John Coit Spooner

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John Coit Spooner (January 6, 1843 - June 11, 1919) was a member of the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1885 - 1891 and again from 1897 - 1907.

Spooner was born in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and later moved to Madison, Wisconsin in 1859. After serving in the military and attaining the rank of major, he sought a career in law, and was admitted to the bar in 1867. He first was appointed a US Senator in 1885, but was replaced by William F. Vilas in 1891. Afterwards he continued to practice law, and also ran for Governor of Wisconsin in 1892, but lost. In 1897 he was again elected to the Senate, and continued to serve until 1907, when he resigned.

Spooner was one of the early opponents of direct primary elections. At the time party nominees were selected by the party officials, sometimes by "party bosses." Although the system left much to be desired, Spooner was prescient in his description of political campaigns after the reform of direct primary elections:

"Direct primaries would destroy the party machinery ... and would build up a lot of personal machines, and would make every man a self-seeker, and would degrade politics by turning candidacies into bitter personal wrangles." Source: Eigen's Political & Historical Quotations

Preceded by Angus Cameron	United States Senator (Class 3) from Wisconsin 1885–1891 Served alongside: Philetus Sawyer	Succeeded by William F. Vilas
Preceded by William F. Vilas	United States Senator (Class 3) from Wisconsin 1897–1907 Served alongside: John L. Mitchell, Joseph V. Quarles, Robert M. La Follette, Sr.	Succeeded by Isaac Stephenson