Representative Lynn Ellsworth Stalbaum

Lynn Ellsworth Stalbaum (May 15, 1920 – June 17, 1999) was an American farmer, businessman, and Democratic politician from Racine County, Wisconsin, who served one term in the United States House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district in the 89th Congress from January 3, 1965, to January 3, 1967. A member of the Democratic Party, he contributed to the legislative process during a single term in office and previously served ten years in the Wisconsin Senate. His elder brother, Merrill E. Stalbaum, served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, making the brothers a notable pair in Wisconsin political history.

Stalbaum was born on a family farm in the town of Norway, near Waterford, in Racine County, Wisconsin. He was the youngest of three children born to John Martin and Amanda (née Ebert) Stalbaum, both natives of Wisconsin. The Stalbaum farm had been in the family since 1854, and Lynn grew up in a rural, agricultural setting that would shape his later professional and political interests. He attended the local rural public schools and graduated from the Racine County Agricultural School in 1936, receiving training that prepared him for a career in farming and agricultural business.

Immediately after completing his schooling, Stalbaum began working for the United States Department of Agriculture in Racine County in 1936. He was involved in the administration of New Deal agricultural programs, particularly the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which aimed to stabilize farm prices and support struggling farmers during and after the Great Depression. By 1937 he had become an administrative officer in the local USDA office, a position he held until 1944. His work in federal agricultural programs gave him early experience in public administration and policy implementation at the local level.

In 1944, during World War II, Stalbaum enlisted in the United States Navy. He served in the Pacific theater aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer and took part in the invasion of Luzon in the Philippines in 1945. Following the end of the war, he was discharged in 1946 and returned to Wisconsin. In the postwar years he worked for several years as a feed salesman, maintaining his connection to the agricultural community. On April 29, 1950, he married Alice Gunderson; the couple had two sons and two daughters and were married for 34 years until her death from cancer in 1984.

Stalbaum’s business career developed alongside his growing involvement in cooperative agriculture. From 1951 to 1964 he served as secretary-treasurer of the Racine Milk Producers Cooperative Association and as manager of the Harmony Dairy Company. In these roles he was responsible for the financial and managerial operations of dairy cooperatives, reinforcing his reputation as an advocate for farmers and rural producers. His experience in cooperative management and agricultural policy provided a foundation for his entry into elective office.

In 1954, Stalbaum was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate as a Democrat and was subsequently reelected in 1958 and 1962, serving a total of ten years. During his tenure, he held several leadership positions within the Senate Democratic caucus, serving as caucus chairman in 1957, 1959, and 1961, and as assistant minority leader in 1963. His brother, Merrill E. Stalbaum, served concurrently in the Wisconsin State Assembly during the 1961 and 1963 legislative sessions, making them the only siblings to serve together in the Wisconsin Legislature until Scott and Jeff Fitzgerald did so from 2001 to 2013. Unlike the later Fitzgerald brothers, however, Merrill and Lynn Stalbaum held opposing political beliefs—Merrill was a Republican—and they often clashed on policy matters despite their family ties.

In 1964, Stalbaum announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives, challenging incumbent Republican Congressman Henry C. Schadeberg in Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district. He first faced a competitive Democratic primary, in which he defeated former state senator Gerald T. Flynn with 55 percent of the vote. Riding a broader Democratic wave in the 1964 elections, he went on to upset Schadeberg in the general election, receiving 51.5 percent of the vote. Serving in the 89th Congress from 1965 to 1967, Stalbaum participated in a period of significant national legislative activity. He sponsored bills related to consumer protection, clean water, and benefits for veterans of the armed forces, including measures aimed at improving GI benefits, and represented the interests of his southeastern Wisconsin constituents during a time of social and political change.

Stalbaum sought reelection in 1966 and faced a rematch with former Congressman Schadeberg. The national political climate had shifted, becoming less favorable to Democrats amid growing concerns over inflation, crime, and the escalation of the Vietnam War. In this more challenging environment, Stalbaum was narrowly defeated, receiving about 49 percent of the vote. Undeterred, he made a final attempt to return to Congress in 1968, again challenging Schadeberg. After prevailing in another competitive Democratic primary, he entered a closely contested general election in which the Vietnam War was a central issue. Although he had been a reluctant supporter of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s war policies during his term in Congress, by 1968 he was advocating a change in strategy. His primary opponent, Racine teacher Jerald Maiers, a supporter of antiwar candidate Eugene McCarthy, criticized Stalbaum’s earlier support for the war as disqualifying. In the general election, Schadeberg retained the seat with just under 51 percent of the vote, ending Stalbaum’s bids for elective office.

Following his 1968 defeat, Stalbaum remained in the Washington, D.C., area and took up work as a legislative consultant. He settled in Bethesda, Maryland, where he lived for the rest of his life. From 1968 until his retirement in 1985, he served as a consultant to rural electric and dairy cooperatives, drawing on his long experience in agriculture, cooperatives, and legislative affairs to advise clients on federal policy and regulatory matters. His post-congressional career allowed him to continue influencing public policy affecting rural communities and the agricultural sector even after leaving elective office.

Lynn Ellsworth Stalbaum died on June 17, 1999, at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., from complications of leukemia. He was 79 years old at the time of his death. His career encompassed service as a local agricultural administrator, World War II naval veteran, cooperative executive, state legislator, and member of the United States House of Representatives, reflecting a lifelong engagement with public service and rural advocacy rooted in his Racine County farm upbringing.