Henry Allen Huber (November 6, 1869January 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. Biodata
Electoral history Wisconsin Assembly (1904)
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 8, 1904
Wisconsin Senate (1912, 1916, 1920)
Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 1912 General Republican 8,140 52.86% Dem. 6,918 44.92% 15,400 1,222 Proh. 338 2.19% 1916 General Republican 9,554 61.32% Dem. 6,023 38.66% 15,580 3,531 1920 General Republican 31,345 99.94% 31,363 31,327
Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor (1924, 1926, 1928, 1930)
Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 1924 General Republican 433,106 60.27% Dem. 215,327 29.96% 718,669 217,779 Soc. 46,660 6.49% Proh. 11,170 1.55% Ind.R. 8,301 1.16% Soc.Lab. 2,025 0.28% Work. 1,978 0.28% 1926 Primary Republican 200,514 49.73% Rep. 106,807 26.49% 403,206 93,707 Rep. 95,885 23.78% General Republican 395,235 78.92% Dem. 61,865 12.35% 500,831 333,370 Soc. 34,283 6.85% Proh. 9,448 1.89% 1928 Primary Republican 261,913 60.52% Rep. 101,472 23.45% 432,795 160,441 Rep. 69,410 16.04% General Republican 582,456 64.48% Dem. 277,497 30.72% 903,254 304,959 Soc. 34,162 3.78% Proh. 6,621 0.73% Work. 1,314 0.15% Ind.Lab. 1,204 0.13% 1930 Primary Republican 318,225 54.87% Rep. 261,722 45.13% 579,947 56,503 General Republican 370,075 66.04% Dem. 141,632 25.27% 560,373 228,443 Soc. 32,107 5.73% Proh. 13,404 2.39% Comm. 3,155 0.56% 1932 Primary Republican 379,060 56.74% Rep. 288,971 43.26% 668,031 90,089
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