Robert G. Donovan (Wisconsin)
2025 - Present
2027
0
Robert Donovan (Republican Party) (also known as Bob) is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing District 61. He assumed office on January 6, 2025. His current term ends on January 4, 2027.
Donovan (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Wisconsin State Assembly to represent District 61. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Robert Donovan was born in and lives in Wisconsin. Donovan graduated from Thomas More High School. He attended St. Francis De Sales College, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Marquette University. Donovan served on the Southside Organizing Committee board of directors, a local committee in Burnham Park.[1]
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.
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Donovan was assigned to the following committees:
- Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee
- Energy and Utilities Committee
- Local Government Committee, Vice Chairman
Elections
2024
See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2024
General election
General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 61
Incumbent Robert Donovan defeated Lu Ann Bird in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 61 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Robert Donovan (R) | 51.5 | 17,618 |
| Lu Ann Bird (D) | 48.3 | 16,511 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 54 | ||
| Total votes: 34,183 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 61
Lu Ann Bird advanced from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 61 on August 13, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Lu Ann Bird | 99.7 | 6,107 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 17 | ||
| Total votes: 6,124 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 61
Incumbent Robert Donovan defeated Martin Tontoe Gomez in the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 61 on August 13, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Donovan | 92.6 | 5,281 |
| Martin Tontoe Gomez | 7.2 | 413 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 8 | ||
| Total votes: 5,702 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Donovan in this election.
2022
Wisconsin State Assembly
See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2022
General election
General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 84
Robert Donovan defeated Lu Ann Bird in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 84 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Donovan (R) | 51.0 | 13,179 |
| Lu Ann Bird (D) | 48.9 | 12,653 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 17 | ||
| Total votes: 25,849 | |||
| = 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 Wisconsin State Assembly District 84
Lu Ann Bird advanced from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 84 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Lu Ann Bird | 99.8 | 4,603 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 9 | ||
| Total votes: 4,612 | |||
| = 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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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 84
Robert Donovan defeated David Karst and Laura Barker in the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 84 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Donovan | 72.5 | 4,887 |
| David Karst | 20.5 | 1,384 | ||
| Laura Barker | 6.8 | 459 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 8 | ||
| Total votes: 6,738 | |||
| = 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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Campaign finance
Mayor of Milwaukee
See also: Mayoral election in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2022)
General election
Special general election for Mayor of Milwaukee
Incumbent Cavalier Johnson defeated Robert Donovan in the special general election for Mayor of Milwaukee on April 5, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Cavalier Johnson (Nonpartisan) | 71.5 | 62,143 |
| Robert Donovan (Nonpartisan) | 28.2 | 24,543 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 215 | ||
| Total votes: 86,901 | |||
| = 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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Nonpartisan primary election
Special nonpartisan primary for Mayor of Milwaukee
The following candidates ran in the special primary for Mayor of Milwaukee on February 15, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cavalier Johnson (Nonpartisan) | 41.8 | 25,779 |
| ✔ | | Robert Donovan (Nonpartisan) | 22.3 | 13,742 |
 | Lena Taylor (Nonpartisan) | 12.8 | 7,877 | |
 | Marina Dimitrijevic (Nonpartisan) | 12.2 | 7,521 | |
| Earnell Lucas (Nonpartisan) | 9.5 | 5,886 | ||
| Michael Sampson (Nonpartisan) | 0.8 | 514 | ||
| Ieshuh Griffin (Nonpartisan) | 0.5 | 315 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 56 | ||
| Total votes: 61,690 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
2020
Incumbent Donovan did not seek re-election in 2020.
2016
Mayor
The city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, held elections for mayor and city council on April 5, 2016. A primary election took place on February 16, 2016. All 15 city council seats were up for election. Incumbent Tom Barrett defeated Robert G. Donovan in the Mayor of Milwaukee general election.[2]
| Mayor of Milwaukee, General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Tom Barrett Incumbent |
70.01% | 111,016 |
| Robert G. Donovan | 29.69% | 47,082 |
| Write-in votes | 0.3% | 475 |
| Total Votes | 158,573 | |
| Source: City of Milwaukee, "Spring Election Official Results," April 11, 2016 | ||
| Mayor of Milwaukee, Primary Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Tom Barrett Incumbent |
46.14% | 30,239 |
| Robert G. Donovan |
32.44% | 21,261 |
| Joe Davis Sr. | 18.51% | 12,132 |
| James Methu | 2.68% | 1,755 |
| Write-in votes | 0.22% | 147 |
| Total Votes | 65,534 | |
| Source: City of Milwaukee, "2016 Spring Primary Final Results," February 19, 2016 | ||
Endorsements
After Joe Davis Sr. lost in the mayoral primary, he endorsed Robert Donovan in the race over incumbent Mayor Tom Barrett. "He certainly has a passion for what I consider the areas of greatest needs and that is specifically the African-American community," said Davis.[3]
Donovan also received the following endorsements in 2016:[4]
- Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke
- Milwaukee Professional Fire Fighters Association
- Milwaukee Police Association
City council
Justin Bielinski, Josh Zepnick, and incumbent Robert G. Donovan ran in the Milwaukee City Council District 8 primary election.[2]
| Milwaukee City Council District 8, General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Robert G. Donovan Incumbent |
51.70% | 2,260 |
| Justin Bielinski | 48.02% | 2,099 |
| Write-in votes | 0.27% | 12 |
| Total Votes | 4,371 | |
| Source: City of Milwaukee, "Spring Election Official Results," April 11, 2016 | ||
| Milwaukee City Council District 8, Primary Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Robert G. Donovan Incumbent |
62.81% | 1,098 |
| Justin Bielinski |
27.57% | 482 |
| Josh Zepnick | 9.10% | 159 |
| Write-in votes | 0.51% | 9 |
| Total Votes | 1,748 | |
| Source: City of Milwaukee, "2016 Spring Primary Final Results," February 19, 2016 | ||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Robert Donovan did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Wisconsin State Assembly
Robert Donovan did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Mayor of Milwaukee
Robert Donovan did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2016
Donovan's campaign website highlighted the following themes:[5]
Public safety
- Excerpt: "I would reinstitute our police department’s Gang Squad and Vice Division (gotten rid of by Police Chief Flynn and Mayor Barrett) to go after violent criminals and drug dealers, declaring a “War on Drugs” in Milwaukee. I would also restore the staffing of the department’s Detective Bureau (reduced by Chief Flynn and Mayor Barrett), freeing up patrol officers currently spending valuable time on investigations when they should be out on our streets preventing crime and catching criminals."
Jobs
- Excerpt: "Milwaukee’s success in attracting new business and jobs is vital to its future prosperity. Therefore, I propose the creation of a new position in City government, that of Jobs Ambassador. The Jobs Ambassador would work exhaustively in promoting Milwaukee to businesses across the country and world as the ideal place in which to open or expand."
Education
- Excerpt: "We must engage and involve the parents of challenged children, by any means available. Too many students are truant and/or misbehave in the classroom. Parents must be held accountable and their children’s behavior must be corrected. We must find alternatives for disruptive students—possibly in the form of an alternative to suspension program/school similar to that of Cincinnati."
Streetcar
- Excerpt: "If I am elected mayor I will do everything I can beginning my first day in office to undo the streetcar project and prevent any future expansion of the downtown streetcar starter route."
Infrastructure
- Excerpt: "Let’s stop the streetcar and puts its $59 million in funding from local tax revenues towards repairing our cratered roads! Another needed infrastructure fix is the separation of our City’s storm and sanitary sewers."
Property value/taxes
- Excerpt: "We must move Milwaukee’s real estate market forward to get our property owners out from under water. First and foremost, we must work to make Milwaukee a city people want to move to—and not just to our beautiful downtown area but each and every corner of the city."
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 Wisconsin scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 16 to March 12.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 3 to December 31.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Wisconsin State Assembly District 61 |
Officeholder Wisconsin State Assembly District 61 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "About," accessed February 27, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 City of Milwaukee, "2016 Spring Election Candidates," January 8, 2016
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Ousted from mayor's race, Joe Davis endorses Bob Donovan," February 17, 2016
- ↑ FOX 6, "Race for mayor of Milwaukee: Big endorsements for incumbent Tom Barrett, challenger Bob Donovan," March 16, 2016
- ↑ Bob Donovan for Mayor campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 11, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Amanda Nedweski (R) |
Wisconsin State Assembly District 61 2025-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Mike Kuglitsch (R) |
Wisconsin State Assembly District 84 2023-2025 |
Succeeded by Chuck Wichgers (R) |
| Preceded by - |
Milwaukee Common Council District 8 2000-2020 |
Succeeded by JoCasta Zamarripa |
