Michael Winkler (Connecticut)
Michael Winkler (Democratic Party) was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing District 56. He assumed office in 2017. He left office on January 4, 2023.
Winkler (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) ran for re-election to the Connecticut House of Representatives to represent District 56. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Biography
Representative Winkler was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in Norwich, CT. He and his wife Phyllis have lived in Vernon for over forty years. Winkler attended the University of Connecticut where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and later a master’s degree in political science. He worked at the Connecticut Department of Social Services from 1977 to 1999. For fourteen years prior to his retirement, Winkler was President or First Vice President of the Administrative and Residual Employees Bargaining Unit, AFT Local 4200, representing 3,000 state employees that included accountants, planners, analysts, attorneys, revenue examiners, and others. Winkler has served on Vernon’s Town Council, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Health and Human Services Committee.
Representative Winkler was first elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 2016, representing District 56 in Vernon. He was re-elected to this seat in 2018.[1]
Committee assignments
2021-2022
Winkler was assigned to the following committees:
- General Law Committee, Member
- Labor and Public Employees Committee, Member
- Planning and Development Committee, Member
2019-2020
Winkler was assigned to the following committees:
- Government Administration and Elections Committee, Vice Chair
- Energy and Technology Committee
- Labor and Public Employees Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Connecticut committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Aging |
| • Government Administration and Elections, Vice chair |
| • Public Health |
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
2022
Michael Winkler did not file to run for re-election.
2020
See also: Connecticut House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 56
Incumbent Michael Winkler defeated Laura Bush in the general election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 56 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Michael Winkler (D / Working Families Party) | 57.6 | 6,881 |
| Laura Bush (R / Independent Party) | 42.4 | 5,066 | ||
| Total votes: 11,947 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Michael Winkler advanced from the Democratic primary for Connecticut House of Representatives District 56.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Laura Bush advanced from the Republican primary for Connecticut House of Representatives District 56.
2018
In addition to running as a Democratic Party candidate, Winkler cross-filed to also run with the Working Families Party in 2018.[2]
General election
General election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 56
Incumbent Michael Winkler defeated Laura Bush in the general election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 56 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Michael Winkler (D) | 57.5 | 5,150 |
| Laura Bush (R) | 42.5 | 3,806 | ||
| Total votes: 8,956 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2016
Elections for the Connecticut House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 9, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 7, 2016. Incumbent Claire Janowski (D) did not seek re-election.
Michael Winkler defeated Jim Tedford in the Connecticut House of Representatives District 56 general election.[3]
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 56 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Michael Winkler |
51.73% | 5,456 | |
| Republican | Jim Tedford | 48.27% | 5,091 | |
| Total Votes | 10,547 | |||
| Source: Connecticut Secretary of the State | ||||
Michael Winkler ran unopposed in the Connecticut House of Representatives District 56 Democratic primary.
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 56 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Michael Winkler (unopposed) | |
Jim Tedford ran unopposed in the Connecticut House of Representatives District 56 Republican primary.
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 56 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Jim Tedford (unopposed) | |
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Michael Winkler did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
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.
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 Connecticut scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2022
In 2022, the Connecticut State Legislature was in session from February 9 to May 4.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor policy.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Connecticut State Legislature was in session from January 6 to June 9.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Connecticut State Legislature was in session from February 5 to May 6. The legislature held a special session from July 21 to July 27.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from January 9 through June 5.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from February 7 to May 9.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from January 4 through June 7. The legislature held a veto session on July 24. The legislature held its first special session on July 31. The legislature held its second special session from September 14 to September 16. The legislature held another special session on October 3. State lawmakers held their fourth special session from October 25 to October 26. The legislature met again in special session from November 14 to November 15.
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See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Connecticut House of Representatives District 56 2017-2023 |
Succeeded by Kevin Brown (D) |
