Wisconsin Democratic Party leader and former governor Patrick J. Lucey was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin on March 21, 1918. He grew up in the small farming community of Ferryville, where his family operated a small grocery and meat market. Even after moving to Madison to attend the University, Lucey continued to work for the store as a travelling salesman during vacations. The outbreak of World War II in 1941 interrupted Lucey's college career, and he served as a captain in the Army until his discharge in 1945. He then returned to the University to receive his undergraduate degree. After abandoning plans to attend law school, Lucey returned home to manage the family's farm. At the same time he worked as a tobacco buyer for a New York firm, and he became involved in community affairs.
Lucey's introduction to electoral politics began in 1948 when he waged a successful campaign to represent Crawford County in the Wisconsin Assembly. Running as a Democrat Lucey unseated a long-time Republican incumbent and went on to make a name for himself in the Assembly. During this period Lucey was also active in the formation of the Democratic Organizing Committee and the revival of the party in Wisconsin.
In 1950 Lucey unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Republican Gardner Withrow in the fall congressional election. The following year he managed Thomas Fairchild's electoral challenge to Senator Joseph R. McCarthy. Although Fairchild was unsuccessful, the effort won Lucey further respect among Democrats. Two years later he embarked on a successful career in real estate with the establishment of Lucey Realty Services, which at one time was Madison's largest real estate firm.
The late 1950s were also marked by Lucey's growing leadership in the state Democratic Party and his emergence into national politics as well. In 1957 Lucey managed William Proxmire's successful senatorial campaign. That same year, state Democrats chose Lucey to lead their party. During his three terms as chairman, party membership increased four-fold, the party captured both Senate seats, and Gaylord Nelson became the first Democrat to be elected governor since 1932. In 1960 Lucey became the second state party chairman to endorse John F. Kennedy's presidential candidacy, thus beginning Lucey's long relationship with the Kennedy family. During the Kennedy presidency Lucey represented the administrationon on several occasions, and he served as national committeeman at the 1964 National Convention.
In 1966 Lucey reentered electoral politics, soundly defeating Jack Olson for the office of lieutenant governor. Two years later he unsuccessfully challenged Warren Knowles in the gubernatorial election. Lucey then joined Robert Kennedy's presidential campaign in Indiana and California and after Kennedy's assassination served as national campaign director of Eugene McCarthy's presidential campaign.
In 1969 Lucey announced his candidacy for governor with Martin Schreiber as his running mate. After a campaign that focused on air and water pollution and solid waste control, the Lucey-Schreiber team was elected by a significant margin. Lucey's first term witnessed legislative accomplishments in the areas of consolidation of higher education, energy conservation, tax reform aimed at improving the state's business climate, consumer protection, and support for the Equal Rights Amendment. Lucey and Schreiber were easily reelected in 1974, running on a platform that emphasized governmental austerity, efficiency, and reorganization of the Department of Transportation.
In 1977 Lucey resigned to assume the post of ambassador to Mexico. Popular among Mexicans because of his personal style, Lucey engineered a trade agreement that promoted the sale of Mexican natural gas in the United States. In October 1979, Lucey resigned his post to lead Edward Kennedy's campaign for the presidential nomination. After President Carter was renominated Lucey was selected by Republican congressman John Anderson as his vice-presidential running mate on the National Unity Party ticket. After the ticket's defeat in November by Ronald Reagan, Lucey left public life for the first time in thirty years. During the 1980s he taught political science and worked as a private consultant for Madison Consulting Group, National Economic Research Associates, and Anderson, Benjamin, Read, and Haney.
