# Henry Huber

Henry Allen Huber (November 6, 1869 – January 31, 1933) was an American lawyer and progressive Republican politician from Stoughton, Wisconsin. He was the 25th lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, serving from 1925 through 1933. He also served 12 years in the Wisconsin Senate and two years in the Wisconsin State Assembly representing Dane County. Earlier in his career, he also served as an executive clerk to Wisconsin governor Robert M. La Follette. He is known for introducing the first form of state unemployment insurance legislation in the United States, and is the namesake of the "Huber Law" which created Wisconsin's first work release program for state prisoners.

## Biography

Huber was born in Evergreen, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in 1869. At age ten, he moved with his parents to Pleasant Springs, Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1892 and set up a law practice in Stoughton. He was city attorney for Stoughton, Wisconsin, and served on the Dane County Board of Supervisors. He served as a Republican in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1905 until 1906, and in the Wisconsin State Senate from 1913 until 1924.
During his time as a state senator, he gained national recognition for two landmark pieces of legislation. He introduced the first unemployment insurance legislation in American history, and was the author of Wisconsin's first work release program—still referred to in Wisconsin as the "Huber Law".
In 1924, incumbent Lieutenant Governor George Comings announced he would run for Governor. Huber thus decided that rather than running for a fourth term in the State Senate, he would seek the office of Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin in 1924. Huber ultimately faced no opposition in the Republican primary, and went on to win the general election with 60% of the vote. He went on to win re-election in 1926, 1928, and 1930, facing competitive primaries and general elections each time. During his four terms as lieutenant governor, he served alongside four different governors.
He ran for a fifth term in 1932, but was defeated in the Republican primary by conservative Republican Harry Dahl, who went on to lose the general election to Democrat Thomas J. O'Malley.

## Death

Huber died less than a month after leaving office, in January 1933. He was admitted to Madison General Hospital on January 30, suffering from a chronic heart condition, and died the next day.

## Electoral history
### Wisconsin Assembly (1904)

Wisconsin Assembly, Dane 2nd District Election, 1904 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| General Election, November 8, 1904 ||||||
| | Republican | Henry Huber | 3,413 | 62.76% | +26.26% |
| | Democratic | Peter N. Johnson | 1,740 | 32.00% | −31.46% |
| | Prohibition | Robert S. Pearsall | 173 | 3.18% | |
| | | Scattering | 112 | 2.06% | |
| Plurality | Plurality | Plurality | 1,673 | 30.76% | +3.81% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,438 | 100.0% | +29.72% |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | 57.72% | |

### Wisconsin Senate (1912, 1916, 1920)

| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Elected | Elected | Elected | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Total | Plurality |
| 1912 | General | Nov. 5 | Henry Huber | Republican | 8,140 | 52.86% | J. G. O. Zehnter | Dem. | 6,918 | 44.92% | 15,400 | 1,222 |
| 1912 | General | Nov. 5 | Henry Huber | Republican | 8,140 | 52.86% | William M. McCarthy | Proh. | 338 | 2.19% | 15,400 | 1,222 |
| 1916 | General | Nov. 7 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 9,554 | 61.32% | John C. Kenny | Dem. | 6,023 | 38.66% | 15,580 | 3,531 |
| 1920 | General | Nov. 2 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 31,345 | 99.94% | | | | | 31,363 | 31,327 |

### Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor (1924, 1926, 1928, 1930)

| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Elected | Elected | Elected | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Defeated | Total | Plurality |
| 1924 | General | Nov. 4 | Henry Huber | Republican | 433,106 | 60.27% | Karl Mathie | Dem. | 215,327 | 29.96% | 718,669 | 217,779 |
| 1924 | General | Nov. 4 | Henry Huber | Republican | 433,106 | 60.27% | Peter Gilles | Soc. | 46,660 | 6.49% | 718,669 | 217,779 |
| 1924 | General | Nov. 4 | Henry Huber | Republican | 433,106 | 60.27% | Maria I. A. Nelson | Proh. | 11,170 | 1.55% | 718,669 | 217,779 |
| 1924 | General | Nov. 4 | Henry Huber | Republican | 433,106 | 60.27% | John E. Ferris | Ind.R. | 8,301 | 1.16% | 718,669 | 217,779 |
| 1924 | General | Nov. 4 | Henry Huber | Republican | 433,106 | 60.27% | Steve Fisher | Soc.Lab. | 2,025 | 0.28% | 718,669 | 217,779 |
| 1924 | General | Nov. 4 | Henry Huber | Republican | 433,106 | 60.27% | Charles Kuzdas | Work. | 1,978 | 0.28% | 718,669 | 217,779 |
| 1926 | Primary | Sep. 7 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 200,514 | 49.73% | J. N. Tittemore | Rep. | 106,807 | 26.49% | 403,206 | 93,707 |
| 1926 | Primary | Sep. 7 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 200,514 | 49.73% | Conrad Hansen | Rep. | 95,885 | 23.78% | 403,206 | 93,707 |
| 1926 | General | Nov. 2 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 395,235 | 78.92% | William G. Evenson | Dem. | 61,865 | 12.35% | 500,831 | 333,370 |
| 1926 | General | Nov. 2 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 395,235 | 78.92% | Peter Gilles | Soc. | 34,283 | 6.85% | 500,831 | 333,370 |
| 1926 | General | Nov. 2 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 395,235 | 78.92% | Henry H. Tubbs | Proh. | 9,448 | 1.89% | 500,831 | 333,370 |
| 1928 | Primary | Sep. 4 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 261,913 | 60.52% | Chester Werden | Rep. | 101,472 | 23.45% | 432,795 | 160,441 |
| 1928 | Primary | Sep. 4 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 261,913 | 60.52% | Harold L. Plummer | Rep. | 69,410 | 16.04% | 432,795 | 160,441 |
| 1928 | General | Nov. 6 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 582,456 | 64.48% | Leo P. Fox | Dem. | 277,497 | 30.72% | 903,254 | 304,959 |
| 1928 | General | Nov. 6 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 582,456 | 64.48% | S. S. Walkup | Soc. | 34,162 | 3.78% | 903,254 | 304,959 |
| 1928 | General | Nov. 6 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 582,456 | 64.48% | Oliver Needham | Proh. | 6,621 | 0.73% | 903,254 | 304,959 |
| 1928 | General | Nov. 6 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 582,456 | 64.48% | Henry Koski | Work. | 1,314 | 0.15% | 903,254 | 304,959 |
| 1928 | General | Nov. 6 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 582,456 | 64.48% | Emil Wagner | Ind.Lab. | 1,204 | 0.13% | 903,254 | 304,959 |
| 1930 | Primary | Sep. 16 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 318,225 | 54.87% | Harry Dahl | Rep. | 261,722 | 45.13% | 579,947 | 56,503 |
| 1930 | General | Nov. 4 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 370,075 | 66.04% | Bert Husting | Dem. | 141,632 | 25.27% | 560,373 | 228,443 |
| 1930 | General | Nov. 4 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 370,075 | 66.04% | John R. Severin | Soc. | 32,107 | 5.73% | 560,373 | 228,443 |
| 1930 | General | Nov. 4 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 370,075 | 66.04% | Otto D. Kahl | Proh. | 13,404 | 2.39% | 560,373 | 228,443 |
| 1930 | General | Nov. 4 | Henry Huber (inc) | Republican | 370,075 | 66.04% | William Clark | Comm. | 3,155 | 0.56% | 560,373 | 228,443 |
| 1932 | Primary | Sep. 20 | Harry Dahl | Republican | 379,060 | 56.74% | Henry Huber (inc) | Rep. | 288,971 | 43.26% | 668,031 | 90,089 |