Democratic Party of Wisconsin

Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Chairman	Mike Tate
Senate leader	Mark Miller
Assembly leader	Peter W. Barca
Headquarters	Madison, Wisconsin
Ideology	American Liberalism Progressivism Center-left
National affiliation	Democratic Party
Official colors	Blue
Website
http://www.wisdems.org/
Politics of the United States Political parties Elections

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin. As of 2009, it is headed by state party chairman Mike Tate, who is the youngest chairman of a state party. ^[1]

History

The Democratic Party dominated politics until the late 1850s; then the newly founded Republican Party held sway for almost 100 years.^[2]Jacksonian democracy was strong in Wisconsin in the early days, and until 1856 all territorial and state governors were Democrats, except for one Whig. In 1854, however, a coalition of Whigs, antislavery Democrats, and Free Soilers formed a Republican Party in the state—a key event in the establishment of the national Republican Party. Republicans quickly gained control of most elective offices; from 1856 to 1959 there were only three Democratic governors. The Republican Party was dominated in the late 19th century by conservatives, who were sympathetic to the railroads and the lumbering industry but whose stands on pensions and jobs for Union veterans and ability to win federal funds for the state attracted support from farmers and small business. Then, in the 1890s, Progressives within the party, led by Robert La Follette, began a successful battle for control that culminated in La Follette's election as governor in 1900.

For the most part the Republican Party and many of its progressive policies, led by La Follette had a rather large influence within the state. Republicans would have a large influence within the state until the post World War II era. The Republicans were challenged after the war by a new state Democratic party whose leaders espoused a liberal ideology consistent with that of the national party. The new Wisconsin Democratic party whose leaders espoused a liberal ideology consistent with that of the national party. The new Wisconsin Democratic party was also similar to the party nationally in terms of the sectors of the population from which it drew its support. The Democrats achieved their first post-war statewide electoral victory with the election of William Proxmire to the Senate in a special election 1957. In 1974, the party gained control of both houses of the legislature for the first time since 1932.^[3]

Wisconsin in the 1980s and early 1990s was characterized by competitive two-party politics for control of the governorship, other state constitutional offices, the state legislature, and U.S. Senate seats.

Controversy

In February 2011 the Republican-controlled state congress, proposed the "2011 Wisconsin budget repair bill" also endorsed by Governor Scott Walker caused much controversy within the Democratic Party and the state of Wisconsin. Large protests ensued some of the largest in the state of Wisconsin's history protesting the stripping of many workers bargaining rights. This also prompted the famous "Wisconsin 14", a group of State Senators who fled the state to halt the vote on the bill. The fourteen included: Tim Carpenter, Spencer Coggs, Tim Cullen, John Eprenbach, Dave Hansen, Jim Holperin, Robert Jauch, Chris Larson, Julie Lassa, Mark MIller, Fred Risser, Lena Taylor, Kathleen Vinehout, and Robert Wirch. Due to much of the controversy that this bill has brought, as of November 2011, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin has began a movement for the recall of Governor Scott Walker.

Current elected officials

The Wisconsin Democratic Party controls one of the five statewide offices. Wisconsin's legislature has a senate with 33 members and an assembly with 99 members. The state elects two senators and eight representatives to the U.S. Congress and has ten electoral votes.^[4] The Wisconsin Democratic Party currently holds one of the two national senate seats, which is occupied by Herb Kohl.

State

• Secretary of State: Douglas LaFollette

Federal

• U.S. Senate
  • Herb Kohl

• U.S. House of Representatives
  • Tammy Baldwin, 2nd District
  • Ron Kind, 3rd District
  • Gwen Moore, 4th District

References

1. ^ http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/48008402.html
2. ^ Kinnell, Susan K. The Democratic and Republican Parties in America a historical bibliography. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-Clio Information Services, 1984.
3. ^ Moakley, Maureen. Party realignment and state politics. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1992.
4. ^ 11. "Wisconsin, state, United States." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition 1. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed November 3, 2011).

External links

• Democratic Party of Wisconsin