Doug La Follette

Douglas J. La Follette (born June 6, 1940) is an American academic, environmental scientist, and politician from the state of Wisconsin. A Democrat, he is the current Secretary of State of Wisconsin.[1] He ran in the 2012 Democratic primary during the special election to recall Governor Scott Walker.

Doug La Follette
28th and 30th Secretary of State of Wisconsin
Assumed office
January 3, 1983
GovernorTony Earl
Tommy Thompson
Scott McCallum
Jim Doyle
Scott Walker
Tony Evers
Preceded byVel Phillips
In office
January 6, 1975 – January 3, 1979
GovernorPatrick Lucey
Martin J. Schreiber
Preceded byRobert C. Zimmerman
Succeeded byVel Phillips
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 22nd district
In office
January 1, 1973 – January 6, 1975
Preceded byJoseph Lourigan
Succeeded byJohn J. Maurer
Personal details
Born (1940-06-06) June 6, 1940
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationMarietta College (BS)
Stanford University (MS)
Columbia University (PhD)
WebsiteGovernment website

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. La Follette also served as a research associate at University of Wisconsin–Madison. He also owned a small business.[2]

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 has been described as an uncle of Robert "Fighting Bob" La Follette[3][4] by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Chemical & Engineering News, while Dissent Magazine referred to the great-grandfather as Bob La Follette's brother.[5] WKOW News and WEAU News state that “Fighting Bob” La Follette was Doug's great-uncle.[6][7] "Fighting Bob"'s grandson, former Wisconsin Attorney General Bronson La Follette, has described Doug La Follette as a "second cousin, three times removed" from "Fighting Bob" La Follette.[8] Alternatively, Milwaukee Magazine has noted Doug as a "first cousin three times removed of Robert "Fighting Bob" La Follette".[9] According to professor and author Nancy Unger, Doug is a third cousin of Bronson.[10] 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.[11]

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.[2] Upon his swearing in on January 3, 1983, Follette is currently the earliest serving, non-federal, statewide elected official in the United States holding the same office.

He has run opposed and 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.

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

Other roles

Electoral history

U.S. House (1970)
U.S. House of Representatives, Wisconsin 1st District Special Election, 1970[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Republican Henry C. Schadeberg (incumbent) 16,615 28.96%
Democratic Les Aspin 15,185 26.46%
Democratic Doug La Follette 15,165 26.43%
Democratic Gerald T. Flynn 6,130 10.68%
Republican Emil F. Hess, Jr. 2,641 4.60%
Democratic Perry J. Anderson 1,644 2.87%
Total votes 57,380 100.0%
General Election
Democratic Les Aspin 87,423 60.93%
Republican Henry C. Schadeberg (incumbent) 56,067 39.07%
Total votes 143,490 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

Wisconsin Senate (1972)
Wisconsin Senate, 22nd District Election, 1972[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 4,654 23.65%
Republican George W. Anderson 3,830 19.46%
Democratic John J. Maurer 3,332 16.93%
Democratic Edwin Anderson 2,582 13.12%
Democratic Ronald F. Lourigan 2,478 12.59%
Democratic Richard Lindgren 1,448 7.36%
Republican Kenneth M. Antaramian 1,349 6.86%
American Chester Hensley 6 0.03%
Total votes 19,679 100.0%
General Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 25,522 53.98%
Republican George W. Anderson 21,161 44.75%
American Chester Hensley 601 1.27%
Total votes 47,284 100.0%
Democratic hold

