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Kathleen Vinehout
Kathleen Vinehout (Democratic Party) was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing District 31. Vinehout assumed office in 2007. Vinehout left office on January 7, 2019.
Vinehout (Democratic Party) ran for election for Governor of Wisconsin. Vinehout lost in the Democratic primary on August 14, 2018.
Vinehout was a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing District 31. She was first elected to the chamber in 2006. She did not seek re-election in 2018.
Click here for more information on the August 14 Democratic primary election. Click here for more information on the November 6 general election.
Vinehout unsuccessfully ran for Wisconsin Governor in the 2012 recall election against incumbent Gov. Scott Walker, losing in the primary. She was considering another run for the position in the 2014 elections but withdrew from the race in January, 2014. On June 28, 2017, Vinehout declared that she would run for governor of Wisconsin in 2018.[1]
Biography
Vinehout earned a B.S. in education from Southern Illinois University, an M.S. in public health from Saint Louis University, a Ph.D. from University of Illinois, Springfield, and an AD in Agriculture from LincolnLand Community College.
Vinehout's professional experiences include researcher/quality assurance specialist, an organic farmer, a nursing assistant, a health care manager, an education director, and a professor at University of Illinois, Springfield. She is also the Chair of the Democratic Party of Buffalo County.[2]
Committee assignments
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Vinehout served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Agriculture, Small Business, and Tourism |
| • Education Reform and Government Operations |
| • Sporting Heritage, Mining, and Forestry |
| • Information Policy and Technology |
| • Joint Legislative Audit |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Vinehout served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Agriculture, Small Business, and Tourism |
| • Education |
| • Administrative Rules |
| • Information Policy and Technology |
| • Joint Legislative Audit |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Vinehout served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Agriculture, Forestry, and Higher Education |
| • Audit |
| • Financial Institutions and Rural Issues |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Vinehout served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Agriculture and Higher Education, Chair |
| • Children and Families and Workforce Development |
| • Economic Development |
| • Public Health, Senior Issues, Long-Term Care, and Job Creation |
| • Audit |
Issues
Legislative walkout
Vinehout and the 13 other Democratic senators participated in a legislative walkout on February 17, 2011, in opposition to Assembly Bill 11 - a Republican-sponsored bill aimed at limiting collective bargaining rights, compensation and fringe benefits of public employees.[3] The Democratic departure left the Senate one vote shy of a quorum. Reports confirmed the senators fled to a hotel in Rockford, Illinois.[4] State police were dispatched by Governor Scott Walker (R) to retrieve the senators, but were unable to cross state lines.[5] The 14 state senators who left the state were described as the "Badger 14" or "Fab 14."[6]
On February 22, speaking from the basement of an Illinois hotel, Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller provided the minority response to Gov. Scott Walker, saying, "The governor has the tools at his disposal to put this issue to an end. As soon as he is willing to take a compromise, we will go back to work in an instant." Miller stated that the legislators payed for the trip themselves, and that no taxpayer money was spent.[7]
Walker called on the Democratic senators to return to the state by March 1 in order to vote to restructure the state's debt. If they did not, he stated he may have to start cutting state jobs, saying:
"It’s not just a number, it’s not just a budget, it’s ultimately a real person with a real family, so I’m going to push that back as far as I can. We’ve got to have real numbers to balance the budget to avoid layoffs. My hope is those 14 state senators … realize that in the end, it’s much better off to avoid those cuts, it’s much better off to avoid the most dire consequences that will come if we don’t pass this bill."[8]
The Democratic senators said they would not return until the governor was willing to compromise on the budget-repair bill.
