{{Short description|American politician and businessman}} {{infobox officeholder | name = Brian D. Rude | office = President of the Wisconsin Senate | term_start = April 21, 1998 | term_end = January 4, 1999 | predecessor = Fred Risser | successor = Fred Risser | term_start1 = April 20, 1993 | term_end1 = July 9, 1996 | predecessor1 = Fred Risser | successor1 = Fred Risser | state_senate2 = Wisconsin | district2 = 32nd | term_start2 = April 23, 1984 | term_end2 = May 25, 2000 | predecessor2 = Paul Offner | successor2 = Mark Meyer | state_assembly3 = Wisconsin | district3 = 36th | term_start3 = January 3, 1983 | term_end3 = April 23, 1984 | predecessor3 = Lloyd H. Kincaid | successor3 = John Volk | party = Republican | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|8|25}} | birth_place = Viroqua, Wisconsin, U.S. | spouse = {{marriage|Karen Ann Thulin|1981}} | children = 2 | education = {{unbulleted list | Luther College {{small|(B.A.)}} | University of Wisconsin–Madison {{small|(M.A.)}} }} | occupation = Politician, lobbyist }} '''Brian David Rude''' (born August 25, 1955) is a retired American businessman, lobbyist, and Republican politician from Vernon County, Wisconsin. He was a member of the Wisconsin Senate for 16 years and served as president of the Senate for most of the 1993–1994 and 1995–1996 terms, and part of the 1997–1998 term. He also served a year in the Wisconsin State Assembly. After leaving government, he worked as a lobbyist for 20 years for Dairyland Power Cooperative.
==Early life and career==
Brian Rude was born in Viroqua, Wisconsin, on August 25, 1955. He was raised in Westby, Wisconsin, and graduated from Westby High School in 1973. He went on to earn his bachelor's degree in history and political science from Luther College, in Iowa, in 1977. As a young man, he worked as a legislative aide and research analyst in the Iowa Senate and Wisconsin Senate.<ref name="wihist">{{Cite web|url= https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS12551 |title= Rude, Brian D. 1955 |website= Wisconsin Historical Society |accessdate= December 4, 2023 }}</ref> He began graduate school studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, but put his studies on hold in 1981, when he was employed in corporate communications for Trane. He ultimately remained at Trane until resigning to become a full-time legislator in 1985.<ref name="declare">{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boscobel-dial-rude-for-assembly/136268225/ |title= Brian Rude of Westby candidate for Assembly |newspaper= The Boscobel Dial |date= July 8, 1982 |page= 11 |accessdate= December 4, 2023 }}</ref>
In these early years, he became involved in local affairs as chairman of the Kickapoo Valley Association—formed 20 years earlier to support a flood control project in the Kickapoo River valley, by the 1980s it was more for tourism advertisement. He was also active in the local Junior Chamber of Commerce.<ref name="declare"/>
==Political career==
He first ran for public office in 1982, following the drastic 1982 court-ordered redistricting of the Wisconsin Legislature.<ref>{{Cite court|url= https://cite.case.law/f-supp/543/630/ |litigants= Wisconsin State AFL-CIO v. Elections Board |court= E.D. Wis. |date= June 9, 1982 |vol=543 |reporter= F. Supp. |opinion= 630 |accessdate= December 1, 2023 }}</ref> He defeated two opponents in the Republican Party primary, and went on to win the general election with 57% of the vote.<ref name="1983elex">{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/ZJZ7PTZ7WFUWF8X |title= The State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1983–1984 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |year= 1983 |editor-last1= Theobald |editor-first1= H. Rupert |editor-last2= Robbins |editor-first2= Patricia V. |chapter= Biographies |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AZJZ7PTZ7WFUWF8X/full/AGFN4SD4WY6X3M8J 889], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AZJZ7PTZ7WFUWF8X/full/ARVCZIQROIH6MP8L 911] |access-date= December 4, 2023 }}</ref>
A year after taking office, the incumbent state senator in his district, Paul Offner, announced he would resign with a year left in his term.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/manitowoc-herald-times-offner-resigning/136270905/ |title= Offner to resign |newspaper= Manitowoc Herald-Times |date= December 21, 1983 |page= 1 |accessdate= December 4, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}</ref> In January 1984, Rude entered the special election contest to replace him in the Wisconsin Senate. He defeated county supervisor Douglas Farmer in the Republican primary and went on to face La Crosse state representative John Medinger in the general election.