The nation’s longest serving legislator will call it a career next week. After 64 years in the Legislature, Madison Democrat Fred Risser will leave the state Senate next Monday.
In addition to being the nation’s longest-serving state or national legislator, Risser is also the last World War II veteran to serve.
Risser, who has never lost an election, was elected to the Assembly in 1956. He moved to the state Senate in 1962, where he served a total of 8 years as Minority Leader and 25 years as Senate President.
Risser said he was honored to have had the opportunity to represent the Madison area in the Wisconsin Legislature. In August 2020, Kelda Roys won a seven-person primary to succeed Risser. She had no opposition for the general election