UW System Home > Offices > Government Relations > Legislative Update

Government Relations

Legislative Update

September 16, 2004

Legislative Update Archive | Search Legislative Update

Fall Primary Results and General Election Gear Up

The candidates for the November 2nd general election are set after the completion of Tuesday’s primary contest. Although UW System does not and cannot campaign or support one candidate over another, a number of races across the state have implications for higher education. This includes incumbent members who sit on the Senate or Assembly Higher Education Committees, the Joint Committee on Finance, hold leadership positions in the Legislature, or open seat races. A number of the races are final after the primaries, because there is no general election challenger. We are watching the following races with interest:

In the Senate

Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer (R-West Bend) lost a primary challenge to Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) in the 20^th District. Since there is no Democratic challenger, Grothman is assured the seat come November.

Sen. Shelia Harsdorf (R-River Falls), Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, will face off with Gary Bakke (D-New-Richmond), winning of the Democratic primary for the 10 District seat.

In the 12^th District, Republican primary winner Thomas Tiffany (R-Hazlehurst) will challenge, Senate Higher Education Committee Member, Roger Breske (D-Eland).

Senate Minority Leader Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) will run against Republican primary winner and former state senator Gary Drzewiecki (R-Pulaski).

In a race for the vacant seat formerly held by 32^nd District Senator Mark Meyer, Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse) will meet Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) in the general election contest.

In the Assembly

Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities Chair Robin Kreibich (R-Eau Claire) will face Democratic primary winner Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire) for the 93^rd District seat.

Rep. Gregg Underheim (R-Oshkosh), a member of the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee, faces three challenges in the 54^th District seat, as Tony Palmeri (Green-Oshkosh), Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh), and Dan Carpenter (Ind.-Oshkosh) all vie for the seat.

Bruce Hinkforth (Green-Oconomowoc) and Scott Woods (D-Delavan) will challenge Rep. Steve Nass (R-Palmyra), member of the Colleges and Universities Committee, for the right to represent the 31^st District.

In the 94th District, Joint Finance Committee Member, Rep. Michael Huebsch (R-West Salem) will confront Democratic primary winner Vicki Burke (D-Onalaska) in the general elections.

Dan Aude (D-Green Bay) will challenge Colleges and Universities Committee member Rep. Judy Krawczyk (R-Green Bay) for the right to represent the 88^th District.

Rep. Debi Towns (R-Janesville), Colleges and Universities Committee member, of the 43^rd District will meet challenger Matt McIntyre (D-Edgerton) in the general election.

Tom Parent (D-River Falls) will square off with Joint Finance and Colleges and Universities Committee member Rep. Kitty Rhoades in a District 30 contest.

Speaker Pro Tempore Stephen Freese (R-Dodgeville) faces a challenge from Todd Miller (D-Spring Green in the 51^st District.

In the 38^th District, 4 candidates vie for the seat formerly held by Rep. Steven Foti. Andrew Sellinger (Ind.-Rubicon), Joel Kleefisch (R-Nashotah), Pam Johnson (D-Oconomowoc), and Adam Beardsley (Ind.-Oconomowoc) will meet each other in the November contest.

In an open seat race, formerly held by Rep. Wayne Wood, Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville), Ty A. Bollerud (R-Janesville), Steve Trueblood (Ind.-Janesville), and Charles Knipp (Ind.-Madison) face off to represent the 44^th District.

Charles Benedict (D-Beloit) and Brian Brown (R-Beloit) will race to fill the 45^th District seat, formerly held by Rep. Dan Schooff.

Pat Strachota (R-West Bend) will face Dennis Uhlig (D-Cedarburg) to represent the 58^th District, which was left open after Rep. Glenn Grothman left to challenge Sen. Mary Panzer in the Senate.

In an open seat race, formerly held by Rep. Larry Barlow, Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls) and Joe Bee Xiong (D-Eau Claire) compete against each other for the 68^th District seat.

Gof Thomson (D-New Glarus), Patrick O’Brien (Ind.-New Glarus) and Brett Davis (R-Oregon) will meet in the general election to fill the 80^th District seat, formerly held by Rep. Michael Powers.

In an open seat race for the 85^th District, Donna Seidel (D-Marathon County) will square off against Sara Kamke (R-Schofield) for the seat formerly held by Rep. Greg Huber.

Gail Frie (D-Viroqua) and Lee Nerison (R-Westby) will compete for the 96^th District seat, formerly held by Rep. Duwayne Johnsrud.

Complete election results are available at:
http://thewheelerreport.com/lxn04/sep04primary/index.htm

Other Legislative News

Sen. Scott Fitzgerald has been elected to succeed Sen. Mary Panzer as the Senate Majority Leader. He will replace himself on Joint Finance Committee, and make other committee assignments following the November elections.

UW System Policies relating to Election Activities

Please take time to review the election policies and procedures at the link below. If you have questions, please contact Margaret Lewis or Doug Bradley. Being actively involved in elections is encouraged, but not on state time or using state resources.

For more information, please see: http://www.uwsa.edu/execvp/govrel/camprule.htm