Clement John Zablocki (November 18, 1912 – December 3, 1983) was an American politician who served nearly 35 years in the United States House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 4th congressional district from 1949 to 1983.[1]
Clement Zablocki | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1977 – December 3, 1983 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas E. Morgan |
| Succeeded by | Dante Fascell |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 4th district | |
| In office January 3, 1949 – December 3, 1983 | |
| Preceded by | John C. Brophy |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Kleczka |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 3rd district | |
| In office January 1, 1943 – January 1, 1949 | |
| Preceded by | Arthur L. Zimny |
| Succeeded by | Casimir Kendziorski |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Clement John Zablocki November 18, 1912 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | December 3, 1983 (aged 71) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | St. Adalbert's Cemetery, Milwaukee |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Marquette University |
A liberal Democrat, he built his reputation in foreign policy by taking strong anticommunist positions and supporting the Vietnam War. He rose to become chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee for the last six years of his career.[2]
Career edit
Zablocki was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and graduated from Milwaukee's Marquette University. Zablocki was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 1942, at age 30, representing the 3rd senatorial district. He served one full four-year term and was re-elected in 1946.
Tenure in Congress edit
In 1948, he challenged incumbent Republican congressman John C. Brophy, who had been narrowly elected in a three-way race in 1946. Zablocki faced no opposition in the Democratic primary, and defeated Brophy in the general election, carrying 55% of the vote.[3] He was sworn in as the representative of Wisconsin's 4th congressional district for the 81st United States Congress and was reelected 17 times, serving from January 3, 1949, until his death from a heart attack on December 3, 1983.[4] Zablocki was the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee from 1977 until his death in 1983. He served during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, a period that included several significant international events, including the Iran hostage crisis. Zablocki introduced the Taiwan Relations Act on February 28, 1979.
Zablocki was a co-author of the Case-Zablocki Act of 1972 which required that executive agreements by the president be reported to Congress in 60 days. He helped design an early version of the War Powers Act from 1970 to 1972, which put presidential war-making power under congressional control. He was instrumental in House passage of the final version in late 1973 over President Nixon's veto.[5]
An advocate for the interests of Vietnam War prisoners of war and missing in action, Zablocki during May 1973 hearings observed that returning prisoners uniformly had expressed their belief that there were no U.S. servicemen still alive in Vietnam.[6]
Death and burial edit
Zablocki died on December 3, 1983 and was buried at St. Adalbert's Cemetery in Milwaukee.
Legacy edit
Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 5000 West National Avenue in Milwaukee is named for him,[7] as is the Zablocki Library and the Clement J. Zablocki Elementary School in Milwaukee.
Electoral history edit
Wisconsin Senate (1942, 1946) edit
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Primary, September 1942 | |||||
| Democratic | Clement J. Zablocki | 3,015 | 55.89% | ||
| Democratic | Maruszewski | 2,608 | 39.49% | ||
| Plurality | 407 | 16.40% | |||
| Total votes | 5,623 | 100.0% | |||
| General Election, November 3, 1942 | |||||
| Democratic | Clement J. Zablocki | 10,253 | 48.81% | +11.38% | |
| Progressive | Alfred J. Melms | 6,299 | 29.99% | -5.75% | |
| Republican | Harry E. Chelminiak | 3,810 | 18.14% | -8.70% | |
| Socialist | Edward Schultheis | 644 | 3.07% | ||
| Plurality | 3,954 | 18.82% | +17.13% | ||
| Total votes | 21,006 | 100.0% | -7.41% | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Primary, August 13, 1946 | |||||
| Democratic | Clement J. Zablocki | 4,271 | 67.63% | +14.01% | |
| Democratic | Martin B. Franzkowiak | 2,044 | 32.37% | ||
| Plurality | 2,227 | 35.27% | +28.03% | ||
| Total votes | 6,315 | 100.0% | +12.31% | ||
| General Election, November 5, 1946 | |||||
| Democratic | Clement J. Zablocki (incumbent) | 17,414 | 66.81% | +18.00% | |
| Republican | Joseph F. Lindner | 7,736 | 29.68% | +11.54% | |
| Socialist | Edward Schultheis | 916 | 3.51% | +0.45% | |
| Plurality | 9,678 | 37.13% | +18.31% | ||
| Total votes | 26,066 | 100.0% | +24.09% | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
U.S. House of Representatives (1948–1982) edit
| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948[3] | General | November 2 | Clement J. Zablocki | Democratic | 89,391 | 55.89% | John C. Brophy (inc.) | Rep. | 63,161 | 39.49% | 159,929 | 26,230 |
| Edmund V. Bobrowicz | Prog. | 5,051 | 3.16% | |||||||||
| Clement Stachowiak | Soc. | 2,326 | 1.45% | |||||||||
| 1950[10] | Primary | September 19 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 27,717 | 72.16% | Thaddeus Wasielewski | Dem. | 10,692 | 27.84% | 38,409 | 17,025 |
