Wisconsin State Senate

The '''Wisconsin Senate''', the powers of which are modeled after those of the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]], is the upper house of the [[Wisconsin State Legislature]], smaller than the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]]. Together, they constitute the [[legislative branch]] of the state of [[Wisconsin]]. The [[Wisconsin Constitution]] ties the size of the State Senate to that of the Assembly, by limiting its size to no less than 1/4, nor more than 1/3, of the size of the Assembly. Currently, Wisconsin is divided into 33 Senate Districts (1/3 of the current Assembly membership of 99) apportioned throughout the state based on population as determined by the decennial [[census]], for a total of 33 senators. A Senate district is formed by combining three Assembly districts. Similar to the U.S. Senate, in addition to its duty of reviewing and voting on all legislation passed through the legislature, the State Senate has the exclusive responsibility of confirming certain [[Governor of Wisconsin|gubernatorial]] appointments, particularly cabinet secretaries (as part of the system of [[checks and balances]]) and members of boards and commissions. Senators are elected for four-year terms, staggered so that half the Senate is up for election every two years. If a vacancy occurs in a Senate seat between elections, it may be filled only by a special election. The [[Republican Party of Wisconsin|Republican Party]] currently controls the chamber by a 17 to 16 margin. 6 Republicans faced [[recall election]]s, through a large effort by activists from unions and others as the result of Governor Walker's repeal of collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin, and other similarly non-fiscal provisions in his "Budget Repair Bill." The recall elections were delayed when "fake" candidates forced Democratic primary elections. Two Republicans [[Dan Kapanke]] and [[Randy Hopper]], lost their recall elections to their Democratic opponents, [[Jennifer Shilling]] and [[Jessica King]], respectively, on August 9, 2011. In response to these recall efforts, three Democratic senators also faced recall, through a well-funded effort by tea party activists. Democratic Senator [[Dave Hansen]] defeated his challenger in his recall election on July 19, 2011. This election occurred without a primary because one of the would-be Republican challengers, [[John Nygren]], failed to obtain enough signatures to appear on the ballot. Two Democratic senators, [[Robert Wirch]] and [[Jim Holperin]], won recall elections on August 16, 2011. The Senate chamber is in the south wing of the [[Wisconsin State Capitol]], in [[Madison, Wisconsin]]. ==Salary and benefits== Senators elected or re-elected in the fall of 2008 will receive an annual salary of $49,943. In addition to their salaries, senators outside [[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane County]] may receive a per diem up to $88 to cover living expenses while they are in [[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane County]] on state business. Members of the [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]] delegation may receive a per diem up to $44 to cover expenses. Each senator also receives $75 per month in "out-of-session" pay when the Legislature is in session for three days or less. Over two years, each senator is allotted $66,008 to cover general office expenses, printing, postage and district mailings. ===Officers=== *President of the Senate: [[Michael Ellis (American politician)|Mike Ellis]] *President pro tempore of the Senate: [[Joe Leibham]] *Majority Leader: [[Scott L. Fitzgerald]] *Assistant Majority Leader: [[Glenn Grothman]] *Minority Leader: [[Mark F. Miller]] *Assistant Minority Leader: [[Dave Hansen]] *Majority Caucus Chair: [[Pam Galloway]] *Majority Caucus Vice Chair: [[Sheila Harsdorf]] *Minority Caucus Chair: [[Julie Lassa]] *Minority Caucus Vice Chair: [[Kathleen Vinehout]] *Chief Clerk: [[Robert Marchant]] *Sergeant at Arms: [[Edward Blazel]] ===Composition=== {|class=wikitable style="text-align:center" |-valign=bottom !rowspan=3|Affiliation !colspan=2|Party !rowspan=3|Total ! |- style="height:5px" |{{American politics/party colors/Republican}}| |{{American politics/party colors/Democratic}}| |bgcolor=black| |- ![[Wisconsin Republican Party|Republican]] ![[Wisconsin Democratic Party|Democratic]] !Vacant |- !nowrap style="font-size:80%"|End of previous legislature | 15 | {{Party shading/Democratic}}| 18 ! 33 |0 |- |colspan=5| |- !nowrap style="font-size:80%"|Begin |{{party shading/Republican}}| 19 | 14 ! rowspan=2|33 | rowspan=2|0 |- !nowrap style="font-size:80%"|August 9, 2011 |{{party shading/Republican}}| 17 | 16 |- !Latest voting share !