Democrats threatened with arrest
Republicans passed a unanimous resolution on March 3 finding the missing legislators in contempt and threatening them with arrest. It gave them until 4 p.m. to return or the sergeant-at-arms was ordered to take "any and all necessary steps, with or without force, and with or without the assistance of law enforcement, by warrant or other legal process, as he may deem necessary in order to bring that senator to the Senate chambers."[9]
The constitutionality of that resolution was unclear, however, as the Wisconsin Constitution only allows for the arrest of legislators while in session if they are suspected of committing a felony, treason, or breach of the peace. Jim Palmer, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, said the resolution was an "unreasonable abuse of police power."[10]
Sen. Jon Erpenbach provided the Democratic response, stating, "All 14 of us remain in Illinois, very strong in our convictions. Issuing arrest warrants at 4 p.m. isn't going to solve the problem. This is a debate about protection of the middle class in Wisconsin; that is what the Republicans should be focusing on."[9]
The move by Republicans came the day after they issued fines of $100 a day for not showing up at the Capitol, along with taking away parking spaces.[11] The week before Republicans also passed a rule suspending direct-deposit of paychecks. Sen. Erpenbach found a way around this by granting power of attorney to two of his aides, giving them power to, among other things, pick up his paycheck. In the end Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald mailed the check to Erpenbach.[12]
Meeting and possible compromises
On March 7, Democratic leader Sen. Mark Miller sent a letter to the governor and senate majority leader asking for a meeting near the Wisconsin-Illinois border to restart talks on the collective bargaining issue.[13] Gov. Walker responded at a press conference, calling the letter "ridiculous," and saying that several meetings between the two sides have taken place, but that Miller has stood in the way of a compromise.[14]
Sen. Chris Larson said, "Dems will return when collective bargaining is off the table. That could be soon based on the growing public opposition to the bill and the recall efforts against Republicans."[15]
On March 8, the Governor's office released an email exchange dated March 6 between Eric Schutt, Walker's deputy chief of staff, and Democratic Senators Cullen and Jauch. The exchange discusses possible compromises on the bill, including allowing unions to bargain for wages beyond inflation rates, permitting collective-bargaining on certain economic issues, allowing public workers to collectively bargain workplace safety issues, and limiting collective bargaining agreements to two years or less.[16]
Senate passes bill
On March 9, the Wisconsin State Senate approved Act 10, which included changes to the collective bargaining rights of public-sector workers. Republicans passed the bill by a vote of 18-1, with Sen. Dale Schultz (R) voting against it. Democrats, who had absented themselves in order to prevent the Senate from meeting its 20-member quorum, were not present to vote on the legislation.[17]
On May 26, 2011, Dane County Court Judge Maryann Sumi issued a stay against the law on the grounds that the legislative process had violated the state's open meetings law. The state Departments of Justice and Department of Administration appealed the decision to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. On June 14, the Wisconsin Supreme Court overruled the lower court's decision, stating it "exceeded its jurisdiction, invaded the legislature’s constitutional powers...and erred in enjoining the publication and further implementation of the act."[17]
Recall campaigns
In the wake of events surrounding the bill, both Democratic and Republican senators were targeted by active recall campaigns. Recall sponsors filed signatures on petitions targeting six Republican state senators and three Democratic state senators. Challenges were filed in all nine of those campaigns, and the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board approved the six campaigns against Republicans at meetings on May 23 and May 31, and approved the three campaigns against Democrats on June 8. Democrats held onto the 30th District seat on July 19. Republicans lost two seats in the August 9 recalls, but held onto four. Two incumbent Democrats successfully retained their seats on August 16.
