Jeff Fitzgerald
Jeff Fitzgerald (b. October 12, 1966) is a former Republican Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 39th District from 2001 to 2013. He also served on the Beaver Dam City Council from 2000-2003. Fitzgerald was a 2012 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. Senate from Wisconsin.[1]
Fitzgerald has worked at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and as a small business owner. He is a member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders, American Legislative Exchange Council, Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce, Dodge County Republican Party, Community Relations Board - Fox Lake Correctional Institution, Juneau Chamber of Commerce, and Pheasants Forever.[2]
Committee assignments
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Fitzgerald served on these committees:
- Assembly Organization Committee, Chair
- Joint Committee on Employment Relations, Co-Chair
- Joint Committee on Legislative Council
- Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, Co-Chair
- Rules Committee, Vice Chair
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Fitzgerald served on these committees:
- Rules Committee
- Assembly Organization Committee
- Committee of Conference on Assembly Bill 75
- Employment Relations Committee, Wisconsin State Legislature
- Legislative Organization Committee, Wisconsin State Legislature
- Joint Legislative Council Committee, Wisconsin State Legislature
Issues
Fitzgerald lists some issues that make up his campaign platform on his website:[3]
- "As Wisconsin’s Junior Senator I will aggressively pursue free trade agreements that will open new markets to Wisconsin’s agricultural exports. I will support the construction and maintenance of the infrastructure necessary for Wisconsin’s Agri-businesses to thrive and grow; and I will fight animal rights activists and environmental extremists who threaten the family farming way of life.
- I strongly oppose the death tax, in part because I believe that it is important that family farms be passed on from generation to generation.
- I will work tirelessly to keep government out of the way of our hardworking farmers and farming families because I know that all farmers would rather be in the cabs of their combines and tractors then filling out numerous bureaucratic forms.
- I have pledged to oppose any and all tax increases if elected to the U.S. Senate.
- The key to eliminating our debt is the aggressive enactment of pro-growth policies, not an increasingly burdensome and complicated tax code that hinders entrepreneurship and prosperity.
- Once Governor Walker took office and Republicans took control of the state Assembly and Senate, we couldn’t just say no. WE HAD TO LEAD. The solutions Governor Walker and I crafted to solve Wisconsin’s spending problems were met with an immediate revolt from the status quo. Tens of thousands of protestors occupied our capitol, 14 Democrat Senators fled the state to block a vote, and the special interests who feed at the government trough tried to undue fair and square elections with a flurry of recall campaigns.
- In the face of unyielding opposition and adversity, we passed spending reforms that brought forth meaningful bureaucratic, budgetary and political changes to Wisconsin that will last for generations. The U.S. government must take action like we have in Wisconsin. Sacred cows must be challenged. Third rails must be crossed. Obamacare must be repealed and entitlements must be dramatically reduced.
- I support reforming the No Child Left Behind Act and will generally seek to reduce the federal government’s involvement in education in order to return more flexibility to states and local school boards and to reduce wasteful federal spending.
- Shelve plans to shrink our ground forces. The US already has one of the leanest and meanest militaries on earth, and a certain level of human capital will be required to meet future threats. Modern militaries take time to develop and the US must be prepared to face challenges that may seem unthinkable today but that could easily become reality in the future. President Obama’s plans to reduce the size of America’s ground forces are misguided and shortsighted.
- Grow our navy at a much faster rate, particularly with smaller, swifter vessels like the littoral combat ships produced for the navy in Marinette, WI and the Coast Guard’s high endurance cutters, which are able to quickly respond to the types of challenges facing America on the seas of the 21st Century. The US must continue to dominate the oceans to ensure our position as the chief military and economic power in the world.
- Re-double the development and deployment of missile defense technology. President Obama’s scaled back missile defense program is inadequate and cannot meet America’s future defensive needs. A strong and ever advancing missile defense system is an excellent deterrent to our enemies and a vital tool to maintaining global peace.
- Expanding domestic oil and natural gas exploration and drilling
- The construction of new refineries and pipelines, like the Keystone XL Pipeline
- A cost-benefit analysis of reformulated “boutique” blend mandates
- A reduction of government interference in energy markets"
Elections
2012
Fitzgerald ran for the U.S. Senate in 2012. Fitzgerald sought the nomination on the Republican ticket.[1] He faced Eric Hovde, Mark Neumann, John Schiess and Tommy Thompson. He was defeated by Tommy Thompson in the August 14, 2012, Republican primary.[4]
The University of Virginia's Center for Politics published an article called Sabato's Crystal Ball on March 22, 2012, detailing the eight races in the Senate in 2012 that will decide the political fate of which party will end up with control in 2013.[5] The seat rated a toss-up that the Sabato's Crystal Ball believes could be decided by the party's nomination is the Senate seat in Wisconsin. If former Governor Tommy Thompson (R) can win the Republican nomination and make it to the general election in November, the articles believes he would have a significant edge.[5] According to the article, "Given the current state of these toss ups, it’s not a stretch to think that a Thompson victory in Wisconsin could end up giving Republicans their 51st Senate seat."[5]
2010
- See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2010
Fitzgerald was re-elected to Wisconsin State Assembly District 39. He was unopposed in the general election on November 2, 2010 and in the September 14, 2010, primary election.[6]
| Wisconsin State Assembly, District 39 Republican Primary (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
 Jeff Fitzgerald (R)
|
7,049 | 99.41% | ||
Fitzgerald was elected Speaker of the Assembly by his Republican peers on November 8, 2010[7].
2008
On November 4, 2008, Fitzgerald won re-election to Assembly District 39, receiving 60.08% of the vote.[8]
| Wisconsin Assembly District 39 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Jeff Fitzgerald (R)
|
15,974 | |||
| Aaron Onsrud (D) | 10,607 | |||
| Scattering | 7 | |||
Campaign finance summary
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Fitzgerald is married with two children.[9]
See also
External links
- Representative Fitzgerald's campaign
- Representative Fitzgerald's website
- Wisconsin Assembly - Representative Jeff Fitzgerald
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Legislative Profile from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions:2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000
- Representative Fitzgerald's Freedom Speaks profile
- Wisconsin Democracy Campaign profile
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hudson, WI Patch, "Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson Files Senate Papers With Federal Election Commission," accessed January 6, 2012
- ↑ Project Vote Smart - Rep. Fitzgerald
- ↑ Campaign website "Issues"
- ↑ WISN Primary Results
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Center for Politics, "Tilting the Toss Ups – the Eight Races That Will Decide the Senate" accessed April 9, 2012
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Official 2010 Primary election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Fitzgerald elected speaker, Suder majority leader," November 8, 2010 (dead link)
- ↑ Wisconsin State Elections Board Results of Fall General Election-11/04/2008
- ↑ Campaign website "Biography"
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Wisconsin State Assembly District 39 2005–2013 |
Succeeded by Mark Born (R) |
