It was on this date, 29 February, in 1956, that William J. Campbell, often credited with being the founder of the modern Wisconsin Republican Party, died. It was Campbell, a lumber company executive, and member of the UW Board of Regents, who began the ‘Republican Voluntary Committee’ which became the vehicle to wrest control of the Party away from the La Follette family, of which Robert, Sr. served as both Governor and Senator, Robert, Jr. served as Senator, and Phillip served as Governor.