Warren Braun
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 11th district
In office
December 8, 1976 – January 3, 1983
Preceded byWayne F. Whittow
Succeeded byJ. Mac Davis
Personal details
Born (1934-06-12) June 12, 1934
Eden, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseSharon
Children3
ResidenceWauwatosa, Wisconsin
Alma mater
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
U.S. Army Reserve
Years of service1957–1963

Warren Daniel Braun (born June 12, 1934) is a retired American educator, Catholic deacon, and Democratic politician. He served six years in the Wisconsin State Senate (1977–1983) representing the west side of the city of Milwaukee, and was a member of the Milwaukee Common Council and the Milwaukee School Board.

Early life and career

Braun was born in Eden, in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, and graduated from St. Mary Springs High School in Fond du Lac.[1] He attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, where he earned his bachelor's degree in political science in 1956. After earning his degree, Braun became a history teacher and football coach at Milwaukee's Pius XI High School. He also served in the United States Army Reserve from 1957 through 1963. In the late 1960s, Braun continued his own education at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and earned his master's degree in history in 1970.[1] He subsequently attended Marquette University Law School but did not finish.[1]

Political career

In 1968, Braun ran successfully for a seat on the Milwaukee Common Council from Milwaukee's 16th ward.[2] He was re-elected several times. He was noteworthy on the common council as the first white alderman in Milwaukee to vote in favor of an open housing ordinance for the city.[3]

In 1976, incumbent Wisconsin state senator Wayne F. Whittow, who represented Milwaukee's west side district—then the 11th State Senate district—resigned in the middle of his term after his election as Milwaukee city treasurer.[4][5] A special election was called for November 1976 to fill the vacancy for the remaining two years of the term, and Braun decided to enter the race.[6] In the November general election, Braun received 80% of the vote in the heavily Democratic district[7] and took the oath of office on December 8, 1976.[8]

He was re-elected in 1978 without opposition. In 1982, the Wisconsin Legislature failed to pass a redistricting act and, as a result, a lawsuit led to redistricting being carried out by a panel of federal judges. Braun's Senate district was dismembered, and he instead chose to enter the Democratic primary for a vacancy in Wisconsin's 5th congressional district. Braun came in 4th in a field of ten candidates in the primary, taking 14% of the vote.[9]

Later years

Following the end of his Senate term, Braun was employed as director of the social ministry department of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and served on several state boards and commissions.[10] Under Governor Tony Earl, he was appointed to the Wisconsin Council on Criminal Justice in 1983, and to a special legislative committee for studying pregnancy options in 1985.[11][12]

Through his role with the Archdiocese, he remained active in state politics, pushing for progressive reform of the state property tax, and writing to the Governor to request that the Wisconsin National Guard not be utilized in support of the Contras in Nicaragua.[13][14] He was subsequently elected to the Milwaukee School Board.[15]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Senate (1976, 1978)

Wisconsin's 5th Congressional District Election, 1976[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 1976
Democratic Warren D. Braun 34,192 80.29%
Republican Branko Terzic 8,396 19.71%
Plurality 25,796 60.57%
Total votes 42,588 100.0% +136.77%
Democratic hold

U.S. House of Representatives (1982)

Wisconsin's 5th Congressional District Election, 1982[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Primary, September 14, 1982
Democratic Jim Moody 17,073 18.52%
Democratic Frederick P. Kessler 15,804 17.14%
Democratic Orville E. Pitts 15,264 16.55%
Democratic Warren D. Braun 13,320 14.45%
Democratic Marty Aronson 11,799 12.80%
Democratic Kevin D. O'Connor 10,368 11.24%
Democratic Karen Lamb 3,814 4.14%
Democratic Harout O. Sanasarian 2,812 3.05%
Democratic Roman R. Blenski 1,409 1.53%
Democratic John Werner 539 0.58%
Plurality 1,269 1.38%
Total votes 92,202 100.0%

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Braun, Warren D. 1934". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Braun resigns as Pius head coach". Kenosha News. April 4, 1968. Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Impact of Milwaukee's open housing law is minor". Kenosha News. February 19, 1969. p. 17. Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Lineup trouble in both camps". La Crosse Tribune. February 9, 1976. p. 5. Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Wednesday, May 5, 1976" (PDF). State of Wisconsin Senate Journal. 82nd Regular Session: 2249. May 5, 1976. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Braun to seek senate seat". The Reporter. April 22, 1976. p. 2. Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1977). "Elections" (PDF). The State of Wisconsin 1977 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 910. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Monday, January 3, 1977" (PDF). State of Wisconsin Senate Journal. 82nd Regular Session: 2545. January 3, 1977. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  9. 1 2 Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1983). "Elections" (PDF). The state of Wisconsin 1983-1984 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 883. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  10. ↑ Boardman, Arlen (March 15, 1985). "People First". The Post-Crescent. p. 13. Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Earl names state board choices". Wisconsin State Journal. July 17, 1983. p. 7. Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Form prgenancy options panel". The Post-Crescent. February 17, 1985. p. 12. Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Pommer, Matt (August 10, 1987). "Interfaith church task force creates its own property tax commission". The Capital Times. p. 7. Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Earl: Guard to C. America if..." The Capital Times. July 1, 1986. p. 6. Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Milwaukee schools eye bus cameras". The Capital Times. August 25, 1999. p. 3. Retrieved October 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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