Representative Alvin James Baldus

Alvin James “Al” Baldus (April 27, 1926 – February 2, 2017) was an American Democratic politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district from 1975 to 1981, and as a long‑time member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Born in Garner, Iowa, he spent his formative years in the Upper Midwest and graduated from high school in Elkton, Minnesota. He then attended Riverland Community College (formerly Austin Junior College) in Austin, Minnesota, laying the educational foundation for a career that would combine military service, business experience, and public office.

During World War II, Baldus served in the United States Merchant Marine from 1944 to 1946, contributing to the vital logistical and transport operations that supported the Allied war effort. After the war, he returned to civilian life but was again called to service during the Korean War. From 1951 to 1953 he served in the United States Army, gaining further experience that would later inform his views on veterans’ issues, national defense, and foreign policy. His years in uniform, spanning two major conflicts, were a defining element of his early adulthood and preceded his entry into elective politics.

In 1959, Baldus married Anna Lorayne “Lolly” Reiten at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The couple made their home in Menomonie and raised six children together. Their marriage, which lasted 58 years until his death in 2017, provided a stable family base as Baldus embarked on a lengthy career in public service. His ties to Menomonie and the surrounding region would remain central to his political identity and to the constituency he later represented at both the state and federal levels.

Baldus entered elective office in the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 1960s, beginning a legislative career that would ultimately span 16 years. He served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1966 to 1975, representing his district during a period of significant social and economic change. A member of the Democratic Party, he worked on issues affecting rural communities, agriculture, and local development, building a reputation as a responsive legislator. After his initial period in the Assembly, he would later return to that body and serve again from 1989 to 1997, bringing his experience in Congress back to state government and contributing to deliberations on education, transportation, and fiscal policy. In total, he served 16 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly (1967–1975 and 1989–1997), reflecting his long-standing commitment to state-level governance.

Baldus’s federal legislative career began with his election to the United States House of Representatives in 1974. Taking office on January 3, 1975, he became the first Democrat in 66 years to represent Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district, a largely rural district in western Wisconsin. He served three consecutive terms, participating in the 94th, 95th, and 96th Congresses from 1975 to 1981. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history marked by the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, economic challenges including inflation and energy crises, and debates over agricultural policy, environmental regulation, and social programs. As a member of the House of Representatives, Alvin James Baldus contributed to the legislative process, participated in the democratic governance of the nation, and represented the interests of his constituents in western Wisconsin. He ran unsuccessfully for reelection in 1980, losing his seat to Republican Steve Gunderson, which concluded his tenure in the U.S. House.

Following his departure from Congress, Baldus remained active in public life and returned to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1989, where he served until 1997. In this later phase of his legislative career, he drew on his federal experience to address state issues and continued to advocate for the communities of western Wisconsin. His long record of service at both the state and national levels made him a prominent Democratic figure in the region, and he remained a point of reference for subsequent generations of political leaders. His family’s engagement with public service continued into the next generation; his eldest daughter, Deb McGrath, ran for his former seat in the United States House of Representatives in the 2022 election, though she was defeated in the Democratic primary by state senator Brad Pfaff.

Alvin James Baldus died at his home in Menomonie, Wisconsin, on February 2, 2017, at the age of 90. He was buried at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Cemetery in Menomonie, the parish where he had married nearly six decades earlier. Remembered as a dedicated public servant who represented Wisconsin in both the State Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives, Baldus’s career reflected a lifelong commitment to his constituents, his state, and his country.