James Flynn (politician)

For other people with this name, see Jim Flynn (disambiguation).

James T. Flynn (born September 25, 1944) is an American lawyer and retired politician. He was the 40th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, serving from 1983 to 1987. Prior to that, he served ten years in the Wisconsin State Senate.^[1][2]

Jim Flynn
40th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
In office January 3, 1983 – January 5, 1987
Governor	Tony Earl
Preceded by	Russell Olson
Succeeded by	Scott McCallum
Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Development
In office January 3, 1983 – January 5, 1987
Governor	Tony Earl
Preceded by	Chandler L. McKelvey
Succeeded by	Bruno J. Mauer
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 8th district
In office January 1, 1973 – January 3, 1983
Preceded by	Allen Busby
Succeeded by	Joseph Czarnezki
Personal details
Born	(1944-09-25)September 25, 1944
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Jennifer
Children	2
Education	Marquette University (B.A.) Marquette Law School (J.D.)
Profession	lawyer, politician

Biography

Flynn graduated from Pius XI High School in Milwaukee. He earned a B.A. degree from Marquette University in 1970 and a J.D. degree from Marquette University Law School in 1973. He worked as a house painter and subsequently as a teacher, serving at nearby St. Rose of Lima School in Milwaukee. Flynn was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate as a Democrat in 1972, and was re-elected in 1976 and 1980.^[2]

He won the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor in September 1982 and went on to win election alongside Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Earl. He held office from 1983 until 1987; In January 1983, he was appointed and simultaneously served as the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Development. He did not run for re-election in 1986.^[2] After he left office, he retired from politics and took a job as a project development executive with American Medical Buildings.^[3]

Flynn ran for a judgeship on the Wisconsin Circuit Court in Milwaukee County in 1999, but was defeated by incumbent Judge John E. McCormick.

In 2003, he was appointed to the Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission by Governor Jim Doyle, and he was reappointed as chairman in 2005. His term expired in 2011.^[4]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Senate (1972, 1976, 1980)

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor (1982)

Wisconsin Lieutenant Gubernatorial Election, 1982^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, September 14, 1982
	Republican	Russell Olson (incumbent)	276,496	36.77%
	Democratic	James T. Flynn	259,638	34.52%
	Democratic	Wayne P. Frank	150,592	20.02%
	Democratic	Jack H. Gleason	62,022	8.25%
	Libertarian	Gerald Shidell	1,766	0.23%
	Constitution	Diana K. Simonson	1,526	0.20%
Total votes			'752,040'	'100.0%'
Gubernatorial General Election, November 2, 1982
	Democratic	Tony Earl James T. Flynn	896,872	56.75%	+11.86%
	Republican	Terry Kohler Russell Olson (incumbent)	662,738	41.94%	−12.43%
	Libertarian	Larry Smiley Gerald Shidell	9,734	0.62%
	Constitution	James P. Wickstrom Diana K. Simonson	7,721	0.49%	+0.07%
	Independent	Peter Seidman Margo Storsteen	3,025	0.19%
		Scattering	254	0.02%
Total votes			'1,580,344'	'100.0%'	+5.29%
	Democratic gain from Republican

Wisconsin Circuit Court (1999)

Wisconsin Circuit Court, Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 19 Election, 1999^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, April 6, 1999
	Nonpartisan	John E. McCormick (incumbent)	49,600	55.86%
	Nonpartisan	James Flynn	39,195	44.14%
Total votes			'88,795'	'100.0%'	-10.86%