<ref name="1985elex">{{Cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/TH64IFYQF6YFR8L |title= State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1985–1986 |year= 1985 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last1= Theobald |editor-first1= H. Rupert |editor-last2= Robbins |editor-first2= Patricia V. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ATH64IFYQF6YFR8L/full/AUNSQHEMZRKZHA8J 902], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ATH64IFYQF6YFR8L/full/AHRFLBNXKWEAIT8G 903], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ATH64IFYQF6YFR8L/full/A3JFJERPIW6G5Y8U 921], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ATH64IFYQF6YFR8L/full/ALJNRLOTVKR2YW87 922] |accessdate= December 4, 2023 }}</ref> After the primary, Rude cast himself as an independent republican, and attempted to make the election a referendum on the performance of Governor Tony Earl.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-la-crosse-tribune-rude-senate-campai/136271625/ |title= Rude sees election hinging on issues |newspaper= La Crosse Tribune |date= January 5, 1984 |page= 1 |first= Gary |last= Achterberg |accessdate= December 4, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}</ref> In a tight contest, Rude prevailed by just 698 votes, receiving 50.4% in the April special election.<ref name="1985elex"/> That fall, he won a full four-year term, defeating the other incumbent state representative in the district, Virgil Roberts, and increasing his vote share to 54%.<ref name="1985elex"/>
He went on to win three more four-year terms in the Senate, receiving more than 60% in each of those elections.<ref name="1989elex">{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/GWSZSEDPAWDVC84 |title= State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1989–1990 |year= 1989 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last2= Theobald |editor-first2= H. Rupert |editor-last1= Barish |editor-first1= Lawrence S. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AGWSZSEDPAWDVC84/full/AD7SK42DSQG3YA8D 907], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AGWSZSEDPAWDVC84/full/AMXMFBMQ2LCGYU8X 922] |accessdate= December 4, 2023 }}</ref><ref name="1993elex">{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/6GO4S5JO5BQTO8M |title= State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1993–1994 |year= 1993 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last2= Theobald |editor-first2= H. Rupert |editor-last1= Barish |editor-first1= Lawrence S. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A6GO4S5JO5BQTO8M/full/ATJ2BTU7A2E6MW87 900], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A6GO4S5JO5BQTO8M/full/AGOLCK7VMN6WAU86 919] |accessdate= December 4, 2023 }}</ref><ref name="1997elex">{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/V57G6QVOUSNPG8T |title= State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1997–1998 |year= 1997 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last1= Barish |editor-first1= Lawrence S. |editor-last2= Meloy |editor-first2= Patricia E. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AV57G6QVOUSNPG8T/full/A57JCAGWQULPA28Q 888], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AV57G6QVOUSNPG8T/full/AUIIXAEKIGA64R86 890] |accessdate= December 4, 2023 }}</ref> In 1989, he moved into a leadership position in the Republican caucus when he was elected assistant minority leader in the Senate. He continued in that role until April 1993, when Republicans gained the majority and Rude was elected president of the Senate. He continued as president until Republicans lost the majority due to a 1996 recall election, but regained the office briefly in 1998 after another special election.<ref>{{cite report|url= https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2023_2024 |title= Wisconsin Blue Book 2023–2024 |year= 2023 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |isbn= 978-1-7333817-2-7 |chapter-url= https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2023_2024/180_historical_lists.pdf |chapter= Statistics and Reference: Historical Lists |page= 492 |accessdate= December 4, 2023 }}</ref> Rude was considered a moderate Republican in the Senate and often played an important dealmaker role in the closely-divided state capital.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-la-crosse-tribune-rude-retiring/136275558/ |title= Sen. Brian Rude: a real class act |newspaper= La Crosse Tribune |date= May 28, 2000 |page= 22 |accessdate= December 4, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}</ref>
In the early 1990s, Rude completed his graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, earning his M.A.<ref name="wihist"/> He announced his retirement from the Legislature in 2000, leaving office in May, with seven months left in his term. At the time of his resignation, he received bipartisan accolades; Democratic U.S. representative Ron Kind referred to him as a role model.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-la-crosse-tribune-rude-retiring/136275796/ |title= Rude's resignation leaves other politicians with eye on his post |newspaper= La Crosse Tribune |date= May 26, 2000 |page= 1 |accessdate= December 4, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}</ref>