| General | November 2 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 83,564 | 60.88% | John C. Brophy | Rep. | 53,702 | 39.12% | 137,266 | 29,862 | |
| 1952[11] | Primary | September 9 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 43,710 | 77.84% | Edwin L. Nowak | Dem. | 12,445 | 22.16% | 56,155 | 31,265 |
| General | November 4 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 131,098 | 64.27% | John C. Schafer | Rep. | 72,869 | 35.73% | 203,967 | 58,229 | |
| 1954[12] | General | November 2 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 100,120 | 71.09% | John C. Schafer | Rep. | 40,723 | 28.91% | 140,843 | 59,397 |
| 1956[13] | General | November 6 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 128,213 | 65.66% | William J. Burke | Rep. | 67,063 | 34.34% | 195,276 | 61,150 |
| 1958[14] | Primary | September 9 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 36,857 | 85.38% | Roman R. Blenski | Dem. | 6,311 | 14.62% | 43,168 | 30,546 |
| General | November 4 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 112,226 | 74.13% | James J. Arnold | Rep. | 39,167 | 25.87% | 151,393 | 73,059 | |
| 1960[15] | Primary | September 13 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 47,718 | 88.00% | Roman R. Blenski | Dem. | 6,505 | 12.00% | 54,223 | 41,213 |
| General | November 8 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 155,789 | 71.71% | Samuel P. Murray | Rep. | 61,468 | 28.29% | 217,257 | 94,321 | |
| 1962[16] | Primary | September 11 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 41,408 | 87.91% | Roman R. Blenski | Dem. | 5,694 | 12.09% | 47,102 | 35,714 |
| General | November 6 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 117,029 | 72.51% | David F. Tillotson | Rep. | 44,368 | 27.49% | 161,397 | 72,661 | |
| 1964[17] | Primary | September 8 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 48,887 | 89.28% | Roman R. Blenski | Dem. | 5,870 | 10.72% | 54,757 | 43,017 |
| General | November 3 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 125,683 | 74.17% | Edward E. Estkowski | Rep. | 43,773 | 25.83% | 169,456 | 81,910 | |
| 1966[18] | Primary | September 13 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 37,588 | 90.10% | Roman R. Blenski | Dem. | 4,129 | 9.90% | 41,717 | 33,459 |
| General | November 8 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 77,690 | 74.31% | James E. Laessig | Rep. | 26,863 | 25.69% | 104,553 | 50,827 | |
| 1968[19] | Primary | September 10 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 32,121 | 86.04% | Roman R. Blenski | Dem. | 5,212 | 13.96% | 37,333 | 26,909 |
| General | November 5 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 118,203 | 72.62% | Walter McCullough | Rep. | 44,558 | 27.38% | 162,761 | 73,645 | |
| 1970[20] | Primary | September 8 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 32,201 | 85.35% | Donald P. Lass | Dem. | 5,529 | 14.65% | 37,730 | 26,672 |
| General | November 3 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 102,464 | 80.35% | Phillip D. Mrozinski | Rep. | 23,081 | 18.10% | 127,530 | 79,383 | |
| John A. Zierhut | Amer. | 1,985 | 1.56% | |||||||||
| 1972[21] | Primary | September 12 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 32,087 | 75.78% | Therese M. Heimann | Dem. | 4,337 | 10.24% | 42,340 | 27,750 |
| Grant D. Waldo | Dem. | 3,890 | 9.19% | |||||||||
| Roman R. Blenski | Dem. | 2,026 | 4.79% | |||||||||
| General | November 7 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 149,078 | 75.66% | Phillip D. Mrozinski | Rep. | 45,008 | 22.84% | 197,032 | 104,070 | |
| Eugene Annell | Amer. | 2,946 | 1.50% | |||||||||
| 1974[22] | General | November 5 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 84,768 | 72.46% | Lewis D. Collison | Rep. | 27,818 | 23.78% | 116,990 | 56,950 |
| Herbert O. Jahnke | Amer. | 4,404 | 3.76% | |||||||||
| 1976[23] | Primary | September 14 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 29,540 | 83.50% | Roman R. Blenski | Dem. | 5,838 | 16.50% | 35,378 | 23,702 |
| General | November 2 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 172,166 | 100.0% | Unopposed | 172,166 | N/A | ||||
| 1978[24] | General | November 7 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 101,575 | 66.09% | Elroy C. Honadel | Rep. | 52,125 | 33.91% | 153,700 | 49,450 |
| 1980[25] | Primary | September 9 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 29,411 | 89.40% | Roman R. Blenski | Dem. | 3,489 | 10.60% | 32,900 | 25,922 |
| General | November 4 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 146,437 | 70.02% | Elroy C. Honadel | Rep. | 61,027 | 29.18% | 209,134 | 85,410 | |
| Lynn Rashkind | Ind. | 1,670 | 0.80% | |||||||||
| 1982[26] | Primary | September 14 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 56,047 | 60.82% | Lynn Adelman | Dem. | 36,102 | 39.18% | 92,149 | 19,945 |
| General | November 2 | Clement J. Zablocki (inc.) | Democratic | 129,557 | 94.58% | Nicholas P. Youngers | Lib. | 4,064 | 2.97% | 136,988 | 125,493 | |
| John F. Baumgartner | Ind. | 2,421 | 1.77% | |||||||||
| John Gudenschwager | Cons. | 946 | 0.69% | |||||||||
Further reading edit
- Barone, Michael et al. The Almanac of American Politics: 1976 (1975) pp 930–32