Landline requirements
Vinehout promoted legislation that would require phone companies to maintain landline service, despite coverage improvements via cellular and wireless provision. Citing elderly populations in rural areas that need reliable access to phone lines, Vinehout sought to return a privision, removed from state law by legislation in 2011, that required phone service providers to build and maintain physical phone lines as an emergency provider role. Phone companies contend that wireless systems are becoming more advanced and reliable, and that copper lines are expensive to maintain in an era of cell phone saturation.[18]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Governor of Wisconsin
The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Wisconsin on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tony Evers (D) | 49.5 | 1,324,307 |
 | Scott Walker (R) | 48.4 | 1,295,080 | |
 | Phillip Anderson (L) | 0.8 | 20,225 | |
 | Maggie Turnbull (Independent) | 0.7 | 18,884 | |
 | Michael White (G) | 0.4 | 11,087 | |
 | Arnie Enz (The Wisconsin Party) | 0.1 | 2,745 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 980 | ||
| Total votes: 2,673,308 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Wisconsin
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Wisconsin on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tony Evers | 41.8 | 225,082 |
 | Mahlon Mitchell | 16.3 | 87,926 | |
 | Kelda Roys | 12.8 | 69,086 | |
 | Kathleen Vinehout | 8.2 | 44,168 | |
 | Michael McCabe | 7.4 | 39,885 | |
 | Matthew Flynn | 5.9 | 31,580 | |
 | Paul Soglin | 5.2 | 28,158 | |
 | Andy Gronik | 1.2 | 6,627 | |
 | Dana Wachs | 0.8 | 4,216 | |
 | Josh Pade | 0.4 | 1,908 | |
| Total votes: 538,636 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Bob Harlow (D)
- Michele Doolan (D)
- Andrew Lust (D)
- Jeff Rumbaugh (D)
- Ramona Whiteaker (D)
- Mike Crute (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Wisconsin
Incumbent Scott Walker defeated Robert Meyer in the Republican primary for Governor of Wisconsin on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Scott Walker | 91.6 | 417,276 |
| Robert Meyer | 8.4 | 38,269 | ||
| Total votes: 455,545 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Ryan Cason (R)
Green primary election
Green primary for Governor of Wisconsin
Michael White advanced from the Green primary for Governor of Wisconsin on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Michael White | 100.0 | 817 |
| Total votes: 817 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for Governor of Wisconsin
Phillip Anderson advanced from the Libertarian primary for Governor of Wisconsin on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Phillip Anderson | 100.0 | 1,673 |
| Total votes: 1,673 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2014
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for 17 seats in the Wisconsin State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 12, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 2, 2014. Incumbent Kathleen Vinehout ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Mel Pittman defeated Bill Ingram in the Republican primary. Vinehout defeated Pittman in the general election.[19][20][21][22]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Kathleen Vinehout Incumbent |
52.4% | 35,508 | |
| Republican | Mel Pittman | 47.6% | 32,317 | |
| Total Votes | 67,825 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Mel Pittman |
69.1% | 3,573 |
| Bill Ingram | 30.9% | 1,598 |
| Total Votes | 5,171 | |
Vinehout considered a run for Governor in the 2014 elections. In early November 2013, she said she was building a grassroots campaign to defeat Scott Walker (R), but that she wouldn't officially announce her run until January.[23]
On January 17, 2014, Vinehout withdrew from the race, citing injuries caused by a recent car accident.[24]
Senator Vinehout talks about the current problems with health care, the economy and schools |
2012
- See also: Scott Walker recall, Wisconsin (2012)
Vinehout ran for Wisconsin Governor in the recall election against incumbent Gov. Scott Walker, losing in the primary.[25]
Recall petitions were turned in on January 17, 2012, and certified on March 30. Vinehout declared her candidacy on February 8.[26] She faced Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Kathleen Falk, Douglas La Follette and protest candidate Gladys Huber in the primary on May 8.[27] Hariprasad "Hari" Trivedi is running as an independent.[28]
| Wisconsin Governor Recall - Democratic Primary, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
| Tom Barrett |
58.1% | 390,191 | ||
| Kathleen Falk | 34.1% | 229,236 | ||
| Kathleen Vinehout | 4% | 26,967 | ||
| Doug La Follette | 2.9% | 19,497 | ||
| Gladys Huber | 0.7% | 4,847 | ||
| Scattering | 0.1% | 864 | ||
| Total Votes | 671,602 | |||
| Election results via Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. | ||||
2010
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2010
Vinehout was re-elected to the Wisconsin State Senate District 31 seat. She was unopposed in the primary. Her opponent in the general election of November 2, 2010, was Republican Ed Thompson.[29] [30][31]
A recount request was filed with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board on November 9, 2010.[32] The recount was final on December 1, 2010[33].
