William H. Stafford

Who was William H. Stafford?

William Henry Stafford was a U.S. Republican politician from Wisconsin.

He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stafford received his bachelor and law degrees from Harvard University and practiced law in Milwaukee. Stafford was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives as the representative of Wisconsin's 5th congressional district serving in the 58th, 59th, 60th and 61st Congresses from March 4, 1903 to March 3, 1911. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1910 losing out to Socialist Victor L. Berger. This was the start of a back and forth for Stafford and Berger being the representative of Wisconsin's 5th district. He was elected once again to the House of Representatives in 1912 and served in the 63rd, 64th and 65th Congresses from March 4, 1913 to March 3, 1919. On Apr. 5, 1917, he voted against declaring war on Germany. In 1918 he once again lost an election to Berger to the 66th Congress. Even though Berger won the seat Congress refused to let him sit and so the position became vacant. Following the 66th Congress Stafford was once again elected to the 67th Congress serving from March 4, 1921 to March 3, 1923. And following that was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1922 falling to Berger. He was eventually reelected to the House of Representatives in 1928 to the 71st Congress and would be reelected to the 72nd Congress as well serving from March 4, 1929 to March 3, 1933. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1932 and for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate from Wisconsin in 1938. He died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.