- Leahy, Stephen M. The Life of Milwaukee's Most Popular Politician, Clement J. Zablocki: Milwaukee Politics and Congressional Foreign Policy. Lewiston, NY: The Edward Mellen Press, 2002.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Zablocki, Clement J. 1912". Wisconsin Historical Society. 20 December 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ Schoenebaum, Eleanor W., ed. (1979). Profiles of an Era, the Nixon/Ford Years. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. p. 688. ISBN 9780156746625.
- ^ a b Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1950). "Parties and elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1950 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 652, 754. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ Roberts, Steven V. (December 4, 1983). "Clement J. Zablocki of Foreign Affairs Panel Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ Eleanor W Schoenebaum, ed., Political Profiles: The Nixon/Ford Years (1979) p 688
- ^ Allen, Michael J. (2009). Until the last man comes home : POWs, MIAs, and the unending Vietnam War. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. pp. 98–99. ISBN 978-0-8078-9531-3. OCLC 489150940.
- ^ "VA government web site". Archived from the original on 2007-08-03. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
- ^ Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1944). "Parties and elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1944 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 512, 580. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1948). "Parties and elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1948 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 608, 679. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1952). "Parties and elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1952 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 675, 745. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1954). "Parties and elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1954 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 657, 745. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1956). "Parties and elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1956 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 747. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1958). "Parties and elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1958 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 774. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1960). "Wisconsin state party platforms and elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1960 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 654, 695. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Toepel, M. G.; Theobald, H. Rupert, eds. (1962). "Wisconsin elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1962 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 789, 865. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert, ed. (1964). "Elections in Wisconsin". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1964 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 714, 761. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert, ed. (1966). "Elections in Wisconsin". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1966 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 735, 752. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1968). "Elections in Wisconsin". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1968 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 707, 721. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1970). "Elections in Wisconsin". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1970 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 797, 813. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1971 (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1971. pp. 296, 312. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1973). "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin 1973 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 799, 819. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1975). "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin 1975 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 821. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1977). "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin 1977 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 886, 908. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1979). "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin 1979-1980 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 918. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1981). "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin 1981-1982 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 888, 909. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1983). "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin 1983-1984 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 882, 904. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
Further reading edit
- Leahy, Stephen M. The Life of Milwaukee's Most Popular Politician, Clement J. Zablocki: Milwaukee Politics and Congressional Foreign Policy (Edwin Mellen Press, 2002).
External links edit
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Clement J. Zablocki Papers at Marquette University.
- Clement J. Zablocki, Photographs of Wisconsin’s “Mr. Democrat” at Marquette University.
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Clement John Zablocki at Find a Grave
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