John D. Medinger
39th Mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin
In office
April 15, 1997 – April 19, 2005
Preceded byPatrick Zielke
Succeeded byMark Johnsrud
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office
January 7, 1985 – January 4, 1993
Preceded byMidge Miller
Succeeded byMark Meyer
Constituency95th Assembly district
In office
January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1985
Preceded byRobert J. Larson
Succeeded byJim Holperin
Constituency34th Assembly district
In office
January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1983
Preceded byPaul Offner
Succeeded byMidge Miller
Constituency34th Assembly district
Member of the Board of Supervisors of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, from the 14th district
In office
2006–2012
Preceded byMitzi Parr
Personal details
Born (1948-04-26) April 26, 1948
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDee Medinger
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–La Crosse (BA, MA)
OccupationAssociate Lecturer of Political Science
ProfessionTeacher, Politician

John Donald Medinger (born April 26, 1948) is an American teacher, businessman, and Democratic politician from La Crosse, Wisconsin. He was the 39th mayor of La Crosse (1997–2005) and represented the area for 16 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, from 1977 to 1993. He also served six years on the La Crosse County board of supervisors.

Background

Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Medinger graduated from Aquinas High School. Medinger received his bachelor's and master's degree from University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. He was a teacher, gas station operator, and a volunteer in VISTA.[1]

Political life

Medinger was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1976, as a Democrat, representing the 95th district and served in that post for 16 years. He eventually became Assistant Majority Leader of the Assembly.[2]

After he left the Assembly in 1992, he worked for United States Senator Russ Feingold until 1996. In the spring of 1997, after the retirement of longtime La Crosse Mayor Patrick Zielke, Medinger ran for mayor. He won the election over political newcomer Dan Herber. In 2001, he won reelection in a landslide over alderman Gerald Every. In 2005, he retired from the Mayor's Office.[3]

After leaving the mayor's Office, Medinger worked in U.S. Senator Herb Kohl's La Crosse office. In December 2012 Medinger announced he would run again for La Crosse mayor in the spring of 2013,[4] but dropped out of the race a few days later.[5]

Post-politics

Medinger worked at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse as an associate lecturer of political science.[6]

Medinger then served as a member of the La Crosse County Board from 2006 until the spring of 2012. He also served as United States Senator Herb Kohl's La Crosse area representative.[5] Then he was hired to be United States Senator Tammy Baldwin's La Crosse's area representative.[7] Medinger retired from that position on February 20, 2017.[8]

Notes

  1. ↑ John Medinger, Wisconsin Historical Society
  2. ↑ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1991-1992,' Biographical Sketch of John Medinger, pg. 85
  3. ↑ OurCampaigns.com
  4. ↑ John Medinger To Run For Mayor Again
  5. 1 2 Betsy Bloom. "Medinger Dropping Out of Mayoral Race". La Crosse Tribune, December 18, 2012.
  6. ↑ "University of Wisconsin–La Crosse Office of Records and Registration (as of April 2007)". Archived from the original on 2013-07-19. Retrieved 2013-02-15.
  7. ↑ "Medinger lands staff job with Baldwin". La Crosse Tribune, January 19, 2013.
  8. ↑ "'He wants to serve': John Medinger honored for four decades of public service". La Crosse Tribune, March 11, 2017.
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