William Kasik
Encyclopedia
William R. Kasik was a Wisconsin
businessman and insurance agent who served one term as a Republican
member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 19th Milwaukee County district.
and Milwaukee University School. He served in the United States Army
during World War II
, in 1942 and 1943. He was serving as vice-president of English Woolen Mills when he was elected to the Assembly.
(but not the City of Milwaukee itself), Bayside
, Fox Point
, Glendale
, Granville
, River Hills
, Shorewood
, and Whitefish Bay
. Prior to redistricting
, most of the district had been represented by fellow Republican Arthur Godar. He was nominated with only a plurality of votes in the Republican primary
(2982 votes, to 2679 for Ervin Schneeberg and 613 for Henry Gefke); but had less trouble in the general election, defeating Democrat
Stanley Lieberman by 15,685 to 6778. He was assigned to the standing committee
s on insurance
and banking, and on taxation; and to a special committee on Urban Development (which was studying issues of annexation
of particular concern to his suburban district). He was one of the sponsors of an unsuccessful bill for a statewide referendum
in favor of a right-to-work law
.
In 1956, Kasik (described as a "conservative Republican") served as an Eisenhower
delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention
. He ran for the Republican nomination for the 4th Wisconsin State Senate
district, losing narrowly (8803 to 8903) to eventual winner Kirby Hendee in a three-way primary race in which he carried the rest of the district, but lost by a hefty margin in Hendee's home village of Shorewood. Kasik was succeeded by fellow Republican Jerris Leonard
.
Alexander Wiley
and Joe McCarthy (themselves both Republicans) as "the senior [and] the junior windbags from Wisconsin".
In 1964, Kasik (now living in Mequon
and working as an insurance agent) was one of three challengers to incumbent Assemblyman (and Assistant Majority Leader) J. Curtis McKay
of Ozaukee County (a Goldwater supporter
) in the Republican primary, coming in second with 1495 to McKay's 2317; McKay went on to win re-election in the general election, although the Goldwater candidacy was generally considered a disaster for the Republican Party statewide.
In 1979, Kasik was again a candidate for a Republican assembly nomination, but his candidacy was clouded by allegations that he had borrowed excessively from his mother's estate; he came in a distant third, with less than one-fourth the votes of eventual victor Betty Jo Nelsen.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
businessman and insurance agent who served one term as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
from the 19th Milwaukee County district.
Background
Kasik was born in Milwaukee on June 13, 1920, and attended Milwaukee Country Day SchoolMilwaukee Country Day School
Milwaukee Country Day School was a country day school in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, under the headmastership of A. Gledden Santer , who had been operating a smaller school called St. Bernard's School since 1911; the school was begun in 1917, "incorporated by leading citizens."...
and Milwaukee University School. He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1942 and 1943. He was serving as vice-president of English Woolen Mills when he was elected to the Assembly.
Legislative service
In 1954, Kasik was nominated to the Assembly from the 19th Milwaukee County district, which included the Town of MilwaukeeMilwaukee (town), Wisconsin
The Town of Milwaukee was a town in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin created on March 17, 1835. A number of Milwaukee County municipalities were created out of portions of it...
(but not the City of Milwaukee itself), Bayside
Bayside, Wisconsin
Bayside is a village in Milwaukee and Ozaukee counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 4,518 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bayside is located at ....
, Fox Point
Fox Point, Wisconsin
Fox Point is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,012 at the 2000 census.Fox Point is located along the North Shore area of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. It is named after a small point extending into Lake Michigan...
, Glendale
Glendale, Wisconsin
Glendale is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 13,367 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glendale is located at ....
, Granville
Granville, Wisconsin
Granville was a town located in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. One portion was incorporated as the village of Brown Deer in 1955; the remainder was annexed by the city of Milwaukee in 1956. The latter became a neighborhood of Milwaukee.-History:...
, River Hills
River Hills, Wisconsin
River Hills is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,631.-Geography:River Hills is located at ....
, Shorewood
Shorewood, Wisconsin
Shorewood is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 13,763 at the 2000 census. Howell Raines of The New York Times said in 1979 that "[t]his maplestudded town on Lake Michigan dotes on its reputation as Milwaukee's most liberal suburb."-Geography:Shorewood is...
, and Whitefish Bay
Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
Whitefish Bay is a village in Milwaukee County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 13,508 as of the 2005 census.-Geography:Whitefish Bay is located at ....
. Prior to redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
, most of the district had been represented by fellow Republican Arthur Godar. He was nominated with only a plurality of votes in the Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
(2982 votes, to 2679 for Ervin Schneeberg and 613 for Henry Gefke); but had less trouble in the general election, defeating Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Stanley Lieberman by 15,685 to 6778. He was assigned to the standing committee
Standing Committee
In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
s on insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
and banking, and on taxation; and to a special committee on Urban Development (which was studying issues of annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
of particular concern to his suburban district). He was one of the sponsors of an unsuccessful bill for a statewide referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
in favor of a right-to-work law
Right-to-work law
Right-to-work laws are statutes enforced in twenty-two U.S. states, mostly in the southern or western U.S., allowed under provisions of the federal Taft–Hartley Act, which prohibit agreements between labor unions and employers that make membership, payment of union dues, or fees a condition of...
.
In 1956, Kasik (described as a "conservative Republican") served as an Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention
1956 Republican National Convention
The 1956 Republican National Convention was held by the Republican Party of the United States at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California, from August 20 to August 23, 1956. U.S. Senator William F. Knowland was temporary chairman and former speaker of the House Joseph W. Martin, Jr. served as...
. He ran for the Republican nomination for the 4th Wisconsin State Senate
Wisconsin State Senate
The Wisconsin Senate, the powers of which are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly...
district, losing narrowly (8803 to 8903) to eventual winner Kirby Hendee in a three-way primary race in which he carried the rest of the district, but lost by a hefty margin in Hendee's home village of Shorewood. Kasik was succeeded by fellow Republican Jerris Leonard
Jerris Leonard
Jerris Leonard was a Wisconsin lawyer and politician.- Background and personal life :Leonard was born on January 17, 1931 to Jerris and Marie Leonard in Chicago, Illinois. His family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he graduated from Rufus King High School. He earned a B.S...
.
After the Assembly
At a 1957 Milwaukee County Republican meeting, Kasik referred to the state's United States senatorsUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Alexander Wiley
Alexander Wiley
Alexander Wiley was a member of the Republican Party who served four terms in the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1939 to 1963. When he left the Senate, he was its most senior Republican member.-Biography:...
and Joe McCarthy (themselves both Republicans) as "the senior [and] the junior windbags from Wisconsin".
In 1964, Kasik (now living in Mequon
Mequon, Wisconsin
Mequon is a city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. It had a population of 21,823 at the 2000 census, and an estimated population of 23,739 in July 2009...
and working as an insurance agent) was one of three challengers to incumbent Assemblyman (and Assistant Majority Leader) J. Curtis McKay
J. Curtis McKay
J. Curtis McKay was an American Republican lawyer and politician from Wisconsin.Born in Chicago, Illinois, McKay graduated from Grinnell College and received his law degree from Northwestern University School of Law. He practiced law in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin and served in the Wisconsin State...
of Ozaukee County (a Goldwater supporter
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
) in the Republican primary, coming in second with 1495 to McKay's 2317; McKay went on to win re-election in the general election, although the Goldwater candidacy was generally considered a disaster for the Republican Party statewide.
In 1979, Kasik was again a candidate for a Republican assembly nomination, but his candidacy was clouded by allegations that he had borrowed excessively from his mother's estate; he came in a distant third, with less than one-fourth the votes of eventual victor Betty Jo Nelsen.