Best of CASE District V Award
 

Institution: University of Wisconsin Madison

Title of entry: Nobody's Senator but Ours

About this entry: During Herb Kohl’s four terms as a Democratic U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, he retained a steadfast commitment to finding common ground with Republicans — a virtue all but unknown in today’s political environment of gridlock and partisanship. His approach made him one of the Senate’s most successful problem-solvers, sponsoring or cosponsoring a remarkable 3,000 pieces of legislation. “Nobody’s Senator but Ours” tells the nuanced story of an optimist who continues to work behind the scenes to advance the public good through his collaboration with the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs. It chronicles his remarkable rise from the child of impoverished immigrants to success in business, the sports industry, and politics. It also paints a portrait of a humble man who has lived in the same Milwaukee condo for 50 years and prefers to dine in “paper napkin” restaurants despite his vast fortune. Many alumni contacted the magazine to share their interactions with Kohl in business, sports, and politics. A reader wrote in response to the article: “If ever there was a role model in this day and age, he is the man.” One of the senator’s closest advisers wrote: “[This] profile of Senator Kohl will rank as one of the best ever done on his life and career.”