Wisconsin Secretary of State (1974)
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 1974[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 237,077 50.74%
Republican Kent C. Jones 147,095 31.48%
Democratic Eugene Parks 77,409 16.57%
American Eugene R. Zimmerman 5,672 1.21%
Total votes 467,253 100.0%
General Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 697,528 59.87%
Republican Kent C. Jones 406,602 34.90%
American Eugene R. Zimmerman 60,962 5.23%
Total votes 1,165,092 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor (1978)
Wisconsin Lieutenant Gubernatorial Primary Election, 1978[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Russell Olson 185,332 29.45%
Democratic Doug La Follette 151,366 24.05%
Republican La Verne Ausman 104,986 16.68%
Democratic Dale McKenna 47,257 7.51%
Democratic Harout O. Sanasarian 40,268 6.40%
Democratic Paul Offner 40,008 6.36%
Democratic Robert A. Anderson 21,230 3.37%
Democratic Charles F. Smith Jr. 19,504 3.10%
Democratic Monroe Swan 18,392 2.92%
Constitution George Reed 964 0.15%
Total votes 629,307 100.0%
Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election, 1978[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Lee S. Dreyfus
/ Russell Olson 		816,056 54.37%
Democratic Martin J. Schreiber (incumbent)
/ Doug La Follette		 673,813 44.90%
Constitution Eugene R. Zimmerman
/ George Reed		 6,355 0.42%
Independent George C. Doherty
/ Marion A. Doherty		 2,183 0.15%
Independent Adrienne Kaplan
/ William Breihan		 1,548 0.10%
Independent Henry A. Ochsner
/ Robert E. Nordlander		 849 0.06%
Total votes 1,500,804 100.0%
Republican gain from Democratic

Wisconsin Secretary of State (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994)
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 1982[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 275,729 34.49%
Republican Frederick H. Rice 257,193 32.17%
Democratic Ada Deer 166,371 20.81%
Democratic Vel Phillips (incumbent) 66,576 8.33%
Democratic Lewis T. Mittness 30,551 3.82%
Libertarian Leslie G. Key 1,591 0.20%
Constitution David E. Mrotek 1,441 0.18%
Total votes 799,452 100.0%
General Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 984,835 65.57%
Republican Frederick H. Rice 496,024 33.03%
Libertarian Leslie G. Key 13,481 0.90%
Constitution David E. Mrotek 7,559 0.50%
Total votes 1,501,899 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 1986[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 223,170 48.27%
Republican Clifford Krueger 174,445 37.73%
Republican Thomas Coaty 63,712 13.78%
Wis. Labor-Farm Richard L. Ackley 966 0.21%
Total votes 462,293 100.0%
General Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 754,032 52.07%
Republican Clifford Krueger 670,672 46.31%
Wis. Labor-Farm Richard L. Ackley 23,485 1.62%
Total votes 1,448,189 100.0%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 1990[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Republican Robert M. Thompson 166,763 48.16%
Democratic Doug La Follette 129,926 37.52%
Democratic Stuart Levitan 49,590 14.32%
Total votes 346,279 100.0%
General Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 733,390 55.67%
Republican Robert M. Thompson 583,955 44.33%
Total votes 1,317,345 100.0%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 1994[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 123,745 33.23%
Republican Erling G. Jackson 107,413 28.85%
Republican Raymond C. Babb 74,966 20.13%
Republican Gene K. Qualmann 64,457 17.31%
Libertarian Kevin Scheunemann 995 0.27%
Taxpayers Ernest Brusubardis III 800 0.21%
Total votes 372,376 100.0%
General Election
Democratic Doug La Follette 845,742 57.03%
Republican Erling G. Jackson 590,666 39.83%
Libertarian Kevin Scheunemann 26,397 1.78%
Taxpayers Ernest Brusubardis III 20,138 1.36%
Total votes 1,482,943 100.0%
Democratic hold

U.S. House (1996)
U.S. House of Representatives, Wisconsin 1st District Election, 1996[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Republican Mark W. Neumann (incumbent) 18,797 33.63%
Democratic Lydia Spottswood 16,945 30.32%
Democratic Doug La Follette 13,594 24.32%
Democratic Jeffrey C. Thomas 4,691 8.39%
Democratic Jerry Maiers 1,867 3.34%
Total votes 55,894 100.0%
General Election
Republican Mark W. Neumann (incumbent) 118,408 50.92%
Democratic Lydia Spottswood 114,148 49.08%
Total votes 232,556 100.0%
Republican hold

