his father - Jim Doyle Sr. - was a rising star in politics.

The elder Doyle, son of an Oshkosh store owner, had graduated from the University of Wisconsin, excelled at Columbia Law School and, after a stint in the Navy, clerked for a Supreme Court justice and then went to work for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

His wife, Ruth, was part of the Bachhuber family, which for three generations had held seats in the state Legislature.

When the Doyles returned to Wisconsin in 1946, the Democratic Party existed mainly on paper. In state government, it was Republicans or Progressives.

Party revival

In a way, the modern Democratic Party would grow up along with young Jim, then less than 1 year old, in the Doyle home on Campbell St. It was there thatthe activists would gather, some with names now familiar from the state history books: Gaylord Nelson and Patrick Lucey, both future governors, among them.

Over drinks or dinner, they'd talk about who should run for what and how they could actually get elected. The children would listen, until comfortable enough to join the discussion.

At the time, there were three children, with Jim sandwiched between Mary and Catherine. Soon enough, there would be four: Another daughter, Anne.

In 1948, Ruth Doyle ran for the Assembly and won, one of the first women to ever be elected. So unexpected was the victory, her first words - according to family lore - were: "What am I going to tell my mother?"

Ruth Doyle, the kids remember, had the softer touch when it came to