Lynn E. Stalbaum
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromWisconsin's1st district
In office January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1967
Preceded by	Henry Schadeberg
Succeeded by	Henry Schadeberg
Member of theWisconsin Senate from the21st district
In office January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1965
Preceded by	Gerald T. Flynn
Succeeded by	Henry Dorman
Personal details
Born	Lynn Ellsworth Stalbaum (1920-05-15)May 15, 1920 Norway, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	June 17, 1999(1999-06-17) (aged 79) George Washington University Hospital,Washington, D.C., U.S.
Cause of death	Leukemia
Resting place	Norway Cemetery,Norway, Wisconsin
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Alice Gunderson ​ ​ (m. 1950; died 1984)​
Children	4
Relatives	Merrill E. Stalbaum (brother)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1944–1946
Battles/wars	World War II Pacific War

Lynn Ellsworth Stalbaum (May 15, 1920 – June 17, 1999) was an American farmer, businessman, andDemocratic politician fromRacine County, Wisconsin. He served one term in theUnited States House of Representatives, representingWisconsin's 1st congressional district in the89th Congress from 1965 to 1967.

He previously served ten years in theWisconsin Senate. His elder brother,Merrill E. Stalbaum, served in theWisconsin State Assembly.

Stalbaum was born on a farm in the town ofNorway, Wisconsin, nearWaterford, inRacine County.^[1] He attended the rural public schools and graduated from the Racine County Agricultural School in 1936. He was employed with theUnited States Department of Agriculture in Racine County from 1936 to 1944, working on theNew DealAgricultural Adjustment Act program, and serving as administrative officer from 1937.^[2]

In 1944, he enlisted in theUnited States Navy, in the midst ofWorld War II. He served in thePacific War aboard a U.S. Navydestroyer and participated in theinvasion of Luzon in 1945. He was discharged after the end of the war, in 1946, and returned to Wisconsin, where he worked for several years as a feed salesman.^[2]

He was secretary-treasurer of the Racine Milk Producers Cooperative Association and manager of the Harmony Dairy Co. from 1951 to 1964.^[3]

In 1954 he was elected to theWisconsin State Senate (reelected in 1958 and 1962), where he served as caucus chairman in 1957, 1959, and 1961, and as assistant minority leader in 1963.

In 1964, Stalbaum announced that he would challenge incumbent Republican congressmanHenry C. Schadeberg. He faced a competitiveprimary and defeated former state senatorGerald T. Flynn with 55% of the vote. He then went on to upset Schadeberg in the1964 general election, receiving 51.5% of the general election vote in a Democraticwave year.^[4]

During his service in the89th Congress (January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1967) he sponsored bills on consumer protection, clean water, and GI benefits.^[1]

Stalbaum ran for re-election in 1966 and faced a rematch with former congressman Henry C. Schadeberg. The political climate in 1966 was far less favorable for Democrats, and Stalbaum was narrowly defeated, receiving 49% of the vote.^[5]

Two years later, Stalbaum made one final attempt to return to office, challenging Schadeberg again. He prevailed in another competitive primary, and the general election rematch produced another close result, but Schadeberg retained his seat, winning just under 51% of the vote.^[6] TheVietnam War was a major issue in the 1968 election. Stalbaum had been a reluctant supporter of PresidentLyndon Johnson's war policies during his term in office, but was advocating a change in strategy in 1968. His primary opponent, Racine teacher Jerald Maiers, a supporter ofEugene McCarthy, asserted that Stalbaum's previous support for the war was disqualifying.^[7]

After losing in 1968, Stalbaum remained in theWashington, D.C., area and resided inBethesda, Maryland, for the rest of his life. He worked as a legislative consultant to rural electric and dairy cooperatives from 1968 until his retirement in 1985.

Lynn Stalbaum was the youngest of three children born to John Martin and Amanda (née Ebert) Stalbaum. Both parents were natives of Wisconsin, and the Stalbaum farm had belonged to the family since 1854.^[8] Lynn's older brother,Merrill E. Stalbaum, also served in theWisconsin Legislature as a member of theWisconsin State Assembly and overlapped with Lynn Stalbaum's service during the 1961 and 1963 legislative sessions, making them the only siblings to serve together in the Wisconsin Legislature untilScott andJeff Fitzgerald in 2001–2013. Unlike the Fitzgerald brothers, Merrill and Lynn Stalbaum had opposing political beliefs and often clashed.^[1]

Lynn Stalbaum married Alice Gunderson on April 29, 1950.^[9][10] They had two sons and two daughters and were married for 34 years before her death from cancer in 1984.^[11]

Lynn Stalbaum died atGeorge Washington University Hospital inWashington, D.C., on June 17, 1999, due to complications fromleukemia.^[12]

• Lynn E. Stalbaum atFind a Grave

• United States Congress."Lynn E. Stalbaum (id: S000782)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

• 1920 births
• 1999 deaths
• People from Norway, Wisconsin
• People from Burlington, Wisconsin
• Politicians from Bethesda, Maryland
• Farmers from Wisconsin
• United States Department of Agriculture people
• Democratic Party Wisconsin state senators
• Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin
• United States Navy personnel of World War II
• American people of German 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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