Wisconsin Secretary of State (1998–Present)
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 1998[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 3, 1998
Democratic Doug La Follette 973,744 57.98%
Republican Linda A. Cross 660,406 39.32%
Libertarian Donald L. Carlson 18,074 1.08%
Taxpayers William C. Hemenway 17,354 1.03%
Reform Leroy Mueller 9,906 0.59%
Total votes 1,679,484 100.0%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 2002[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 5, 2002
Democratic Doug La Follette (incumbent) 950,929 56.60%
Republican Robert Gerald Lorge 693,476 41.27%
Constitution Edward J. Frami 34,750 2.07%
Write-ins 1,009 0.06%
Total votes 1,680,164 100.0% +0.04%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Primary, September 12, 2006[23]
Democratic Doug La Follette (incumbent) 236,547 71.19%
Democratic Scot Ross 95,354 28.70%
Scattering 364 0.11%
Total votes 332,265 100.0%
General Election, November 7, 2006[24]
Democratic Doug La Follette (incumbent) 1,184,720 58.07% +1.47%
Republican Sandy Sullivan 796,686 39.05% -2.22%
Green Michael LaForest 57,326 2.81%
Scattering 1,412 0.07%
Total votes 2,040,144 100.0% +21.43%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 2010[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 2010
Democratic Doug La Follette (incumbent) 1,074,118 51.61% -6.46%
Republican David D. King 1,005,217 48.30% +9.25%
Scattering 1,863 0.09%
Total votes 2,081,198 100.0% +2.01%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 2014[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 4, 2014
Democratic Doug La Follette (incumbent) 1,161,113 50.00% -1.61%
Republican Julian Bradley 1,074,835 46.29% -2.01%
Independent Andy Craig 58,996 2.54%
Constitution Jerry Broitzman 25,744 1.11%
Scattering 1,347 0.06%
Total votes 2,322,035 100.0% +11.57%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Secretary of State Election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Primary, August 14, 2018[27]
Democratic Doug La Follette (incumbent) 327,020 65.84%
Democratic Arvina Martin 169,130 34.05%
Scattering 570 0.11%
Total votes 496,720 100.0%
General Election, November 6, 2018[28]
Democratic Doug La Follette (incumbent) 1,380,752 52.74% +1.58%
Republican Jay Schroeder 1,235,034 47.18% -0.15%
Green Brad Karas 60 0.00%
Scattering 2,102 0.08%
Total votes 2,676,944 100.0% +15.28%
Democratic hold

Notes
  1. "La Follette, Douglas J." Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  2. Wisconsin Blue Book 2017-2018. Madison: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, 2017, p. 5.
  3. Bill Glauber. "La Follette weathers Republican tsunami" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 11, 2010.
  4. Carmen Drahl. "" Douglas La Follette Chemist-turned-politician ran low-budget gubernatorial campaign", May 14th, 2012.
  5. Peter Dreier. "" Dissent Magazine", April 11th, 2011.
  6. Dan Plutchak. "" Longtime Democratic Secretary of State Doug La Follette wins re-election", November 6th, 2018.
  7. AP. "" WEAU 13 News, Nov 6th, 2018.
  8. "Bronson La Follette critical of relative". The Milwaukee Journal, February 10, 1970, p. 12.
  9. Staff Archive. "" Milwaukee Magazine", November 20th, 2006.
  10. Unger, Nancy (2008). Fighting Bob La Follette: The Righteous Reformer. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society Press.
  11. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (comp.). The State of Wisconsin 1973 Blue Book. Madison: 1973, p. 64.
  12. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1971 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 296, 312. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
  13. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin 1973 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 802, 822. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  14. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin 1975 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 797, 817. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  15. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin 1979-1980 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 894, 895, 914. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  16. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin" (PDF). The state of Wisconsin 1983-1984 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 878, 901. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  17. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin" (PDF). The state of Wisconsin 1987-1988 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 878, 897. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  18. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 1991-1992 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 889, 907. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  19. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 1995-1996 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 893, 913. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  20. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 1997-1998 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 878, 881. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
  21. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 1999-2000 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 888, 889. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  22. Results of Fall General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. 2002-11-05. p. 2. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  23. Results of Fall Primary Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. 2006-09-12. p. 4. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  24. Results of Fall General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. 2006-11-07. p. 2. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  25. 2010 Fall General Election Results Summary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. 2010-11-30. p. 2. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  26. Canvass Results for 2014 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. 2014-11-04. p. 2. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  27. Canvass Results for 2018 Partisan Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. 2018-08-14. pp. 5, 6. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  28. Canvass Results for 2018 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. 2014-11-06. p. 2. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
Wisconsin State Senate
Preceded by
Joseph Lourigan		 Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 22nd district
1973–1975		 Succeeded by
John J. Maurer
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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