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Jim Holperin
Jim Holperin (b. December 18, 1950) is a former Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Senate. He represented District 12 from 2009 to 2013. He was previously a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1982 to 1992. From 1977 to 1979, he was the Chief Clerk of the Senate. From 2003 to 2007, he was the Secretary for the Wisconsin Deptartment of Tourism.
Holperin's professional experiences include director; executive director; business services coordinator; and assistant chief clerk.
Holperin earned a B.S. from University of Wisconsin, Whitewater.[1]
He survived recall attempts in 1990 and 2011.
Issue positions
Sen. Holperin's issue positions, according to his campaign website:
- Supports alternative energy research[2]
- Supports increased funding for rural roads[2]
- Pro-gun, Pro-sporting rights[3]
- Supports increased funding for marketing Wisconsin tourism[4]
- Supports more property tax relief for low income homeowners[5]
- Supports increased aid to technical colleges[6]
- Supports the logging industry[7]
Committee assignments
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Holperin served on these committees:
- Agriculture, Forestry, and Higher Education
- Natural Resources and Environment
- Workforce Development, Small Business, and Tourism
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Holperin served on these committees:
- Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources Committee, Wisconsin Senate, Chair
- Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology Committee, Wisconsin Senate
- Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection Committee, Wisconsin Senate
- Review of Administrative Rules, Co-Chair
- Special Committee on Single-Use Plastics
Legislative walkout
Holperin 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.[8] The Democratic departure left the Senate one vote shy of a quorum. Reports confirmed the senators fled to a hotel in Rockford, Illinois.[9] State police were dispatched by Governor Scott Walker (R) to retrieve the senators, but were unable to cross state lines.[10] The 14 state senators who left the state are being described as the "Badger 14" or "Fab 14."[11][12]
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.[13]
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.[14]
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."[15]
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."[16]
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."[15]
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.[17] 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.[18]
Meeting/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.[19] 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.[20]
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."[21]
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 2 years or less.[22]
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.[23]
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."[23]
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 6 Republican state senators and 3 Democratic state senators. Challenges were filed in all 9 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.
Elections
2011 recall
Holperin defeated Republican Kim Simac in a recall election on August 16, 2011.
An effort to recall Holperin from office got underway in March 2011.[24][25] About 23,000 signatures to recall Holperin were filed on April 21, 2011.[26] The GAB was initially scheduled to review challenges to the position on May 31, but it was delayed until June 8. At that meeting the GAB verified 19,255 signatures, enough for the recall, setting the election date for July 19.[27]
Republican Kim Simac announced on May 5 that she would be running against Holperin. Simac is a Tea Party leader and President of the Northwoods Patriots.[28] Current Lincoln County Board Chairman Robert Lussow announced on May 18 that he was joining the race.[29] A primary between the two was held July 19, with Simac easily defeating Lussow.
Holperin defeated Simac in the August 16 recall.
| August 16 Recall - District 12[30] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
Jim Holperin (D) 
|
30,450 | 55.12% | ||
| Kim Simac (R) | 24,682 | 44.67% | ||
| Scattering | 110 | 0.19% | ||
Ads relating to the campaign
2008
On November 4, 2008, Jim Holperin won an open seat to the Wisconsin State Senate, District 12.[31]
Jim Holperin raised $326,813 for his campaign, while Tom Tiffany raised $286,189.[32]
| Wisconsin State Senate, District 12 (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Jim Holperin (D)
|
43,595 | |||
| Tom Tiffany | 41,480 | |||
Sponsored legislation
Recent legislation[33] sponsored or co-sponsored by Sen. Holperin includes bills increasing the homestead exemption[34] and establishing restrictions for the use of firearms by young people[35].
Campaign finance summary
Ballotpedia currently provides campaign finance data for all federal- and state-level candidates from 2020 and later. We are continuously working to expand our data to include prior elections. That information will be published here as we acquire it. If you would like to help us provide this data, please consider donating to Ballotpedia.
External links
- Holperin's Campaign website
- Biography from the Wisconsin Legislature
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Legislative Profile from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions: 2011, 2010, 2008
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Holperin is married and has two children.[1]
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Project Vote Smart - Senator Holperin
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Energy policy (dead link)
- ↑ Gun rights
- ↑ Tourism
- ↑ Property tax relief
- ↑ Tech school aid
- ↑ Logging
- ↑ Wisconsin.gov, ASSEMBLY BILL 11, accessed 17 Feb. 2011
- ↑ Green Bay Press Gazette, Wisconsin Democrats flee to Clock Tower Hotel in Rockford, Ill., to block anti-union bill, 17 Feb. 2011
- ↑ Bloomberg Businessweek, Senator: Missing Wis. lawmakers left the state, 17 Feb. 2011
- ↑ The Badger 14
- ↑ Fab 14 Facebook page
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 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 $100 Daily Fines," March 2, 2011 (dead link)
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "AWOL Wisconsin Dem Beats The System, Gets His Paycheck Mailed To Him," March 3, 2011
- ↑ New York Times, "Wisconsin Democrats Urge New Talks on Labor Bill," March 7, 2011
- ↑ CNN, "Wisconsin gov: Democratic senator's border meeting idea 'ridiculous'," March 7, 2011
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "Wisconsin Dems Deny WSJ Report Of Imminent Return," March 6, 2011
- ↑ CNN, "E-mails: Wisconsin governor offers concessions on budget bill," March 8, 2011
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Wisconsin State Journal, "Front pages from historic Scott Walker protests," February 11, 2016
- ↑ "Recall Jim Holperin" website
- ↑ AOL News, "Wisconsin Election Recall Reality Check," February 23, 2011
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Two state representatives won't run against Holperin," May 5, 2011
- ↑ WisPolitics, "Dem recalls certified," June 8, 2011
- ↑ WJFW, "Kim Simac Announces Candidacy for 12th State Senate District," May 5, 2011
- ↑ Fox 11 Online, "Potential challenger for Sen. Holperin," May 18, 2011
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "District 12 recall election results," accessed August 26, 2011
- ↑ Wisconsin State Election Results
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2008 campaign contributions," accessed December 29, 2014
- ↑ Legislation by Sen. Holperin
- ↑ Bill 160
- ↑ [field%20folio-destination-name:%27sb167%27$x=Advanced#0-0-0-219315 Bill 167]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by ' |
Wisconsin State Senate District 12 2009-2013 |
Succeeded by Tom Tiffany (R) |
