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Capitol Notes
WI: Weekly Political and Legislative Update
TO: Clients/Friends of Capitol Consultants, Inc./Wimmer & Company, S.C.

FROM:  Capitol Consultants, Inc.
              & Wimmer Company, S.C.

DATE:  August 16, 2011

SUBJECT:   Sen. Jim Holperin wins Recall Election, GOP majority remains 17-16
 
State Senator Jim Holperin (D-Conover) wins Recall Election

holperinSen. Jim Holperin successfully defended himself in a recall challenge by Republican Kim Simac (R-Eagle River).  Sen. Holperin has served in the Wisconsin State Senate since 2008.

Sen. Holperin now has a national distinction, having now been the only lawmaker in the nation to have been twice recalled, once when he served in the State Assembly and now when serving in the State Senate.  He has successfully defended himself against both recall challenges and been re-elected.

With 128 of 160 precincts reporting, the Associated Press called the race for Senator Holperin.. Holperin was leading 54% to 46%.

With the end of the 9 recall elections tonight, Republicans will maintain a 17-16 majority for the remainder of the 2011-2012 Legislative session.

 

Committee Assignments:
  • Natural Resources and Environment (Member)
  • Agriculture, Forestry and Higher Education (Member)
  • Workforce Development, Small Business and Tourism (member)

 

Senator Holperin Bio:

 

 Elected to the State Senate in November, 2008, Jim Holperin is Chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Tourism, Natural Resources and Forestry, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules, and a member of two other Senate Committees: Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Workforce Development, Technical Colleges and Consumer Protection; and, Rural Issues, Biofuels and Information Technology.

Jim was born and raised in Eagle River, attending local schools there. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater in 1973 and began a career in politics and nonprofit work in 1974 as a legislative analyst for the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Holperin was appointed Assistant Chief Clerk of the State Senate in 1977, but returned to his home town in 1980 to serve as Vilas County's first Director of Aging Programs.

In 1982 Jim campaigned for State Assembly and won the seat representing Oneida and Vilas Counties. He served for the next twelve years specializing in tourism, natural resource and small business issues. For most of his tenure he also served as a member of the legislature's budget committee, the Joint Committee on Finance.

In 1994 Jim was hired as Executive Director of Trees For Tomorrow, an accredited specialty school in Eagle River which focuses on teaching environmental awareness to over 5,000 middle and high school students who attend three day seminars at the school each year.

In 2003 Governor Doyle appointed Jim as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. The Department's mission is to market Wisconsin as a preferred travel destination as well as assist hospitality businesses statewide with marketing and workforce issues.

In 2007 Jim went to work as Business Services Coordinator for the North Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board. His job was to assure that federal workforce funds were invested in programs that businesses want and that are most effective for them.

Holperin serves on the Northwoods Land Trust Board of Directors. He has been active in Rotary International, and has served on the boards of Nicolet Technical College, the Grow North regional economic development organization, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, WXPR Public Radio, the Governor's Forestry Council, and the Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program, among others.

Jim lives with his wife, Kathy, in the Town of Conover. Kathy owns and operates Grandma's Toy Box, a retail toy store in downtown Eagle River. Jim and Kathy have two grown sons, Christopher and Andrew.