==Later years== Immediately after leaving the Senate, Rude went to work as vice president of external relations for Dairyland Power Cooperative—an energy cooperative serving much of the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. He lobbied on behalf of the cooperative for the next 20 years, retiring in 2020. While working for Dairyland Power, he was also appointed to serve on the Wisconsin Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection Board by Governor Jim Doyle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dairynet.com/who_we_are/brianrude.php |title=Brian Rude |website=Dairyland Power Cooperative |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070205182423/http://www.dairynet.com/who_we_are/brianrude.php |archive-date=2007-02-05}}</ref>
==Personal life and family==
Brian Rude married Karen Ann Thulin, a registered nurse from Platteville, on October 24, 1981. They met while students at Luther College.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-la-crosse-tribune-thulin-rude-marria/136277267/ |title= Thulin–Rude |newspaper= La Crosse Tribune |date= November 12, 1981 |page= 10 |accessdate= December 4, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref> They have two adult sons and still reside in Coon Valley, Wisconsin. Their son, Nels Rude, is a prolific lobbyist in Madison with the Kammer group.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://lobbying.wi.gov/Who/LobbyistInformation/2023REG/Information/10264 |title= 2023-2024 Legislative Session - Nels Rude |website= Wisconsin Lobbying |publisher= Wisconsin Ethics Commission |accessdate= December 4, 2023 }}</ref>
Rude has also been active in many state and local community organizations in addition to his political activity. He has served as Chair of the Greater La Crosse Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Board of Aptiv, and President of the Norwegian-American Historical Association. He was active for many years on the Wisconsin Historical Society's governing board of curators, and in 2016 was elected president of the board.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://lacrossetribune.com/rude-appointed-as-president-to-the-wisconsin-historical-society-board-of-curators/article_17a4d6ec-3eae-5221-9f6e-4b91cec62c4d.html |title= Rude appointed as president to the Wisconsin Historical Society Board of Curators |date= September 7, 2016 |newspaper= La Crosse Tribune |accessdate= December 4, 2023 }}</ref> Rude is currently chair of the Board of Trustees of Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa.
==Electoral history== ===Wisconsin Assembly (1982)===
{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Assembly, 36th District Election, 1982<ref name="1983elex"/>}} | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| '''Republican Primary, September 14, 1982''' {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Brian D. Rude |votes = 2,818 |percentage = 50.04% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Janet S. Schipper |votes = 2,477 |percentage = 43.99% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Jeffrey D. Knickmeier |votes = 336 |percentage = 5.97% |change = }} {{Election box plurality |votes = 341 |percentage = 6.06% |change = }} {{Election box total |votes = 5,631 |percentage = 100.0% |change = }} | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| '''General Election, November 2, 1982''' {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Brian D. Rude |votes = 9,993 |percentage = 57.62% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Henry Hendrickson |votes = 7,350 |percentage = 42.38% |change = }} {{Election box plurality |votes = 2,643 |percentage = 15.24% |change = }} {{Election box total |votes = 13,981 |percentage = 100.0% |change = }} {{Election box gain with party link no swing |winner = Republican Party (United States) |loser = Democratic Party (United States) }} {{Election box end}}
===Wisconsin Senate (1984–1996)===
