, receiving 51.5% of the vote.{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/5BZZBS2FDP3LV8O |title= The Wisconsin Blue Book 1962 |year= 1962 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library |editor-last1= Toepel |editor-first1= M. G. |editor-last2= Theobald |editor-first2= H. Rupert |chapter= Wisconsin Elections |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A5BZZBS2FDP3LV8O/full/ATBGTECIS2QPHF8T 798], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A5BZZBS2FDP3LV8O/full/ANO3S6NUBQJSLQ8K 868] |accessdate= September 28, 2023 }} Stalbaum would go on to win re-election five times, serving continuously until 1973.

The 1972 redistricting was the first to liberate districts from the county boundaries, and Stalbaum's Racine County district was divided between three new districts.{{cite act|url= https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1971/related/acts/304.pdf |title= An Act ... relating to districting the senate and assembly based on the number of inhabitants shown by the certified results of the 1970 census of population |type= Act |index= 304 |date= 1971 |legislature= Wisconsin Legislature |accessdate= September 28, 2023}} Rather than running for election in the new district which contained his home, the 43rd Assembly district, he instead chose to enter the race for United States House of Representatives, challenging first term incumbent Democrat Les Aspin.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-times-stalbaum-for-congress/132555999/ |title= Merrill Stalbaum Seeks 1st District House Seat |newspaper= Racine Journal Times |date= January 20, 1972 |page= 1 |accessdate= September 28, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }} Stalbaum faced a crowded Republican primary field, but managed to prevail with 43% over his three opponents. Aspin easily prevailed in the general election, however, with Stalbaum earning just 35% of the vote.{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/ZKQZSCWLXXUFN8R |title= The State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1973 |year= 1973 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last1= Theobald |editor-first1= H. Rupert |editor-last2= Robbins |editor-first2= Patricia V. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AZKQZSCWLXXUFN8R/full/AH34TYLASD7I7X8T 799], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AZKQZSCWLXXUFN8R/full/ABH47YFGZG5LQ58V 818] |accessdate= September 28, 2023 }}

Stalbaum largely retired from politics after the 1972 election, but remained active in the community and the Norway Lutheran Church.

Merrill Stalbaum was the eldest of three children born to John Martin and Amanda ({{nee}} Ebert) Stalbaum. Both parents were natives of Wisconsin, and the Stalbaum farm had belonged to the family since 1854. Merrill's younger brother, Lynn E. Stalbaum, also served in the Wisconsin Legislature as a member of the Wisconsin Senate and overlapped with Merrill Stalbaum's service during the 1961 and 1963 legislative sessions, making them the only siblings to serve together in the Wisconsin Legislature until Scott and Jeff Fitzgerald in 2001–2013. Unlike the Fitzgerald brothers, Merrill and Lynn Stalbaum had opposing political beliefs and often clashed. Lynn Stalbaum also went on to serve one term in the United States House of Representatives in the 1965–1966 term.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-times-lynn-stalbaum-dead/132553700/ |title= Politician Stalbaum dies at 79 |newspaper= Racine Journal Times |date= July 2, 1999 |page= 21 |accessdate= September 28, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-times-obituary-for-merrill-e/98443478/ |title= Merrill E. Stalbaum |newspaper= Racine Journal Times |date= September 1, 1999 |page= 18 |accessdate= September 28, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}

Merrill Stalbaum married Lucille Anna Hanson on July 15, 1944. They had one son, John, and were married for 44 years before her death in 1998.

Merrill Stalbaum died at Burlington Memorial Hospital in Burlington, Wisconsin, on August 30, 1999, after a short illness.

{{Election box begin|title = Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District Election, 1972 }}

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

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Merrill E. Stalbaum

|votes = 12,451

|percentage = 43.26%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Charles Coleman

|votes = 7,129

|percentage = 24.77%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = David B. Grimm

|votes = 6,273

|percentage = 21.79%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Garth Seehawer

|votes = 2,930

|percentage = 10.18%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 5,322

|percentage = 18.49%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 28,783

|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 (United States)

|candidate = Les Aspin (incumbent)

|votes = 122,973

|percentage = 64.41%

|change = +3.48pp

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Merrill E. Stalbaum

|votes = 66,665

|percentage = 34.91%

|change = -4.16pp

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = American Party (1969)

|candidate = Charles J. Fortner

|votes = 1,299

|percentage = 0.68%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 56,308

|percentage = 29.49%

|change = +7.64pp

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 190,937

|percentage = 100.0%

|change = +33.06%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-wi-hs}}

{{s-bef|before = John R. Hansen }}

{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the Racine 3rd district}} |years= January 2, 1961{{spnd}}January 1, 1973 }}

{{s-non|reason = District abolished }}

{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stalbaum, Merrill E.}}

Category:1911 births

Category:1999 deaths

Category:People from Norway, Wisconsin

Category:Farmers from Wisconsin

Category:Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Category:American people of German descent

Category:20th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature