Fred A. Risser was born to his career as a leader in legislative politics in Wisconsin. His father, Frederic E. Risser, was a state legislator and a leader in the Progressive Party; his grandfather, Ernest N. Warner, a supporter of the La Follette Republicans, served in the Assembly during the 1905 session; and his great-grandfather Clement L. Warner served in the Senate (1867-1868) and the Assembly (1883-1884).
Fred A. Risser was born in Madison on May 5, 1927. He attended local schools and after graduation served in the Navy during World War II. After the war he resumed his education at Carleton College and the University of Wisconsin but completed his baccalaureate degree at the University of Oregon (1950). In 1952 Risser also received a law degree from the University of Oregon. Shortly thereafter he returned to Madison to join his father's law firm.
Risser began his political career in 1956 with a successful campaign for the Assembly representing the central Madison district. After reelection to the Assembly in 1958, he moved to the Senate in 1962 in a special election and has since continued to be reelected by Madison voters without interruption.
In 1965 the Senate elected Risser assistant minority leader; for the 1967-1973 sessions he was minority leader. In these positions he demonstrated a sound mastery of parliamentary procedure and a strong presence in partisan debate. When the Democrats won control of the Senate in the 1974 elections, Risser advanced to president pro tem (1975 and 1977) and after the creation of the post in 1979 to president of the Senate. He served as the President of the Wisconsin Senate on five separate occassions: 1979 April-1995 January, 1996 January-1998 January, 1999 January-2003 January, 2007 January-2011 January, and 2012 July-2013 January.
As a result of his leadership positions, Risser has served on numerous important legislative committees. These posts are detailed in biennial editions of the Blue Book. He has also been prominently identified with liberal legislation on birth control, women's rights, and the Vietnam war and for his strong advocacy of the environment and the interests of the University of Wisconsin and the city of Madison.
On March 26, 2020, Senator Fred Risser announced he would not seek another term in 2020. As of 2022, he holds the record as the longest-serving state legislator in United States history.
