Warren Braun

Braun was born in Eden, in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, and graduated from St. Mary Springs High School in Fond du Lac.^[1] He attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, where he earned his bachelor's degree in political science in 1956. After earning his degree, Braun became a history teacher and football coach at Milwaukee's Pius XI High School. He also served in the United States Army Reserve from 1957 through 1963. In the late 1960s, Braun continued his own education at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and earned his master's degree in history in 1970.^[1] He subsequently attended Marquette University Law School but did not finish.^[1]

In 1968, Braun ran successfully for a seat on the Milwaukee Common Council from Milwaukee's 16th ward.^[2] He was re-elected several times. He was noteworthy on the common council as the first white alderman in Milwaukee to vote in favor of an open housing ordinance for the city.^[3]

In 1976, incumbent Wisconsin state senator Wayne F. Whittow, who represented Milwaukee's west side district—then the 11th State Senate district—resigned in the middle of his term after his election as Milwaukee city treasurer.^[4][5] A special election was called for November 1976 to fill the vacancy for the remaining two years of the term, and Braun decided to enter the race.^[6] In the November general election, Braun received 80% of the vote in the heavily Democratic district^[7] and took the oath of office on December 8, 1976.^[8]

He was re-elected in 1978 without opposition. In 1982, the Wisconsin Legislature failed to pass a redistricting act and, as a result, a lawsuit led to redistricting being carried out by a panel of federal judges. Braun's Senate district was dismembered, and he instead chose to enter the Democratic primary for a vacancy in Wisconsin's 5th congressional district. Braun came in 4th in a field of ten candidates in the primary, taking 14% of the vote.^[9]

Following the end of his Senate term, Braun was employed as director of the social ministry department of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and served on several state boards and commissions.^[10] Under Governor Tony Earl, he was appointed to the Wisconsin Council on Criminal Justice in 1983, and to a special legislative committee for studying pregnancy options in 1985.^[11][12]

Through his role with the Archdiocese, he remained active in state politics, pushing for progressive reform of the state property tax, and writing to the Governor to request that the Wisconsin National Guard not be utilized in support of the Contras in Nicaragua.^[13][14] He was subsequently elected to the Milwaukee School Board.^[15]