| Wisconsin State Senate, District 31 (2010) General Election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Kathleen Vinehout (D)
|
30,314 | 50.27% | ||
| Ed Thompson (R) | 29,911 | 49.61% | ||
| Wisconsin Senate, District 31 Democratic Primary (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Kathleen Vinehout (D)
|
7,251 | 99.78 % | ||
2006
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2006
On November 7, 2006, Kathleen Vinehout was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate, District 31.[34]
Kathleen Vinehout raised $182,848 for her campaign, while Ron Brown, incumbent, raised $281,694.[35]
| Wisconsin State Senate, District 31 (2006) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Kathleen Vinehout (D)
|
31,895 | |||
| Ron Brown (R) | 29,890 | |||
Campaign themes
2018
Campaign website
The following themes were found on Vinehout's official campaign website.
| “ |
Education
Public schools educate most of Wisconsin children. They represent our future and are at the heart of community life. The fallout from Act 10 and the criticizing of public school teachers had profound effect on schools. Teachers left and retired. Fewer college students are going into education. School districts have trouble filling vacancies. Standards for teachers were lowered. Morale is low. Student opportunities were diminished. Cuts in state aid have forced taxpayers to pass referenda and raise property taxes just to keep their schools running. Despite increases in the Governor’s election-year budget, schools haven’t recovered from the massive cuts in state aid in 2011. In real dollars schools will be getting less in the next two years than a decade ago. Likewise, our University of Wisconsin has been underfunded and demoralized. I will restore the cuts and stem the exodus of top professors to states where political leaders give them respect. In the alternative budgets I have written over the past eight years, I took dollars from, among other sources, corporate tax breaks and cash payments. I rearranged existing dollars to show how we can change how we pay for schools and not harm any district in the state. I also showed, with existing dollars, how we could replace the dollars taken from the University in past budgets and invest $100 million in UW needs based financial aid. We need to reduce our reliance on the property tax to fund schools. The cornerstone of school funding should be state aid. Since the formula was first enacted, our demographics have changed, our economy has changed. It is time we rethink the way we fund schools. Tinkering around the edges is not enough. Health Care
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is here to stay. Wisconsin needs to accept Medicaid expansion, cover 79,000 more people and have about $286 million in cash to spend on other needs such as mental health and substance abuse programs. We must create a Wisconsin based marketplace. The Badger Health Benefits plan that I have authored in four different legislative sessions would, under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, give Wisconsin the ability to assure patients and providers that our healthcare system will be stable despite changes at the federal level. In addition, our own marketplace could use the state’s regulatory authority to review, justify, and if necessary, stop rate increases, keeping plans affordable for small businesses and those who buy insurance on their own. Further, creating our own marketplace provides Wisconsin the vehicle to offer BadgerCare as a public option, something Minnesota’s governor proposed in his last budget. Solving Wisconsin’s health care crisis has been at the top of my list since I first ran in 2006. In 2007, before the ACA, I was one of three Senate authors of Healthy Wisconsin, a plan that covered everyone in our state. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel called the changes to health insurance I was able to pass, “the most extensive in a decade”. Fixing health care is my passion. I won’t rest till it’s done. Environment
Don’t put pollutants into the air for others to breathe. Don’t put contaminants into water for those downstream to drink. Go back to having DNR run by an independent Secretary appointed by the Natural Resources Board rather than a Secretary appointed by the Governor. Restore authority to the Conservation Congress. Rehire all the scientists who have been fired. Put them to work addressing problems like climate change and chronic wasting disease. Monitor our groundwater across the state. Hire enough employees to monitor and enforce our regulations. Let scientists share their research on our state websites. One of the goals for our state’s environmental policy should be what economists call “internalizing costs”. All of the costs associated with producing a product or engaging in an activity should be borne by the person or company producing the product or doing the activity. It is basically what we were all taught as children. Clean up your own mess. Wash your dishes. Make your bed. So, sand mines don’t release small particles for neighbors to breathe, or put arsenic into the ground water that kills the horse on the farm next door. So, high capacity wells don’t make surrounding wells dry. So CAFOs don’t contaminate the groundwater with nitrates and e. coli. We don’t avoid costs by not cleaning up – we just shift them. Energy companies may have saved money by not putting scrubbers on coal fired power plants 30 years ago. But, we are paying a lot more today rebuilding Houston, Florida and Puerto Rico because the CO2 buildup is causing climate change. Women's Health I have a son, Nathan, who is the greatest joy in my life. Having a baby or an abortion is an intensely personal decision. Such a decision is private and emotional: one that a woman makes with her doctor, her family and her faith. We must respect her choice.” –Kathleen Vinehout
