Vernon Wallace Thomson, one of Wisconsin's most durable political figures, was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin, on November 5, 1905. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1927 and taught school at Viroqua High School and later at Madison Vocational School in order to finance a legal education. Thomson graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1932. He then returned to Richland Center to establish a law practice. Thomson began his career in state politics two years later, but he continued to maintain strong ties with Richland Center, serving as city attorney from 1933 to 1937 and from 1942-1944 and as mayor from 1944-1951. He maintained his legal practice there until 1956.
Thomson's slow but steady rise in Wisconsin politics began with a successful campaign for the Assembly in 1934. He was a proficient public speaker and as a result he quickly rose to prominence as a leader of the Republican opposition to Governor Philip La Follette. When the Republicans won control of the Assembly in 1939 Thomson was elected speaker. He was reelected in 1941 and 1943. In 1944, as a result of his support of Wendell Willkie, Thomson was not reelected speaker, although he was selected as Republican floor leader for the 1945, 1947 and 1949 sessions. In 1950, 1952, and 1954 Thomson was elected state attorney general. In 1956 Thomson was the Republican candidate for governor. So widely known was his experience in elective office that he won the nomination without opposition either for the convention endorsement or in the Republican primary. Thomson's nomination was also remarkable because his long experience in government was in sharp contrast to many of his Republican predecessors who had been wealthy business leaders who were relatively inexperienced in state politics. Also unlike them, Thomson was a man of relatively modest financial means.
In the general election in 1956 Thomson defeated William Proxmire. The margin was relatively close given the Republicans' past domination of Wisconsin politics, and it heralded the rising power of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin. Nevertheless, it was conflicts within the Republican Party over taxation and the state financial situation that chiefly characterized the Thomson administration. Although the issue of the growing state budget and the need for additional revenues was prominent, no resolution of the problem was achieved during the Thomson years. In 1958 Thomson was defeated in his attempt for reelection by Gaylord Nelson.
In 1960 Thomson was elected to Congress from western Wisconsin's Third Congressional District. He was re-elected to six additional terms until his defeat in 1974 by Alvin Baldus. In Congress, Thomson served on the Foreign Affairs and Small Business committees.
From 1976 through 1979 Thomson served as a member of the Federal Election Commission. Since his retirement from public life Thomson has resided in McLean, Virginia.
