Wisconsin Governor, U.S. Congressman, U.S. Senator. He was a politician, who represented the State of Wisconsin as governor and in the United States House of Representatives along with being appointed to the United States Senate. He was appointed by the state Senate to the U.S. Senate as senators were not directly elected until 1914. He was nicknamed "Fighting Bob" for his fierce independence. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1879, he was admitted to the bar in 1880 and started his practice in Madison, serving as the district attorney of Dane County until 1884. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, he served from March 4, 1885 through March 3, 1891 and was a member the Committee on Expenditures for the Department of Agriculture. He served as the 20th Governor of Wisconsin from January 7, 1901 through January 1, 1906. In 1909 he started "La Follette's Weekly," which continued to be published in the 21st century as "The Progressive." Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1904, he finished his term as governor then assumed his duties January 2, 1906, serving until his death. While in the Senate, he served the Committees for Census, Corporations Organized in the District of Columbia and Manufactures. On April 4, 1917, he debated in a filibuster in the Senate saying, "Stand firm against the war and the future will honor you. Collective homicide cannot establish human rights. For our country to enter the European war would be treason to humanity." Of the 88 votes that were entered, his vote was one of the six votes against entering World War I (WWI). He was labeled a traitor by the pro-war group, demanding his expulsion from the Senate, but after the Senate committee investigation, he was exonerated. For being cautious of entering World War I, he became the blunt of the humor of Pulitzer Prize recipient and political cartoonist, Rollin Kirby. At the dawn of World War II on April 6, 1940, Kirby offered an apology to the family of the late Senator Robert M. LaFollette: "It is with a profound sense of regret and humiliation that I remember that I added my tiny bit to his burden." He failed to receive the presidential candidacy nomination for the Republican Party in 1912 and 1916. After losing many Republican supporters over his stance of not entering World War I, he was nominated as a third-party candidate for the Progressive Party in 1924, receiving thirteen Electoral College votes. Calvin Coolidge was elected. He married his college sweetheart, Belle Case, on December 31, 1881. After his death, his son Robert Marion "Young Bob" La Follette Jr. served his remaining term in the Senate before being elected to the next term, serving until 1947. A 1982 survey of historians ranked La Follette Sr. among the "ten greatest senators in the nation's history."

Wisconsin Governor, U.S. Congressman, U.S. Senator. He was a politician, who represented the State of Wisconsin as governor and in the United States House of Representatives along with being appointed to the United States Senate. He was appointed by the state Senate to the U.S. Senate as senators were not directly elected until 1914. He was nicknamed "Fighting Bob" for his fierce independence. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1879, he was admitted to the bar in 1880 and started his practice in Madison, serving as the district attorney of Dane County until 1884. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, he served from March 4, 1885 through March 3, 1891 and was a member the Committee on Expenditures for the Department of Agriculture. He served as the 20th Governor of Wisconsin from January 7, 1901 through January 1, 1906. In 1909 he started "La Follette's Weekly," which continued to be published in the 21st century as "The Progressive." Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1904, he finished his term as governor then assumed his duties January 2, 1906, serving until his death. While in the Senate, he served the Committees for Census, Corporations Organized in the District of Columbia and Manufactures. On April 4, 1917, he debated in a filibuster in the Senate saying, "Stand firm against the war and the future will honor you. Collective homicide cannot establish human rights. For our country to enter the European war would be treason to humanity." Of the 88 votes that were entered, his vote was one of the six votes against entering World War I (WWI). He was labeled a traitor by the pro-war group, demanding his expulsion from the Senate, but after the Senate committee investigation, he was exonerated. For being cautious of entering World War I, he became the blunt of the humor of Pulitzer Prize recipient and political cartoonist, Rollin Kirby. At the dawn of World War II on April 6, 1940, Kirby offered an apology to the family of the late Senator Robert M. LaFollette: "It is with a profound sense of regret and humiliation that I remember that I added my tiny bit to his burden." He failed to receive the presidential candidacy nomination for the Republican Party in 1912 and 1916. After losing many Republican supporters over his stance of not entering World War I, he was nominated as a third-party candidate for the Progressive Party in 1924, receiving thirteen Electoral College votes. Calvin Coolidge was elected. He married his college sweetheart, Belle Case, on December 31, 1881. After his death, his son Robert Marion "Young Bob" La Follette Jr. served his remaining term in the Senate before being elected to the next term, serving until 1947. A 1982 survey of historians ranked La Follette Sr. among the "ten greatest senators in the nation's history."

Bio by: Beth Painter