One of my sisters almost died of a self-induced abortion. I have seen firsthand the horror of what happens when access is limited and needed medicine, medical procedures, or care is not available. That is why I have voted throughout my career to make abortion legal, safe, and accessible. I have voted to support women’s health and voted against bills that would hurt a woman’s right to make her own health decisions. President Trump’s recent roll back of the federal requirement that employers must include birth control coverage in their health insurance plans is an enormous step backwards for women’s health. Reducing access to contraceptives is wrong as well as misguided. The contraceptive coverage mandate gave 55 million women access to birth control without co-payments. The roll back will hurt the health of thousands of women without resources to purchase contraceptives. Sadly, it will also result in an increased number of abortions, which should be safe, legal, and available but also rare. Opportunities and Supports –Kathleen Vinehout
We put people first when those who work don’t have to worry about child care. Recently, a mom told me she spends half her salary on child care. Wisconsin is ranked third worst in 50 states for affordable family-based infant child care. We put people first when we fund alternatives to incarceration. When we provide treatment instead of punishment for addiction and mental health illness. We put people first when we provide support for those with disabilities. Every one of us is one bad day away from being disabled. Let’s make sure getting out of bed and getting dressed doesn’t become a barrier to leading a full life. Many of these and other services are delivered by our local governments. They need to be adequately funded. The revenues the state shares with local governments have not kept up with either inflation or increasing need. Especially serious is the need for community-based mental health and drug addiction treatment. In addition to providing adequate funding, I will make sure Wisconsin recognizes counties, tribes and municipalities as full partners in delivering services. Our local governments and tribes know the need. They are on the ground doing the delivery. They should be partners in making decisions. Inequality and Race
If we want to make progress, poverty and inequality must to be alleviated. We need a living wage of $15 an hour. The free tuition I have proposed for our technical colleges and 2-year campuses will remove a barrier for everyone to have access to technical skills or a college education. We have to change our criminal laws so we are not jailing twice as many of our citizens as Minnesota. Truth in Sentencing standards need to be changed. Bail procedures must be changed. We need treatment alternatives to prison for those with substance abuse and mental health problems. We need more effective probation and parole. Supports are essential in helping those released from prison to reintegrate into our communities. We need to improve our inner city public schools. We must recognize that many children from low income families cost more to educate because their parents didn’t have the resources to prepare them for kindergarten. Changes to our funding formula that address the pervasive effects of poverty will help both urban and rural districts. We need to reform our housing statutes so landlords are held accountable to maintain the properties they rent. Renters are not evicted unjustifiably. Foreclosures are not arbitrary. We need to build trust between our citizens and law enforcement. President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing shows us detailed steps toward building this trust. Finally, we must move toward more local control so that people who live in a community do have a real say in how the community is run. Budget Choices
My vision for tomorrow is far different from where the state is today. It is a vision that puts people first -- at the center of state policy and the priority for spending state dollars. That means funding education and changing the formula that distributes those dollars so districts are not continually in crisis and having to pass referendums. It means free tuition at our technical colleges and 2-year campuses so people of every age can learn the skills needed in today’s economy. It means restoring cuts to our universities. It means making health care affordable and accessible to every one of our citizens. It means changing our criminal justice system to reduce incarceration, provide alternatives to prison, and treatment instead of punishment for addiction and mental health illness. It means supporting our counties, tribes, towns and cities that deliver so many of our social programs. It means local control so people can make the decisions that affect the quality of life in their own communities. In the last four budget cycles I have written alternative budgets that use the same total dollars, but take money from corporate tax breaks and cash payments