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Forward for the People: The Autobiography of America's Longest Serving Legislator
When Fred Risser retired from the Wisconsin Senate in 2021, his sixty-four years in state government made him the longest serving legislator in US history. Now, in this candid and illuminating autobiography, Risser shares his singular perspective on events that transformed the state and the nation over the course of his remarkable career. From his role in the “Joe Must Go” drive to recall US Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s to his position as the senior senator among the “Fab Fourteen” Wisconsin Democrats who opposed Governor Scott Walker’s Act 10 legislation against collective bargaining in 2011, Risser was a leader in state politics for decades, always maintaining an unwavering belief that political action can change people’s lives for the better.
Forward for the People provides a unique peek behind the political curtain from the viewpoint of someone who saw it all. Risser worked with thirteen governors and authored more than 240 bills that became law, championing public health and safety, environmental protection, women’s and reproductive rights, organized labor, civil rights, and social justice, among many other causes. Risser also recounts interactions with prominent national politicians, including Robert La Follette Jr., Hubert Humphrey, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. More than forty photographs from Risser’s personal collection and the Wisconsin Senate paint a vivid picture of his six-decade journey through Wisconsin politics.
Forward for the People details Risser’s experiences out of state, from a stint in the Panama Canal Zone as a navy hospital corpsman to his undergraduate debate-team days at Minnesota’s Carleton College to his years studying law at the University of Oregon and his travels to all seven continents. The book also depicts the quirky habits that made Risser a memorable and beloved biking his age in miles every birthday and never taking the elevator in his sixty-four years at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Enhanced with details sourced from correspondence, personal notes, newspaper accounts, and recollections from friends and former colleagues, Risser and coauthor Doug Moe have crafted an engaging account of an extraordinary life in public service.
Forward for the People provides a unique peek behind the political curtain from the viewpoint of someone who saw it all. Risser worked with thirteen governors and authored more than 240 bills that became law, championing public health and safety, environmental protection, women’s and reproductive rights, organized labor, civil rights, and social justice, among many other causes. Risser also recounts interactions with prominent national politicians, including Robert La Follette Jr., Hubert Humphrey, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. More than forty photographs from Risser’s personal collection and the Wisconsin Senate paint a vivid picture of his six-decade journey through Wisconsin politics.
Forward for the People details Risser’s experiences out of state, from a stint in the Panama Canal Zone as a navy hospital corpsman to his undergraduate debate-team days at Minnesota’s Carleton College to his years studying law at the University of Oregon and his travels to all seven continents. The book also depicts the quirky habits that made Risser a memorable and beloved biking his age in miles every birthday and never taking the elevator in his sixty-four years at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Enhanced with details sourced from correspondence, personal notes, newspaper accounts, and recollections from friends and former colleagues, Risser and coauthor Doug Moe have crafted an engaging account of an extraordinary life in public service.
240 pages, Paperback
Published August 5, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 2, 2025
Back in the day, when I was a journalist, some legislators were always accommodating and would not only offer a comment on a story but also explain the inner workings of a topic as background. That’s why many of us appreciated Fred Risser. His book, “Forward For The People,” written with journalist Doug Moe, chronicles his 64 record-setting years in public office.
Elected at 29, he balanced his law practice with lawmaking, helping pass 240 bills. He pushed for open government and better public health, banning smoking in bars and restaurants long before it was popular. His sense of duty came from his family, his Navy service, and his belief that public office was about helping people, not gaining power.
Risser stayed steady through decades of political fights. He clashed with Governor Scott Walker’s policies but remained focused on fairness and honesty. He also stood firm against Joe McCarthy’s legacy of fear and division. Even when politics turned ugly, Risser stayed calm and civil. He believed respect earned trust, even among rivals. That mindset helped him outlast opponents who dismissed him as too old or out of touch.
Risser’s impact reaches far beyond the Capitol. He shaped Madison’s downtown, improved state buildings, and supported education for seniors. He fought for clean air, women’s rights, and honest government. When he finally retired in 2021, it wasn’t out of fatigue but timing—he’d simply done enough. His career shows that leadership isn’t about loud speeches or headlines. It’s about quiet persistence, fairness, and doing what’s right for the people you serve.
I wonder if Wisconsin will ever see such a successful and honorable lawmaker again?
Elected at 29, he balanced his law practice with lawmaking, helping pass 240 bills. He pushed for open government and better public health, banning smoking in bars and restaurants long before it was popular. His sense of duty came from his family, his Navy service, and his belief that public office was about helping people, not gaining power.
Risser stayed steady through decades of political fights. He clashed with Governor Scott Walker’s policies but remained focused on fairness and honesty. He also stood firm against Joe McCarthy’s legacy of fear and division. Even when politics turned ugly, Risser stayed calm and civil. He believed respect earned trust, even among rivals. That mindset helped him outlast opponents who dismissed him as too old or out of touch.
Risser’s impact reaches far beyond the Capitol. He shaped Madison’s downtown, improved state buildings, and supported education for seniors. He fought for clean air, women’s rights, and honest government. When he finally retired in 2021, it wasn’t out of fatigue but timing—he’d simply done enough. His career shows that leadership isn’t about loud speeches or headlines. It’s about quiet persistence, fairness, and doing what’s right for the people you serve.
I wonder if Wisconsin will ever see such a successful and honorable lawmaker again?
November 1, 2025
Thanks to Edelweiss and Wisconsin Historical Society Press for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I’ve got to be perfectly honest–I’ve lived in Wisconsin my whole life and don’t recall hearing much about Frank Risser, the longest serving state government official. For 64 years, Risser served in the state legislature. That’s absolutely mind-boggling! I was curious to know more about the man, who shepherded change in our state in incremental and big ways.
There are two momentous times in our state that Risser not only lived through but was on the frontlines. One was when Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy launched his Communist witch-hunt in the 1950s that ruined people’s lives (and never found a single Communist working for the government.) The other happened during my lifetime: governor Scott Walker’s Act 10 legislation, which was a direct attack on unions. Risser was the leader of the Fab Fourteen Democrats who rallied against the bill.
This book was very interesting for me. I’m not sure how much of an audience it would get outside of Wisconsin, but for those of us who live here, Risser does a great job talking about the various issues that came up in the legislature, from the 1950s to the 2010s.
I’ve got to be perfectly honest–I’ve lived in Wisconsin my whole life and don’t recall hearing much about Frank Risser, the longest serving state government official. For 64 years, Risser served in the state legislature. That’s absolutely mind-boggling! I was curious to know more about the man, who shepherded change in our state in incremental and big ways.
There are two momentous times in our state that Risser not only lived through but was on the frontlines. One was when Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy launched his Communist witch-hunt in the 1950s that ruined people’s lives (and never found a single Communist working for the government.) The other happened during my lifetime: governor Scott Walker’s Act 10 legislation, which was a direct attack on unions. Risser was the leader of the Fab Fourteen Democrats who rallied against the bill.
This book was very interesting for me. I’m not sure how much of an audience it would get outside of Wisconsin, but for those of us who live here, Risser does a great job talking about the various issues that came up in the legislature, from the 1950s to the 2010s.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews