In 1936 he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly on the ticket of the Wisconsin Progressive Party (the Socialists and Progressives were practicing a form of electoral fusion during this period; but his biography clearly identified him as an active Socialist) from the 2nd Milwaukee County district (the 2nd and 10th Wards of the City of Milwaukee), unseating Democratic incumbent Clarence Kretlow, with 6,767 votes to 5867 for Kretlow and 2129 for Republican Alex Klose. He was appointed to the standing committees on the judiciary and public welfare, to a special joint committee on "Legislation on Administration of State Government", and perhaps most importantly to the "Interim Committee" appointed in 1937 by the Legislature to discuss reorganization of Wisconsin government.