and put those dollars into programs that support people. When government provides the supports that increase opportunities for people, the economy thrives. The corporate think tanks tell us that the “business climate” is good when the choice is low taxes and few regulations. But, research tells us the states with good public services are the states that thrive. Changing Our Politics In recent years, laws passed by the Republicans have diminished democracy and made our politics worse. Voting has been made more difficult. Restrictions on lobbying and campaign contributions have been eased. Oversight of elections has been turned over to a partisan appointed board. Speed and secrecy in the passing of controversial laws has become commonplace. Participation by the public has been made more difficult. More and more decisions are removed from the control of local voters and local officials. I fought these changes in the Senate. I am committed to rolling them back as Governor. If democracy is corrupted, the people have no power. Economy and Jobs The governor doesn’t create jobs. The state doesn’t create jobs. Giving tax breaks and cash payments to corporations doesn’t create jobs. This administration has tried that and it doesn’t work. The Republican theory is that the private sector will grow when taxes are low and there are no regulations – trickle-down economics. That hasn’t worked. Wisconsin has spent hundreds of millions of dollars luring corporations. Environmental and other regulations were gutted. What are the results? We still don’t have the 250,000 new jobs promised eight years ago. Wisconsin is behind: we recovered from the recession one full year after the nation did, and two years after Minnesota. What the state can do is create an environment in which the private sector thrives. Over the last 3.5 years Eau Claire has added 3,000 jobs – the same number promised by Foxconn. And it didn’t cost the state $3 billion. The companies that started in Eau Claire said they came because of good schools, a quality university, efficient transportation, recreation, arts – just a good place to live. The public sector should be focused on enriching the economic soil so that all plants can start and grow, not just the few selected by our political leaders. Local Control
Local control of local decisions by local officials has deep roots in American history. The arbitrary rules imposed on the colonies by the English king motivated the New England patriots to take arms starting the Revolutionary War. There has always been resistance to the centralization of power. People instinctively know that when decisions are made in faraway places, their interests will not be well served. Back in December, 2016, just before Christmas, Governor Walker wrote to then president-elect Trump. “Too often states have become mere administrative provinces of an all-powerful federal government … forcing states to accept policies and priorities that do not meet the needs of taxpayers, and do not reflect local needs, conditions or values.” I repeat those same words loud and clear to the Governor and our Republican legislative leaders: stop forcing local communities to accept policies and priorities that DO NOT REFLECT LOCAL NEEDS, CONDITIONS OR VALUES. Since 2010, the Republican controlled legislature has passed and Governor Walker has signed more than 128 measures to limit or take away local control. Local control of certain commercial activities, wages, environmental standards, zoning restrictions, building codes, consumer protections, and even local referenda has been taken away. Many of these changes benefit outside private interests at the expense of local residents. The ability of people to determine what kind of community they want has been diminished. Fundamental to my vision of putting People First is the principle that local community decisions must be made by local residents.[36] |
” |
| —Voters for Vinehout[37] | ||
2012
Vinehout's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[38]
- Reform the health care system to make it more affordable and accessible (her top priority).
- Maintain state funding for schools.
- "End the partisan bickering" and "work together" to accomplish these goals.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Endorsements
2014
In 2014, Vinehout's endorsements included the following:[39]
|
|
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
During her time in office, Vinehout and her husband, Douglas Kane, had one child, Nathan.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Wisconsin scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2018
In 2018, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 16 through March 27. Special sessions were held from January 1 through February 27 and from March 15 through March 29.
- Legislators are scored on whether they voted for or against MMAC's position.
- National Federation of Independent Business in Wisconsin: 2016 legislative voting record
- Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor policy.
- Wisconsin Family Action: 2017-2018 legislative scorecard
- Legislators are scored by the Wisconsin Family Action on their votes on legislation related to "marriage, family, the sanctity of human life, or religious freedom."[40]
- Legislators are scored on their stances on conservation issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on legislation WMC deemed as "most important issues for the business community."