{{party shading/Republican}}|51.5% !48.5% !colspan=2| |} ===Members=== {| class="sortable wikitable" |- ! Senator ! District !! Party !! Current Age !! First elected !! Seat up |- | [[Frank Lasee]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 1|01]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1961|12|11}} || 2010 || 2014 |- | [[Robert Cowles]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 2|02]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1950|7|31}} || 1987 || 2012 |- | [[Tim Carpenter]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 3|03]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1960|2|24}} || 2002 || 2014 |- | [[Lena Taylor]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 4|04]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1966|7|25}} || 2004 || 2012 |- | [[Leah Vukmir]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 5|05]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1958|4|26}} || 2010 || 2014 |- | [[Spencer Coggs]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 6|06]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1949|8|6}} || 2003 || 2012 |- | [[Chris Larson]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 7|07]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1980|11|2}} || 2010 || 2014 |- | [[Alberta Darling]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 8|08]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1944|4|28}} || 1992 || 2012 |- | [[Joe Leibham]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 9|09]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1969|6|6}} || 2002 || 2014 |- | [[Sheila Harsdorf]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 10|10]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1956|7|25}} || 2000 || 2012 |- | [[Neal Kedzie]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 11|11]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1956|1|27}} || 2002 || 2014 |- | [[Jim Holperin]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 12|12]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1950|12|18}} || 2008 || 2012 |- | [[Scott L. Fitzgerald|Scott Fitzgerald]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 13|13]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1963|11|16}} || 1994 || 2014 |- | [[Luther Olsen]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 14|14]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1951|2|26}} || 2004 || 2012 |- | [[Timothy Cullen (Wisconsin politician)|Tim Cullen]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 15|15]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic ||{{age |1944|2|25}}|| 2010 || 2014 |- | [[Mark Miller (Wisconsin politician)|Mark Miller]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 16|16]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1943|2|1}} || 2004 || 2012 |- | [[Dale Schultz]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 17|17]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1953|6|12}} || 1991 || 2014 |- | [[Jessica King (Wisconsin politician)|Jessica King]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 18|18]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1975|1|36}} || 2011 || 2012 |- | [[Michael Ellis (American politician)|Michael Ellis]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 19|19]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1941|2|21}} || 1982 || 2014 |- | [[Glenn Grothman]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 20|20]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1955|7|3}} || 2004 || 2012 |- | [[Van H. Wanggaard]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 21|21]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1952|4|20}} || 2010 || 2014 |- | [[Robert Wirch]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 22|22]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1943|11|16}} || 1996 || 2012 |- | [[Terry Moulton]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 23|23]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1946|7|19}} || 2010 || 2014 |- | [[Julie Lassa]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 24|24]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1970|10|21}} || 2003 || 2012 |- | [[Robert Jauch]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 25|25]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1945|11|22}} || 1986 || 2014 |- | [[Fred Risser]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 26|26]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1927|5|5}} || 1962 || 2012 |- | [[Jon Erpenbach]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 27|27]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1961|1|28}} || 1998 || 2014 |- | [[Mary Lazich]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 28|28]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1952|10|3}} || 1998 || 2012 |- | [[Pam Galloway]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 29|29]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1955|9|11}} || 2010 || 2014 |- | [[Dave Hansen]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 30|30]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1947|12|18}} || 2000 || 2012 |- | [[Kathleen Vinehout]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 31|31]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age |1958|6|16}} || 2006 || 2014 |- | [[Jennifer Shilling]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 32|32]] || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{age|1969|7|4}} || 2011 || 2012 |- | [[Rich Zipperer]] | [[Wisconsin Senate, District 33|33]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{age |1974|4|16}} || 2010 || 2014 |} ==External links== *[http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/senhome.htm Wisconsin State Senate] ''official government website'' *[http://www.votesmart.org/official_state_legislator.php?type=office&state_id=WI&criteria=upper State Senate of Wisconsin] at [[Project Vote Smart]] {{Wisconsin State Senators}} {{WisconsinLegislatures}} {{Usleg}} {{coord missing|Wisconsin}}