Victor L. Berger

Berger was a founder of the Socialist Democratic Party. As a newspaper editor, he was instrumental in focusing attention on Socialist causes. Berger was the first Socialist elected to the U.S. Congress. During WWI, he and four others who advocated American neutrality were convicted of espionage. After winning elections in 1918 and 1919, he was denied his seat. After his conviction was overturned in 1921, he won his congressional seat again, serving until 1929.