Patrick Joseph Lucey

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Patrick Joseph Lucey (born March 21, 1918 in La Crosse, Wisconsin) is a member of the Democratic Party who served as governor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin from 1971 to 1977. In 1977, Lucey was appointed ambassador to Mexico by President Jimmy Carter, a post he held until 1979. Lucey was also an independent vice-presidential candidate in 1980 with John Anderson.

Lucey graduated from Campion High School in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin in 1935. Lucey went to St. Thomas College and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Lucey served as justice of the peace in Ferryville, Wisconsin, and in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1949-1951.

[edit] University of Wisconsin System merger

One of Lucey's executive initiatives was to revive an idea to merge the state's two university systems, the Wisconsin State University (WSU) system and the pre-eminent University of Wisconsin (UW), in Madison. The idea was suggested in the 1890s, then revived in the 1940s and 1950s by governor Oscar Rennebohm and governor Walter J. Kohler, Jr.

In 1971, Lucey raised the issue again, saying a merger would contain the growing costs of two systems; give order to the increasing higher education demands of the state; control program duplication; and provide for a united voice and single UW budget.

Not surprisingly, Madison faculty and administrators by and large opposed the merger, fearing it would diminish the great state university. Most WSU faculty and administrators favored merger, believing it would add prestige to their institutions and level the playing field for state funding.

Merger legislation easily passed the Democratic-controlled Assembly. After much maneuvering and lobbying, it was approved by a one-vote margin in the Republican-controlled Senate. It took until 1974 for implementation legislation to be finalized. "I had to be pretty heavy-handed — no merger, no budget," said Lucey in an interview following his term in office.

Presently, the University of Wisconsin System each year educates more than 155,000 students on 26 campuses and 1 million citizens through the UW-Extension.

[edit] Other gubernatorial accomplishments

Lucey also recommended additional funding for tourism, which spurred development throughout the state. Two examples were the expansion of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources park system and the Mt. Telemark Resort in Cable, Wisconsin. Since 1974, Cable and Mt. Telemark hosts the American Birkebeiner each year, the largest cross-country ski race in North America.

[edit] 1980 Vice Presidential campaign

The John Anderson-Lucey presidential ticket polled 7% of the vote in the U.S. presidential election, 1980, despite a 25% showing in early polls by Anderson and a spirited televised debate between Anderson and Ronald Reagan.

Preceded by Warren P. Knowles	Governor of Wisconsin 1971–1977	Succeeded by Martin J. Schreiber
Preceded by Joseph J. Jova	U.S. Ambassador to Mexico 1977–1979	Succeeded by Julian Nava