Barbara Lawton
Barbara Lawton (born July 5, 1951, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a former lieutenant governor of Wisconsin. She became the first woman elected to the position in 2002, as the running mate of Democratic Governor Jim Doyle. Lawton was re-elected on November 7, 2006.
In her first four years as lieutenant governor, Lawton took on many issues, most related to economic development and fiscal responsibility. In 2003, she launched an economic development initiative called Wisconsin Women = Prosperity. In 2005, Lawton convened the Lt. Governor's Task Force on Women and Depression. Lawton was also an advocate for clean energy and stem cell research.[1]
Prior to being elected lieutenant governor in 2002, Lawton won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor in 1998, and ran alongside the party's nominee for governor, Attorney Ed Garvey. The Garvey/Lawton ticket lost to Republican incumbent Tommy Thompson and Scott McCallum. Lawton also ran unsuccessfully for state senator in 1992.[2]
Biography
Lieutenant Governor Lawton grew up in southeastern Wisconsin, first in Hales Corners and then on a farm near Waterford. She earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish from Lawrence University in Appleton and a master's degree in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.[3]
Lawton helped to co-found the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and was a leader in the Educational Resource Foundation. She was also a founding member of the Latinos Unidos and the Green Bay Area Multicultural Center. She served on the Entrepreneurs of Color Advisory Board, winning their first Founders' Award. She also served on the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Foundation Board.[4]
Professionally, Lawton served as an international business consultant, helping businesses export their products to the southern cone of South America and providing cultural training.[5]
Elections
2006
On November 7, 2006, Jim Doyle/Barbara Lawton won re-election to the office of Wisconsin governor/lieutenant governor. They defeated Mark Green/Jean Hundertmark (R) and Nelson Eisman/Leon Todd (G) in the general election.
| Wisconsin governor/lieutenant governor, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Jim Doyle/Barbara Lawton Incumbent |
52.7% | 1,139,115 | |
| Republican | Mark Green/Jean Hundertmark | 45.3% | 979,427 | |
| Green | Nelson Eisman/Leon Todd | 1.9% | 40,709 | |
| Scattering | Various | 0.1% | 2,449 | |
| Total Votes | 2,161,700 | |||
| Election results via Wisconsin State Elections Board. | ||||
2002
On November 5, 2002, Jim Doyle/Barbara Lawton won election to the office of Wisconsin governor/lieutenant governor. They defeated Scott McCallum/M.A. Farrow (R) and six minor-party challengers in the general election.
| Wisconsin governor/lieutenant governor, 2002 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Jim Doyle/Barbara Lawton |
46.1% | 800,515 | |
| Republican | Scott McCallum/M.A. Farrow Incumbent | 42.3% | 734,779 | |
| Green | Jim Young/Jeff Peterson | 0.3% | 4,411 | |
| Libertarian | Ed Thompson/M. Reynolds | 10.7% | 185,455 | |
| Independent | Alan D. Eisenberg | 0.2% | 2,847 | |
| Independent | Ty A. Bollerud | 0.2% | 2,637 | |
| Independent | Mike Mangan | 0.1% | 1,710 | |
| Independent | Aneb Jah Rasta | 0.1% | 929 | |
| Scattering | Various | 0.1% | 2,366 | |
| Total Votes | 1,735,649 | |||
| Election results via Wisconsin State Election Board. | ||||
1998
1998 Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election (lieutenant governor's seat)
| Scott McCallum (R) (inc.) 60% |
| Barbara Lawton (D) 39% |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Millennial Action Project, "Barbara Lawton," accessed July 8, 2021
- ↑ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections, "1998 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Wisconsin," accessed July 8, 2021
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Barbara Lawton (1951-present)," March 3, 2017
- ↑ Vote Smart, "Barbara Lawton's Biography," accessed July 8, 2021
- ↑ Iowa State University: Archives of Women's Political Communication, "Barbara Lawton," accessed July 8, 2021
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by M.A. Farrow (R) |
Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin 2003–2011 |
Succeeded by Rebecca Kleefisch (R) |
| |||||||||||||
