Interview with Patrick Lucey, April 10, 1985

Sound recording

James Cavanaugh interviewed Patrick Lucey on April 10, 1985. Lucey discusses his personal and political background, his election to the state assembly, organizing local units of the Democratic Organizing Committee (DOC), his involvement in various campaigns in the 1950s, his opinion on pre-primary endorsements, becoming director of the DOC, managing Thomas Fairchild's campaign for United States Senate, Jim Doyle Sr.'s candidacy for governor, William Proxmire's candidacy for senator, and party factionalism. Prominent figures mentioned include Phil La Follette, Don McDowell, Carl Thompson, Horace Wilkie, Joseph McCarthy, Jerry Fox, Henry Maier, Fred Zimmerman, and Philleo Nash. Patrick Lucey served on the Wisconsin Assembly from 1949 to 1951, and was a candidate for Congress in 1950. He was the executive director of the Democratic Organizing Committee from 1951 to 1952. He managed Tom Fairchild's campaign for senator in 1952, as well as Jim Doyle's campaign for governor in 1954. He served as the chair of Proxmire for Senate in 1957, and of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin from 1957 to 1963. He was also elected lieutenant governor in 1964. While he lost his bid for governor in 1966, he was elected governor and served from 1971 to 1977. Afterwards, he was appointed Ambassador to Mexico in 1977. He also ran for United States vice president in 1980 on the John Anderson presidential ticket.