- Wisconsin Professional Police Association: 2018 report card
- Legislators are scored on their votes by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association on legislation related to Wisconsin's law enforcement community.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 3 through December 31. There were also special sessions. The first special session was January 5. The second special session was August 1 through September 15.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 12 through March 15.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 5 through December 31.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 14 through June 4.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 7 to December 31.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 10 through March 16.
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Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Kathleen + Vinehout + Wisconsin + Senate"
See also
| Wisconsin | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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- Governor of Wisconsin
- Wisconsin gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018
- Wisconsin State Legislature
- Wisconsin State Senate
- Wisconsin State Senate Committees
- Wisconsin Joint Committees
- Wisconsin state legislative districts
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Kathleen Vinehout on Facebook
- Legislative Profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
Footnotes
- ↑ U.S. News, "Democrat Vinehout Registers to Run for Governor," June 28, 2017
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin.gov, "ASSEMBLY BILL 11," accessed February 17, 2011
- ↑ Green Bay Press Gazette, "Wisconsin Democrats flee to Clock Tower Hotel in Rockford, Ill., to block anti-union bill," February 17, 2011
- ↑ Bloomberg Businessweek, Senator: Missing Wis. lawmakers left the state, 17 Feb. 2011
- ↑ Facebook, "Fab 14," accessed May 6, 2014
- ↑ WISN, "State Sen. Minority Leader Responds to Walker," February 22, 2010
- ↑ Christian Science Monitor, "Wisconsin governor to missing senators: Come back or I'll lay off 1,500," February 28, 2011
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Wall Street Journal, "Pressure Mounts on Absent Democrats in Wisconsin, Indiana," March 3, 2011
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Senate orders arrest of missing Democrats," March 3, 2011
- ↑ My Fox Chicago, "Wisconsin GOP Slaps Missing Dems With $100 Daily Fines," March 2, 2011 (dead link)
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "AWOL Wisconsin Dem Beats The System, Gets His Paycheck Mailed To Him," March 3, 2011
- ↑ New York Times, "Wisconsin Democrats Urge New Talks on Labor Bill," March 7, 2011
- ↑ CNN, "Wisconsin gov: Democratic senator's border meeting idea 'ridiculous'," March 7, 2011
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "Wisconsin Dems Deny WSJ Report Of Imminent Return," March 6, 2011
- ↑ CNN, "E-mails: Wisconsin governor offers concessions on budget bill," March 8, 2011
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Wisconsin State Journal, "Front pages from historic Scott Walker protests," February 11, 2016
- ↑ The Capitol Times, "Bill would require Wisconsin telecom companies to maintain land lines," August 9, 2013
- ↑ Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin 2014 fall primary election results," accessed August 12, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "2014 Partisan Primary Candidates," accessed June 19, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered by Office," June 11, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Canvass Results for 2014 General Election," December 1, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio News, "Kathleen Vinehout Outlines Strategy For Gubernatorial Campaign," November 5, 2013
- ↑ Senator Kathleen Vinehout, "Senator Vinehout Statement on Not Running for Governor This Year," January 23, 2014
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Walker, Barrett begin sprint to historic vote," May 9, 2012
- ↑ WTAQ, "Dem State Sen. Vinehout announces bid for Governor in possible recall," February 8, 2012
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "GOP's fake Democrats for recall primaries named," April 5, 2012
- ↑ WTAQ, "Recall elections officially ordered against Gov. Walker, 5 other GOP lawmakers," March 30, 2012
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered by Office, 2010," July 13, 2010
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Official 2010 Primary election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Official 2010 General election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "November 2010 General Election Recounts," accessed May 6, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Notice of Recount and Petition for the Office of the 31st State Senate District," November 9, 2010
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Official 2006 General election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2006 contributions," accessed May 6, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Vinehout 2018, "Issues," accessed March 18, 2018
- ↑ Campaign website, "Kathleen Vinehout," accessed May 6, 2014
- ↑ Kathleen Vinehout, "Endorsements," accessed October 23, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by - |
Wisconsin State Senate District 31 2006–2018 |
Succeeded by Jeff Smith (D) |
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State of Wisconsin Madison (capital) |
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