Vernon Wallace Thomson

Vernon Wallace Thomson (November 5, 1905 – April 2, 1988) was an American lawyer and Republican politician from Richland County, Wisconsin. He served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district from 1961 through 1974. Before his election to Congress, he served as the 34th governor of Wisconsin (1957–1959), 32nd attorney general of Wisconsin (1951–1957), and 56th speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly (1939–1945). He was also mayor of Richland Center, Wisconsin

Early life and education Vernon Thomson was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin. He attended what is now Carroll University, in 1925, but graduated from what is now the University of Wisconsin–Madison, in 1927, where he was a member of Chi Phi fraternity. In 1932, he received his law degree and practiced law.

Career

Thomson became involved in the Republican Party. He was mayor of Richland Center from 1944 to 1951 and a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1935 to 1951, and served as Speaker of the Assembly from 1939 to 1945. He served as Attorney General of Wisconsin from 1951 to 1957. In 1956, he was elected governor of Wisconsin, defeating William Proxmire; he was defeated for reelection as governor in 1958 by Gaylord Nelson.

In 1960, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives representing Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district. He served in the 87th and was reelected to the six succeeding congresses. Thomson voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He was defeated for reelection in 1974, losing to Alvin Baldus. He resigned before the official end of his term, overall serving from January 3, 1961 till December 31, 1974. Thomson was a member of the Federal Election Commission.

Thomson died in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Richland Center, Wisconsin.