Alexander Wiley | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wiley in April 1939 | |
| United States Senator fromWisconsin | |
| In office January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1963 | |
| Preceded by | F. Ryan Duffy |
| Succeeded by | Gaylord Nelson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1884-05-26)May 26, 1884 |
| Died | October 26, 1967(1967-10-26) (aged 83) Germantown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan University of Wisconsin Law School |
| Occupation | Attorney, Politician |
Alexander Wiley (May 26, 1884 – October 26, 1967) was an American politician who served four terms in theUnited States Senate for the state ofWisconsin from 1939 to 1963. When he left the Senate, he was itsmost seniorRepublican member.
Wiley was born inChippewa Falls, Wisconsin. He received his undergraduate education atAugsburg College inMinnesota and theUniversity of Michigan inAnn Arbor, Michigan. He received his law degree from theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison in 1907 and was also admitted to the bar the same year. He served as theChippewa County district attorney from 1909 to 1915.[1]
Wiley was the Republican candidate forgovernor of Wisconsin in 1936, but his bid failed.Philip La Follette and the newWisconsin Progressive Party, which split from the Republicans in 1934, won the election. In 1938, Wiley was elected to the U.S. Senate, first defeating Tax Court judgeStephen J. McMahon to win the Republican nomination, and then defeating Democratic incumbentF. Ryan Duffy to win the seat. In 1944, Wiley was challenged byUnited States Marine Corps CaptainJoseph R. McCarthy in the Republicanprimary. He defeated McCarthy and won the general election. Wiley, then anisolationist in foreign policy, and GovernorWalter S. Goodland supported Republican presidential nomineeThomas E. Dewey in the1944 race over incumbentFranklin D. Roosevelt, and Dewey won Wisconsin's electoral votes but fell short nationally.[2]
Wiley was re-elected two more times, in 1950 and 1956. He was challenged byU.S. RepresentativeGlenn Robert Davis in the 1956 Republican primary, but again prevailed. Wiley voted in favor of theCivil Rights Acts of 1957 and1960,[3][4] as well as the24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.[5] In 1962, Wiley lost his bid for a fifth term to GovernorGaylord Nelson, aliberalDemocrat. Wiley was the last Republican to serve as a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin until former9th district congressmanBob Kasten took office in 1981.
Wiley had a distinguished Senate career that included the chairmanship of both the Foreign Relations and Judiciary committees.
Wiley died inGermantown, Pennsylvania at age 83.[6] He was interred at Forest Hill Cemetery in Chippewa Falls. During his lifetime he was a member of theFreemasons, theKnights Templar, theElks Club, theKiwanis, theKnights of Pythias, theMoose International, theSons of Norway, andSigma Phi Epsilon.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Howard Greene | Republican nominee forGovernor of Wisconsin 1936 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forU.S. Senator fromWisconsin (Class 3) 1938,1944,1950,1956,1962 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 3) from Wisconsin 1939–1963 Served alongside:Robert M. La Follette, Jr.,Joseph McCarthy,William Proxmire | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theSenate Judiciary Committee 1947–1949 | Succeeded by Pat McCarran |
| Ranking Member of theSenate Judiciary Committee 1949–1953 | ||
| Preceded by | Ranking Member of theSenate Foreign Relations Committee 1951–1953 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theSenate Foreign Relations Committee 1953–1955 | |
| Preceded by Walter F. George | Ranking Member of theSenate Foreign Relations Committee 1955–1963 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Pat McCarran | Ranking Member of theSenate Judiciary Committee 1955–1963 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Ranking Member of theSenate Space Committee 1961–1963 | Succeeded by |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by Styles Bridges | Most seniorRepublicanUnited States senator 1961–1963 | Succeeded by |
| Class 1 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 3 | ||
