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Russ Decker
Russ Decker (Democratic Party) was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing District 29. Decker assumed office in 1991. Decker left office in 2010.
He served as Senate Majority Leader from 2007 until December 2010 when he was deposed by fellow Democrats during lame duck session[1].
Biography
Decker graduated with a bricklayer apprenticeship from Northcentral Technical College and attended Notre Dame University.[2]
Sponsored legislation
Recent legislation sponsored or co-sponsored by Sen. Decker includes:[3]
- A resolution in support of the Employee Free Choice Act[4]
- A bill regarding deer-hunting rules[5]
- A bill suspending state supplemental unemployment benefits due to available federal funds[6]
Committee assignments
Sen. Decker served on these legislative committees:[7]
- Senate Organization Committee, Wisconsin Senate, Chair
- Joint Committee on Legislative Organization
- Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions
- Joint Committee on Employment Relations
- Committee of Conference on Assembly Bill 75, Co-Chair
- Building Inspector Review Board
- Joint Legislative Council
Issues
Employee contracts
Gov. Jim Doyle's administration negotiated the public employee contracts and it hit a snag in the state legislature in mid-December 2010.
The Wisconsin Senate was deadlocked 16-16 on the series of public employee contracts the chamber considered. Democratic state Sens. Decker and Jeff Plale joined Republican state senators in opposition.
"It wasn't a party-line vote," Decker said.
Decker is a member of the Bricklayers International Union. He voted for the slate of union contracts in a joint legislative committee Wednesday morning. He was stripped of his majority leader title in a closed-door meeting, following the first deadlocked vote.
When the Senate returned to vote by the same count on each of the remaining contracts, state Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, took the role of majority leader.
"I'm extremely surprised," said state Rep. Peter Barca, D-Kenosha. "Never in a million years would you that the majority leader,who's been telling people for two weeks that they (the Senate) had the votes and they were moving forward, would be the one to actually kill (the series of contracts)," Barca said.[8]
Elections
2010
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2010
Decker was defeated for re-election to the Wisconsin State Senate District 29 seat. He was unopposed in the September 14, 2010,primary. He was defeated by Republican Pam Galloway in the general election on November 2, 2010.[9] [10]
| Wisconsin Senate, District 29 Democratic Primary (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
 Russ Decker(D)
|
7,517 | 99.77 % | ||
2006
Senator Decker reacting to State of the State address |
On November 7, 2006, Russ Decker won re-election to the Wisconsin State Senate, District 29.[11]
Russ Decker raised $109,291 for his campaign, while Jimmy Edming raised $5,351.[12]
| Wisconsin State Senate, District 29 (2006) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Russ Decker (D)
|
42,139 | |||
| Jimmy Edming (R) | 20,101 | |||
Campaign finance summary
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External links
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Decker is married and has two children.[2]
Footnotes
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Decker: 'The voters have spoken'," December 16, 2010
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Project Vote Smart - Senator Decker
- ↑ Legislation
- ↑ Resolution 5
- ↑ Bill 22
- ↑ Bill 15
- ↑ Committees
- ↑ "Legislature Stalls on Doyle-backed Contracts," Watchdog.org, December 15, 2010
- ↑ 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 2006 General election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money 2006
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by ' |
Wisconsin State Senate District 29 1990–2010 |
Succeeded by Pam Galloway |
