State Bar of Wisconsin

Margaret Reinardy Anderson
1936
(1912-1965)

Margaret Reinardy was born in Burlington, Wis., on Feb. 24, 1912. She attended the U.W. Law School, where she met and then married Kenneth Anderson. They graduated from the law school in 1936.

Margaret worked on the legal staff of the Committee for Public Welfare for Gov. Phil La Follette. In September 1937 Margaret and Kenneth moved to and began practicing in Stevens Point. They continued their practice until 1953. Despite having run unsuccessfully for district attorney in 1942 as a Republican candidate, Margaret was appointed as the acting district attorney in 1945, when Herman J. Glinski vacated the seat upon his entering military service during World War II.

During the 1954 congressional elections Kenneth ran against incumbent Melvin Laird in Wisconsin's seventh district. While he lost this election, he received the largest number of votes by a Democrat in the seventh district for many years prior. This success within the Democratic Party probably led Kenneth to run against Laird again in the 1956 election. Kenneth's campaign was cut short when he died from a heart attack just five days before the primary election.

Having received the minimum number of votes during the primary, the Democratic Party was able to name a substitute to replace his candidacy. That replacement was Margaret. She was appointed unopposed by the Democratic Party to fill her husband's vacancy. Having received the Democratic Party nomination Margaret said, "(Ken and I) tried to go Republican with Bob La Follette but we just couldn't stomach it." During the general election Margaret lost to Laird.

Margaret Reinardy Anderson passed away in Stevens Point on Jan. 26, 1965, at the age of 52.

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