Gerald T. Flynn
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromWisconsin's1st district
In office January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1961
Preceded by	Lawrence H. Smith
Succeeded by	Henry Schadeberg
Member of theWisconsin Senate from the21st district
In office January 1, 1951 – January 3, 1955
Preceded by	Edward F. Hilker
Succeeded by	Lynn E. Stalbaum
Personal details
Born	(1910-10-07)October 7, 1910 Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	May 14, 1990(1990-05-14) (aged 79) Racine, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting place	Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Racine
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Mary C. McAvoy ​ ​ (m. 1938; died 1990)​
Children	4 (includingDennis J. Flynn)
Alma mater	Marquette Law School (LL.B.)

Gerald Thomas Flynn (October 7, 1910 – May 14, 1990) was an American lawyer andDemocratic politician fromRacine, Wisconsin. He served one term in theUnited States House of Representatives, representingWisconsin's 1st congressional district during the86th United States Congress (1959–1961).^[1] He previously served four years in theWisconsin Senate, representingRacine County.

Born on a farm inMount Pleasant, Wisconsin, near the city ofRacine, Flynn attended a rural grade school and graduated fromSt. Catherine's High School in 1928. He went on to attendMarquette University Law School, where he earned hisLL.B. in 1933. He was admitted to the bar later that year and immediately began practicing law in the city of Racine.^[2][3]

As a student, he was already active with theDemocratic Party of Wisconsin, and was selected chairman of the Young Democrats club of Racine around the time he opened his law practice.^[4] His legal work often intersected with his political advocacy, and he often represented local unions. He was selected as a delegate to theDemocratic National Conventions in 1940, 1944, 1948, 1952, 1956, and 1960.

He first stood for election to office in 1950, when he ran as the Democratic nominee forWisconsin Senate in the21st State Senate district. He narrowly defeated former state representativeRandolph H. Runden in the general election and went on to represent Racine County in the1951 and1953 sessions.^[5]

Flynn decided that the demands of being a state legislator took too much of his time away from his legal practice, and announced that he would not run for another term in 1954.^[6] Two years later, however, he decided to seek elected office again, running forUnited States House of Representatives, challenging then-eight term incumbent Republican congressmanLawrence H. Smith inWisconsin's 1st congressional district. He defeated perennial candidate Kenosha engineer Erling Johnson in the Democratic primary, but lost to Smith in the general election. Although he only received 43% of the vote, he earned more votes than any previous Democratic candidate in the history of the district.^[2][7][8]

Congressman Lawrence Smith died a year into his ninth term, in January 1958, and Flynn decided to run again for the first congressional district, which would then be an open seat in the 1958 election.^[9] He faced another competitive primary—this time against fellow attorney Sverre Roang, ofEdgerton, Wisconsin—but managed to prevail with strong support from Racine and Kenosha counties.^[10][11] Flynn went on to face congressman Lawrence Smith's widow, Eleanor Smith, in the general election.^[11] Flynn won a close victory with 50.6% of the vote, becoming the first Democrat in 68 years to win an election in Wisconsin's 1st congressional district.^[9][10]

Flynn represented the 1st congressional district in the86th United States Congress (January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1961). His voting record in congress closely aligned with union labor preferences, he voted in the minority against theLabor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, at both a critical amendment and a final vote. He also voted against some in his party, voting for theCivil Rights Act of 1960, including the more controversial voting rights provision in the bill.^[12]

He ran for re-election in 1960. His opponent in that election wasBurlington congregational church ministerHenry C. Schadeberg. Schadeberg was considered a political unknown, but was popular from years of church and civic engagement, and was assisted by the district's natural Republican majority.^[13] Schadeberg prevailed in the general election with 53% of the vote, but Flynn still managed his largest vote total yet, about 16,000 more than he had received in 1956.^[14]

Flynn decided to make a bid to return to office in 1962. He faced a competitive primary, but managed to prevail with 51% over his two Democratic opponents. The result of the general election rematch, however, was almost identical to 1960, with Schadeberg again prevailing with about 53% of the vote.^[15]

Flynn made two more attempts to run for Congress, but lost in the primary in both 1964 and 1970.^[16] Flynn did not run for office again after coming in a distant third in the 1970 Democratic primary behindLes Aspin andDoug La Follette.^[17]

Although he never ran for office again, Flynn and his wife remained active members of the Democratic Party and supported many other candidates, including former Flynn campaign stafferMarcel Dandeneau, who represented the Racine area in the Assembly in the 1970s and served as chairman of the Racine County Democratic Party for years after.^[2]

Flynn also continued to work as a lawyer until his death. He collapsed in the courtroom of Wisconsin circuit judge Emmanuel J. Vuvunas during a trial and died at Racine's St. Luke's Hospital later that day.^[2]

Gerald T. Flynn was the youngest of seven children born to Irish American immigrant John Flynn and his wife Margaret (née Williams) Flynn.

Gerald Flynn married Racine public school teacher Mary Cecilia McAvoy at St. Patrick's Church in Racine, on August 3, 1938.^[18] McAvoy was active with the teachers union and was a long-time member of the leadership of the Racine County Democratic Party. They had two daughters and two sons together and were married for 51 years before her death in January 1990.^[19] Gerald Flynn died just four months later. At the time of his death, he had 14 grandchildren.^[2] In addition to his legal and political career, Flynn was active in the Catholic community as a member of theSociety of the Holy Name and theKnights of Columbus.^[20]

Their elder son,Dennis J. Flynn, also became a lawyer and Wisconsin circuit judge in Racine.^[19][2]

• United States Congress."Gerald T. Flynn (id: F000227)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

• 1910 births
• 1990 deaths
• Politicians from Racine, Wisconsin
• Democratic Party Wisconsin state senators
• Marquette University Law School alumni
• Wisconsin lawyers
• Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin
• 20th-century American lawyers
• Catholic politicians from Wisconsin
• American people of Irish descent
• 20th-century Wisconsin politicians
• 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives
• 20th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature

• Articles with short description
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