Gerald David Lorge (July 9, 1922 – February 14, 2001) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He served 30 years in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing Outagamie and Waupaca counties, and earlier served four years in the State Assembly. At the time of his death, he was the fifth longest-serving member of the Wisconsin Senate.[1]
Gerald D. Lorge | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 14th district | |
| In office January 3, 1955 – January 7, 1985 | |
| Preceded by | Gordon A. Bubolz |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Leean |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Outagamie 2nd district | |
| In office January 1, 1951 – January 3, 1955 | |
| Preceded by | William M. Rohan |
| Succeeded by | William T. Sullivan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 9, 1922 Bear Creek, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | February 14, 2001 (aged 78) Bear Creek, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Resting place | Saint Marys Parish Cemetery, Bear Creek, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Christina Cordelia "Tina" Ziegler
(m. 1958–2001) |
| Children |
|
| Alma mater | Marquette University (JD) |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Master Sergeant |
| Unit | Marine Aircraft Group 13, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Early life
editBorn in Bear Creek, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, Lorge graduated from Bear Creek High School and worked briefly at the YMCA before the outbreak of World War II. In 1942, he enlisted for service in the United States Marine Corps and, in 1943, was deployed to the Pacific theater with the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.[1] In early 1944, he was injured and spent several weeks at a naval hospital on Samoa.[2] Afterward, he was reassigned to San Diego, California, and subsequently received an honorable discharge.
Career
editLorge was one of three Republicans challenging incumbent Assemblymember William M. Rohan in the 1950 primary. Rohan had long been a member of the Democratic Party, but had run as a Republican since 1946, after the collapse of the Wisconsin Progressive Party. Lorge prevailed in the four-way primary,[3] and won the general election with 59% of the vote, with Rohan in the race as an independent candidate.[4] Rohan returned for a head-to-head contest in the 1952 Republican primary, but Lorge prevailed again.[5]
In 1946, he had begun attending Marquette University but did not complete a degree before being elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly. Following the end of the spring 1951 legislative session, however, he returned to Marquette and received his J.D. in 1952. He started a law practice in Bear Creek that year, and was re-elected to the Assembly that Fall.
In 1954, State Senator Gordon A. Bubolz resigned, necessitating a 1954 special election to fill the remaining two years of his term. Lorge won a contested Republican primary and was unopposed in the November election. He was subsequently elected to a full term in 1956, and was re-elected six more times.
After the death of U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy in 1957, Lorge ran in the Republican primary to serve out the remainder of his term, but came in a distant 6th place.[6]
In 1974, Lorge made another attempt at statewide election, running for Attorney General of Wisconsin. He was unopposed for the Republican nomination, but lost the general election to Bronson La Follette, who was returning to the office he had previously held in the 1960s.[7]
In the 1980s, Wisconsin underwent a painful redistricting process as the Governor and Legislature were unable to agree on a map. The issue was referred to federal courts, and a court-ordered map was implemented in 1982. Prompted by the court's map, which eviscerated existing legislative districts, the Legislature came back and agreed on a replacement map in 1983. After these edits, Lorge's 14th State Senate district had been radically redrawn. For the previous 30 years, the district had been anchored on his native Outagamie County and neighboring Waupaca County. In 1983, the district now barely contained any of Outagamie County, and stretched all the way across central Wisconsin to Monroe County.[8]
Rather than run for another term in the mangled district, Lorge, who was then the most senior member of the State Senate, chose to retire.[8][1] His son, William, attempted a run in the new Senate district, but was defeated in the Republican primary by Waupaca businessman Joseph Leean.[9]
After leaving the Senate, Lorge made one final bid for elected office in 1985, running for Wisconsin circuit court judge in Outagamie County, but was defeated in the primary.[10]
Lorge devoted more time to his law practice after leaving public office, and welcomed his son, Robert, as a partner in the firm, now known as Lorge & Lorge.[11]
Personal life
editHe married Christina "Tina" Ziegler in 1958. Together, they had two sons and three daughters. William served five terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Robert was the Republican nominee in the 2006 United States Senate election in Wisconsin, but lost to incumbent senator Herb Kohl.
