The long view: the nation's longest serving legislator says plenty has changed in 53 years, but not his love for the job. And he can still walk to work.

• Author: Cullen, Morgan
• Position: Fred Hisser - Interview

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Like many incumbent legislators last fall, Senator Fred Hisser was re-elected to the Wisconsin Senate for another four-year term in office. The only difference is that Risser has been sworn in 12 times, making him the longest serving state legislator in the country.

He was first elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 1956, when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president, where he served three terms before being elected to the Senate in 1962.

Born in 1927, Risser grew up on a family farm just outside of Madison in the same legislative district he represents today. He comes from a long line of public servants; the Risser family has been active in state politics for more than four generations.

While each generation of the family has represented districts from the capital area, none of them has been elected under the same party label. The senator's great-grandfather, Colonel Clement Warner, served as a unionist member of the Senate in 1867 and 1868. His grandfather, Ernest Warner, served in the Assembly in 1905 as a Republican, and his father Fred E. Risser, served in the Senate as a Progressive from 1937 to 1948.

Risser, a lifelong Democrat, has held a number of leadership positions, including Senate president, Senate co-majority leader and Senate minority leader.

Although his role in the Legislature has changed considerably over the years--his party has lost and gained its majority eight times during his tenure in office--Risser has always loved the process. "I simply enjoy it," he says.

State Legislatures asked Risser about his experiences during his 52 years in office.

STATE LEGISLATURES: WHAT IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU'VE WITNESSED IN THE LEGISLATURE SINCE TAKING OFFICE DURING THE EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION?

SENATOR FRED RISSER: The diversity of the legislative body has completely changed since I first took office. When I started out, the Legislature consisted completely of white men. Today, more than 25 percent of Wisconsin legislators are women, and minorities are represented in both chambers. Technology has also completely changed the Legislature. It is hard for many people to imagine that we conducted all our legislative work on manual typewriters. Today, we all have fax machines, computers, the Internet and cell phones. Technology has completely changed the way we conduct legislative affairs.

SL: WHAT WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF LEGISLATION YOU SPONSORED, AND WHAT WAS THE FIRST BILL YOU SPONSORED THAT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW?

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