David Clarenbach
Encyclopedia
David E. Clarenbach is a Wisconsin
Democratic
politician who served nine terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly
. He represented the 78th Assembly District in Madison
from 1975 to 1993.
He is the son of National Organization for Women
co-founder Kathryn F. Clarenbach
and was born in St. Louis, Missouri
. He was educated in Madison public schools, and studied politics
at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
from 1971 to 1976.
He was elected to the Dane County
Board of Supervisors in 1972, at age 18. In 1974, he was elected a Madison alderman
, before being elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly
that same year at the age of 21. In 1983 he was elected Speaker pro tempore
of the Assembly. His legislative papers are on deposit with the Wisconsin Historical Society
.
Clarenbach is now openly gay
, although he was not open during his political career in Madison. He told a reporter in 2001, "It was a different era. There were no openly gay elected officials... Even in the liberal stronghold of Madison, it would have done more than raise eyebrows. It would’ve hampered a person’s electability. Yet I think it’s safe to say that every member of the Legislature and every member of the Capitol press corps knew I was gay.... The general consensus was not to intrude into one’s personal life." He served as a mentor for fellow gay Assemblyman Tim Carpenter
of Milwaukee.
Clarenbach did not seek re-election in 1992 but ran for Congress in . In the Democratic primary election held on September 8, Clarenbach faced Ada E. Deer and lost with 31,961 votes (40.1%) to Deer's 47,777 (59.9%). Deer went on to lose to incumbent Republican Scott L. Klug
in the general election.
He was succeeded in the assembly by Tammy Baldwin
, who ran as the first openly gay legislative candidate in Wisconsin history. After three terms, Baldwin vacated the seat to mount a successful bid for Congress in 1998 and was succeeded by Mark Pocan
who, like Clarenbach and Baldwin, is gay and is a former member of the Dane County Board of Supervisors. Pocan remains in that position through 2010.
Clarenbach served as executive director
of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund from 1996 to 1997. He now works as a political consultant and lives in Madison, Wisconsin
.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who served nine terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
. He represented the 78th Assembly District in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
from 1975 to 1993.
He is the son of National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
co-founder Kathryn F. Clarenbach
Kathryn F. Clarenbach
Kathryn F. Clarenbach was an early leader of the modern feminist movement in the United States and the first Chairperson of the National Organization for Women .-Early life:...
and was born in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. He was educated in Madison public schools, and studied politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
from 1971 to 1976.
He was elected to the Dane County
Dane County, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 426,526 people, 173,484 households, and 100,794 families residing in the county. The population density was 355 people per square mile . There were 180,398 housing units at an average density of 150 per square mile...
Board of Supervisors in 1972, at age 18. In 1974, he was elected a Madison alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
, before being elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
that same year at the age of 21. In 1983 he was elected Speaker pro tempore
Pro tempore
Pro tempore , abbreviated pro tem or p.t., is a Latin phrase which best translates to "for the time being" in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a locum tenens in the absence of a superior, such as the President pro tempore of the United States Senate.Legislative...
of the Assembly. His legislative papers are on deposit with the Wisconsin Historical Society
Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society is simultaneously a private membership and a state-funded organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of North America, with an emphasis on the state of Wisconsin and the trans-Allegheny West...
.
Clarenbach is now openly gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, although he was not open during his political career in Madison. He told a reporter in 2001, "It was a different era. There were no openly gay elected officials... Even in the liberal stronghold of Madison, it would have done more than raise eyebrows. It would’ve hampered a person’s electability. Yet I think it’s safe to say that every member of the Legislature and every member of the Capitol press corps knew I was gay.... The general consensus was not to intrude into one’s personal life." He served as a mentor for fellow gay Assemblyman Tim Carpenter
Tim Carpenter
Timothy W. "Tim" Carpenter is a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 3rd District since 2003. He earlier served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 20th District from 1985 through 2003.-Early life, education and career:...
of Milwaukee.
Clarenbach did not seek re-election in 1992 but ran for Congress in . In the Democratic primary election held on September 8, Clarenbach faced Ada E. Deer and lost with 31,961 votes (40.1%) to Deer's 47,777 (59.9%). Deer went on to lose to incumbent Republican Scott L. Klug
Scott L. Klug
Scott L. Klug was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin, representing .-Biography:...
in the general election.
He was succeeded in the assembly by Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin is the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In September 2011, Baldwin announced she would be a candidate in the 2012 U.S...
, who ran as the first openly gay legislative candidate in Wisconsin history. After three terms, Baldwin vacated the seat to mount a successful bid for Congress in 1998 and was succeeded by Mark Pocan
Mark Pocan
Mark Pocan is a Democratic Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, first elected to represent the 78th district in 1998. He represents parts of downtown Madison and his district includes the Wisconsin State Capitol. In September 2011, Pocan announced that he would seek election to replace...
who, like Clarenbach and Baldwin, is gay and is a former member of the Dane County Board of Supervisors. Pocan remains in that position through 2010.
Clarenbach served as executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund from 1996 to 1997. He now works as a political consultant and lives in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
.