Lorge died at his home in Bear Creek, Wisconsin, in February 2001.[12]
Electoral history
editWisconsin Assembly (1950, 1952)
edit| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Primary[3] | September 19 | Gerald Lorge | Republican | 1,415 | 41.03% | William M. Rohan (inc.) | Rep. | 1,075 | 31.17% | 3,449 | 340 |
| Gus Hanges | Rep. | 580 | 16.82% | |||||||||
| Carl Konrad | Rep. | 379 | 10.99% | |||||||||
| General[4] | November 7 | Gerald Lorge | Republican | 6,106 | 59.05% | Katherine Sullivan | Dem. | 2,306 | 22.30% | 10,340 | 3,800 | |
| William M. Rohan (inc.) | Ind. | 1,928 | 18.65% | |||||||||
| 1952 | Primary[5] | September 9 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 4,190 | 59.12% | William M. Rohan | Rep. | 2,897 | 40.88% | 7,087 | 1,293 |
| General[13] | November 4 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 9,661 | 66.20% | Joseph Promer | Dem. | 4,932 | 33.80% | 14,593 | 4,729 | |
U.S. Senate (1957)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican Primary, July 30, 1957 | |||||
| Republican | Walter J. Kohler Jr. | 109,256 | 34.43% | ||
| Republican | Glenn R. Davis | 100,532 | 31.68% | ||
| Republican | Alvin E. O'Konski | 66,784 | 21.05% | ||
| Republican | Warren P. Knowles | 23,996 | 7.56% | ||
| Republican | Henry P. Hughes | 7,488 | 2.36% | ||
| Republican | Gerald Lorge | 7,326 | 2.31% | ||
| Republican | John C. Schafer | 1,906 | 0.60% | ||
| Plurality | 8,724 | 2.75% | |||
| Total votes | 317,288 | 100.0% | |||
Wisconsin Attorney General (1974)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 5, 1974 | |||||
| Democratic | Bronson La Follette | 669,968 | 58.10% | +12.01% | |
| Republican | Gerald Lorge | 483,232 | 41.90% | −11.41% | |
| Plurality | 186,736 | 16.19% | 8.96% | ||
| Total votes | 1,153,200 | 100.0% | -10.50% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | 23.42% | |||
Wisconsin Senate (1954–1980)
edit| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Primary[14] | September 14 | Gerald Lorge | Republican | 10,168 | 56.71% | William S. Pfankuch | Rep. | 7,762 | 43.29% | 17,930 | 2,406 |
| General[15] | November 2 | Gerald Lorge | Republican | 26,093 | 100.0% | 26,093 | 26,093 | |||||
| 1956 | General[6] | November 6 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 35,915 | 75.18% | Gordon O. Rodenz | Dem. | 11,858 | 24.82% | 47,773 | 24,057 |
| 1960 | Primary[16] | September 13 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 9,766 | 50.63% | Donald L. Jury | Rep. | 5,895 | 30.56% | 19,289 | 3,871 |
| Gerald K. Anderson | Rep. | 3,628 | 18.81% | |||||||||
| General[16] | November 8 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 38,278 | 68.06% | Robert F. Stange | Dem. | 17,963 | 31.94% | 56,241 | 20,315 | |
| 1964 | Primary[17] | September 8 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 10,600 | 67.57% | George L. Buckley | Rep. | 5,087 | 32.43% | 15,687 | 5,513 |
| General[17] | November 3 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 35,208 | 65.99% | Richard K. Wege | Dem. | 18,144 | 34.01% | 53,352 | 17,064 | |
| 1968 | General[18] | November 5 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 42,313 | 100.0% | 42,313 | 42,313 | ||||
| 1972 | Primary[19] | September 12 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 13,890 | 74.32% | Gerald L. McFarren | Rep. | 4,800 | 25.68% | 18,690 | 9,090 |
| General[19] | November 7 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 35,919 | 72.88% | Michael P. Mack | Dem. | 13,367 | 27.12% | 49,286 | 22,552 | |
| 1976 | General[20] | November 2 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 36,937 | 67.47% | Robert E. Luedtke | Dem. | 17,811 | 32.53% | 54,748 | 19,126 |
| 1980 | General[21] | November 4 | Gerald Lorge (inc.) | Republican | 34,289 | 55.43% | C. Michael Allen | Dem. | 27,570 | 44.57% | 61,859 | 6,719 |
Outagamie County Circuit Judge (1985)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan Primary, February 19, 1985 (top-two) | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Michael W. Gage | 3,004 | 37.28% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Kathleen Galles Lhost | 2,305 | 28.61% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Gerald Lorge | 1,848 | 22.94% | ||
| Nonpartisan | David G. Geenen | 900 | 11.17% | ||
| Total votes | 8,057 | 100.0% | |||
References
edit- ^ a b c Relating to: the life and public service of Gerald D. Lorge (Senate Joint Resolution 28). Wisconsin Legislature. 2001. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ "Gerald D. Lorge Released From Hospital". The Post-Crescent. March 24, 1944. p. 3. Retrieved October 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1952). "Parties and Elections: The Primary Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1952 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 684. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1952). "Parties and Elections: The General Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1952 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 751. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1954). "Parties and Elections: The Primary Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1954 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 666. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ a b c Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1958). "Parties and Elections" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1958 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 666–667, 671, 776. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ a b Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1975). "Elections" (PDF). The state of Wisconsin 1975 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 798, 818. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ a b Zaferos, William D. (May 2, 1984). "Lorge to vacate Senate seat". The Post-Crescent. p. 1. Retrieved October 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Zaferos, William D. (September 12, 1984). "It's Leean vs. Huber for Lorge's Senate seat". The Post-Crescent. p. 13. Retrieved October 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1985). "Elections" (PDF). The state of Wisconsin 1985-1986 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 878. Retrieved October 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "About Us". Lorge & Lorge Law Firm. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ "Gerald Lorge dies at 78". The Capital Times. February 16, 2001. p. 13. Retrieved October 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1954). "Parties and Elections: The General Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1954 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 763. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1956). "Parties and Elections: The Primary Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1956 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 707. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1956). "Parties and Elections: The General Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1956 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 750. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Theobald, H. Rupert, eds. (1962). "Wisconsin Elections" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1962 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 792, 866. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ a b Theobald, H. Rupert, ed. (1966). "Elections" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1966 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 737, 753. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1970). "Elections" (PDF). The State of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1970 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 800, 816. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ a b Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1973). "Elections" (PDF). The state of Wisconsin 1973 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 802, 822. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1977). "Elections" (PDF). The State of Wisconsin 1977 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 888, 910. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1981). "Elections" (PDF). The State of Wisconsin 1981-1982 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 890, 912. Retrieved October 25, 2021.