Jim Holperin
Encyclopedia
Jim Holperin is a Democratic Party
member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 12th District
in northern Wisconsin since 2008. Previously, he was Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism from 2003 to 2007 and a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
, serving the 34th District from 1982 through 1994. He is the only state legislator in history to face a recall twice—in 1990 for supporting a Republican governor, and in the August 16, 2011 election for opposing one.
on December 18, 1950 and grew up there. In 1969, he graduated from Eagle River High School
. In 1973, he earned a B.S.
from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
. He also served for nine years as the director of Trees for Tomorrow, a "natural resources specialty school" focused primarily on conservation education for young people.
and won the seat representing Oneida
and Vilas
Counties. He served on the budget committee and the Joint Committee on Finance. He retired in 1994, avoiding the Republican Revolution
of that election cycle
.
appointed him as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. In 2008, he ran to become a State Senator when incumbent Democrat Wisconsin State Senator
Roger Breske
decided to retire after three terms (1990-2008). He defeated Republican nominee Tim Tiffany with 51% of the vote.
's controversial budget repair bill. On March 9, Republicans in the State Senate declared that they had removed all fiscal provisions from the fiscal repair bill and passed it without needing a quorum. On March 12, Holperin returned to Wisconsin.
On March 10, 2011, supporters of the recall effort against Holperin complained of intimidation by his supporters. On April 21, 2011, Holperin recall supporters filed about 23,300 signatures on recall petitions.
Holperin and Kim Simac faced off in the general recall election on August 16, 2011. Holperin won, keeping his seat.
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...
member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 12th District
Wisconsin Senate, District 12
The 12th District of the Wisconsin Senate is located in north-eastern Wisconsin, and is composed of parts of Vilas, Oneida, Florence, Lincoln, Marinette, Langlade, Menominee, Oconto, Shawano and Forest Counties.-Current elected officials:...
in northern Wisconsin since 2008. Previously, he was Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism from 2003 to 2007 and a member of 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....
, serving the 34th District from 1982 through 1994. He is the only state legislator in history to face a recall twice—in 1990 for supporting a Republican governor, and in the August 16, 2011 election for opposing one.
Early life
Holperin was born in Eagle River, WisconsinEagle River, Wisconsin
Eagle River is a city in Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,443 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Vilas County. The city is known for being a popular "Northwoods" vacation town...
on December 18, 1950 and grew up there. In 1969, he graduated from Eagle River High School
Eagle River High School
Eagle River High School is a public high school in Eagle River in the U.S. state of Alaska. Opened in 2005, it is attended by approximately 1004 students living in Eagle River and on Fort Richardson. The current principal is Marty Lang....
. In 1973, he earned a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
The University of Wisconsin–Whitewater is part of the University of Wisconsin System, located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It became Wisconsin's second public college on April 21, 1868 when it opened its doors to 39 students taught by nine faculty members...
. He also served for nine years as the director of Trees for Tomorrow, a "natural resources specialty school" focused primarily on conservation education for young people.
Assembly
In 1982, he ran for the Wisconsin State AssemblyWisconsin 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....
and won the seat representing Oneida
Oneida County, Wisconsin
Oneida County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 36,776. Its county seat is Rhinelander.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,236 square miles , of which 1,124 square miles is land and 111 square...
and Vilas
Vilas County, Wisconsin
Vilas County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 21,033. Its county seat is Eagle River.-Settlement:Vilas County was set off from Oneida County on April 12, 1893 and named for William Freeman Vilas...
Counties. He served on the budget committee and the Joint Committee on Finance. He retired in 1994, avoiding the Republican Revolution
Republican Revolution
The Republican Revolution or Revolution of '94 is what the media dubbed Republican Party success in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate...
of that election cycle
United States elections, 1994
The 1994 elections in the United States were held on November 8, 1994. This was the year known as the Republican Revolution, in which members of the Republican Party stormed back to majorities in the House and Senate...
.
Senate
In 2003, Governor Jim DoyleJim Doyle
James Edward "Jim" Doyle is a Wisconsin politician and member of the Democratic Party. He was the 44th Governor of Wisconsin, serving from January 6, 2003 to January 3, 2011. He defeated incumbent Governor Scott McCallum by a margin of 45 percent to 41 percent; the Libertarian Party candidate Ed...
appointed him as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. In 2008, he ran to become a State Senator when incumbent Democrat Wisconsin State Senator
Wisconsin State Senate
The Wisconsin Senate, the powers of which are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly...
Roger Breske
Roger Breske
Roger Breske is the Wisconsin Commissioner of Railroads, serving since 2008. He was a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 12th District from 1990 to 2008. He filed noncandidacy for the 2008 general election, and subsequently resigned to become Commissioner.-External links:*...
decided to retire after three terms (1990-2008). He defeated Republican nominee Tim Tiffany with 51% of the vote.
2011 Union protests
During the 2011 protests in Wisconsin, Holperin, along with the 13 other Democratic State Senators, left the state on February 17 to deny the State Senate a quorum on Governor Scott WalkerScott Walker (politician)
Scott Kevin Walker is an American Republican politician who began serving as the 45th Governor of Wisconsin on January 3, 2011, after defeating Democratic candidate Tom Barrett, 52 percent to 47 percent in the November 2010 general election...
's controversial budget repair bill. On March 9, Republicans in the State Senate declared that they had removed all fiscal provisions from the fiscal repair bill and passed it without needing a quorum. On March 12, Holperin returned to Wisconsin.
2011 attempted recall
Holperin is one of eight Democratic state senators facing recall as a result of the 2011 Wisconsin protests. On February 22, 2011, the "Jim Holperin Recall Committee" officially registered with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. 15,960 valid signatures of electors residing within the 12th District must be collected by April 25, 2011 to generate a recall election.On March 10, 2011, supporters of the recall effort against Holperin complained of intimidation by his supporters. On April 21, 2011, Holperin recall supporters filed about 23,300 signatures on recall petitions.
Holperin and Kim Simac faced off in the general recall election on August 16, 2011. Holperin won, keeping his seat.
External links
- Senator Jim Holperin at the Wisconsin State Legislature
- Jim Holperin for State Senate official campaign site
- Campaign 2008 campaign contributions at Wisconsin Democracy Campaign