{| class=wikitable |- ! Year ! Election ! Date !! colspan="4"| Elected !! colspan="4"| Defeated ! Total ! Plurality |- ! rowspan="4" valign="top" | 1984<ref name="1985elex"/><br />special | rowspan="2" valign="top" | Special<br />Primary | rowspan="2" valign="top" |{{nowrap|Feb. 21}} | rowspan="2" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Brian D. Rude}} | rowspan="2" valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 6,807 | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 64.97% | valign="top" | {{nowrap|Douglas L. Farmer}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep. | valign="top" align="right" | 2,966 | valign="top" align="right" | 28.31% | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 6,442 | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 1,294 |- | valign="top" | {{nowrap|Douglas L. Farmer}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Rep. | valign="top" align="right" | 352 | valign="top" align="right" | 0.89% |- | rowspan="2" valign="top" | Special | rowspan="2" valign="top" |{{nowrap|Apr. 3}} | rowspan="2" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Brian D. Rude}} | rowspan="2" valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 20,037 | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 50.44% | valign="top" | {{nowrap|John Medinger}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem. | valign="top" align="right" | 19,339 | valign="top" align="right" | 48.68% | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 39,728 | rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 698 |- | valign="top" | {{nowrap|Suzanne T. Kuring}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Libertarian}} | Lib. | valign="top" align="right" | 352 | valign="top" align="right" | 0.89% |- ! valign="top" | 1984<ref name="1985elex"/> | valign="top" | General | valign="top" |{{nowrap|Nov. 6}} | valign="top" | {{nowrap|Brian D. Rude (inc)}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican | valign="top" align="right" | 35,331 | valign="top" align="right" | 54.19% | valign="top" | {{nowrap|Virgil Roberts}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem. | valign="top" align="right" | 29,866 | valign="top" align="right" | 45.81% | valign="top" align="right" | 65,197 | valign="top" align="right" | 5,465 |- ! valign="top" | 1988<ref name="1989elex"/> | valign="top" | General | valign="top" |{{nowrap|Nov. 8}} | valign="top" | {{nowrap|Brian D. Rude (inc)}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican | valign="top" align="right" | 45,384 | valign="top" align="right" | 72.20% | valign="top" | {{nowrap|John Lindner}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem. | valign="top" align="right" | 17,471 | valign="top" align="right" | 27.80% | valign="top" align="right" | 62,855 | valign="top" align="right" | 27,913 |- ! valign="top" | 1992<ref name="1993elex"/> | valign="top" | General | valign="top" |{{nowrap|Nov. 3}} | valign="top" | {{nowrap|Brian D. Rude (inc)}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican | valign="top" align="right" | 46,778 | valign="top" align="right" | 63.89% | valign="top" | {{nowrap|Diane Leslie Snyder}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem. | valign="top" align="right" | 26,440 | valign="top" align="right" | 36.11% | valign="top" align="right" | 73,218 | valign="top" align="right" | 20,338 |- ! valign="top" | 1996<ref name="1997elex"/> | valign="top" | General | valign="top" |{{nowrap|Nov. 5}} | valign="top" | {{nowrap|Brian D. Rude (inc)}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican | valign="top" align="right" | 49,357 | valign="top" align="right" | 75.10% | valign="top" | {{nowrap|David Wulf}} | valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem. | valign="top" align="right" | 16,364 | valign="top" align="right" | 24.90% | valign="top" align="right" | 65,721 | valign="top" align="right" | 32,993 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-wi-hs}} {{s-bef|before = Lloyd H. Kincaid }} {{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the 36th district}} |years= January 3, 1983{{spnd}}April 23, 1984 }} {{s-aft|after = John Volk }} {{s-par|us-wi-sen}} {{s-bef|before = Paul Offner }} {{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin Senate}} {{nowrap|from the 32nd district}} |years= April 23, 1984{{spnd}}May 25, 2000 }} {{s-aft|after = Mark Meyer }} {{s-bef|before = Fred Risser }} {{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|President of the Wisconsin Senate}} |years= April 20, 1993{{spnd}}July 9, 1996 }} {{s-aft|after = Fred Risser }} {{s-bef|before = Fred Risser }} {{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|President of the Wisconsin Senate}} |years= April 21, 1998{{spnd}}January 4, 1999 }} {{s-aft|after = Fred Risser }} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rude, Brian D.}} Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:People from Viroqua, Wisconsin Category:Politicians from Vernon County, Wisconsin Category:Luther College (Iowa) alumni Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Category:Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly Category:Republican Party Wisconsin state senators Category:Presidents of the Wisconsin Senate Category:American lobbyists Category:American people of Norwegian descent Category:20th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature