John Charles Brophy

John Charles Brophy (October 8, 1901 – December 26, 1976) was an American labor union organizer and Progressive and Republican politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 4th congressional district during the 80th Congress (1947–1949). He also served as a member of the Milwaukee Common Council. Earlier in his career, he was active in the Coke and Gas Worker's union, and was president of the Milwaukee local.

Early life and career John C. Brophy was born in the town of Eagle, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. As a child, he moved with his family to the nearby city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he was raised and educated. He graduated from Milwaukee's St. Patrick's School and attended Marquette Academy for a year.

After his military service, he attended the Milwaukee Vocational School and worked as a mechanic for aircraft manufacturers and railroads. Through that work, he became involved in organized labor with the Coke and Gas Worker's union, and ultimately became president of the Milwaukee local. He was elected to the Milwaukee Common Council in 1939, and served until his election to Congress.

In 1946, the Wisconsin Progressive Party voted to disband, with the majority of delegates voting to rejoin the Republican Party of Wisconsin. Brophy thus became a member of the Republican Party and that summer made another bid for election to the U.S. House of Representatives, this time seeking the Republican nomination. He faced a very crowded Republican field, with seven other Republicans in the race. Brophy prevailed with 24% of the vote. On the other side of the ticket, the Democratic incumbent, Thaddeus Wasielewski, lost his primary to union organizer Edmund V. Bobrowicz. After the primary, Bobrowicz was accused of communist ties, and Wasielewski decided to re-enter the race as an independent candidate. With Wasielewski taking 28.6% of the vote, Brophy won the general election with just 36.5% of the vote.

Brophy made one more attempt to run for Congress in 1950, challenging Zablocki again. Brophy again faced a competitive primary, but managed to defeat his two Republican opponents. Brophy and Zablocki were the only candidates in this general election, and Zablocki won again in a landslide, taking 61% of the vote.

Although he served only one brief term in Congress, his congressional career had one lasting consequence: He nominated Juneau High School graduate Jim Lovell to attend the United States Naval Academy. Lovell went on to become an astronaut and famously commanded the Apollo 13 mission.

Later years Brophy never ran for elected office again, but remained active in politics. He was chosen to serve on the Republican electoral college slate for the 1952 United States presidential election. Since the Republican nominee, Dwight D. Eisenhower, won the state of Wisconsin, Brophy served as one of Wisconsin's 12 presidential electors that year.

In his later years, he worked in sales and public relations.

Brophy died of cancer in December 1976. He was buried in the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Milwaukee.

Electoral history U.S. House (1942) Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 1942 General Democratic 46,819 48.79% Rep. 29,104 30.33% 95,955 17,715 Prog. 17,468 18.20% Soc. 2,535 2.64%

U.S. House (1946, 1948, 1950) Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 1946 Primary Republican 9,707 24.11% Rep. 8,716 21.64% 40,269 991 Rep. 5,754 14.29% Rep. 4,143 10.29% Rep. 3,371 8.37% Rep. 3,233 8.03% Rep. 3,232 8.03% Rep. 2,113 5.25% General Republican 49,144 36.53% Dem. 44,398 33.01% 134,514 4,746 Ind.D. 38,502 28.62% Soc. 2,470 1.84% 1948 Primary Republican 23,183 59.09% Rep. 9,050 23.07% 39,231 14,133 Rep. 6,998 17.84% General Democratic 89,391 55.89% Rep. 63,161 39.49% 159,955 26,230 Prog. 5,051 3.16% Soc. 2,326 1.45% 1950 Primary Republican 14,064 48.35% Rep. 11,005 37.83% 29,087 3,059 Rep. 4,018 13.81% General Democratic 83,564 60.87% Rep. 53,702 39.12% 137,282 29,862