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Robert Wirch

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Robert Wirch
Wirch in 2009
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 22nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 6, 1997
Preceded byJoseph F. Andrea
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 65th district
In office
January 4, 1993 – January 6, 1997
Preceded byJohn Antaramian
Succeeded byJohn Steinbrink
Member of the Kenosha County Board of Supervisors
In office
1986–1994
Personal details
Born (1943-11-16) November 16, 1943 (age 81)
Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Mary Wirch
​
​
(m. 1973; died 2020)​
ChildrenDavid, Julia
Residence(s)Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Parkside (BA)
ProfessionFactory worker
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
U.S. Army Reserve
Years of service1965–1971

Robert W. Wirch (born November 16, 1943) is an American Democratic politician from Kenosha County, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing Wisconsin's 22nd Senate district since 1997. He previously served two terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, from 1993 to 1997, and served on the Kenosha County Board of Supervisors before that.

Early life and education

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Wirch was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and has lived his entire life in the Kenosha area. He graduated from Mary D. Bradford High School and went to work at the American Brass Company plant in Kenosha, following in the steps of his father and grandfather. While working at the plant, Wirch also enlisted in the United States Army Reserve, serving from 1965 to 1971. He attended night courses at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside and obtained his bachelor's degree in 1970.[1][2]

Early political career

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While working at American Brass, Wirch was a union employee and became a member of the United Steelworkers Local 9322. He rose within the union, eventually become president of the local and a member of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO executive board. His work in the union led him into politics, as he worked with the growing number of dislocated workers from de-industrialization in southeast Wisconsin. Wirch's own employer, American Brass, was shedding jobs through a series of ownership changes.

In 1985, Wirch announced his first run for public office, running for a seat on the Kenosha County board of supervisors.[3] He won that election, in April 1986, and served eight years on the county board.[2] He became chairman of the county board's health and human services committee; one of his major initiatives in that capacity was the establishment of the Shalom Center shelter and food pantry.[1]

In 1992, incumbent state representative John Antaramian was elected mayor of Kenosha and announced he would not run for re-election to the Assembly later that year. Wirch declared his candidacy to succeed Antaramian in the Wisconsin State Assembly. He faced Kenosha city councilmembers Wanda Lynn Bellow and Stephen Casey in the September 1992 Democratic Party primary election.[4] Wirch prevailed with 45% of the vote and went on to win 74% of the general election vote in the heavily Democratic district.[5] He won re-election in 1994 with 70% of the vote.[6]

Wisconsin Senate

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In 1996, state senator Joseph F. Andrea announced he would retire after 20 years in the legislature. Two days later, Andrea stood with Wirch as he announced his campaign to succeed Andrea in the Wisconsin Senate. Also attending and endorsing Wirch were state representative James Kreuser, mayor John Antaramian, and sheriff Allan Kehl.[7] With such unified support from Kenosha County Democrats, Wirch faced no opponent in the primary.[8] Wirch faced Kenosha lawyer Bruno Rizzo in the general election, prevailing with 56% of the vote.

Wirch's district, the 22nd Senate district, was considered one of the more competitive seats in the Senate under the legislative district plans prior to 2010, comprising most of Kenosha County. Wirch faced an opponent in every election; his closest race was in 2004, when he won just 52% of the vote against Reince Priebus, who would later become chairman of the Republican National Committee and White House chief of staff.[9][10]

2011 Act 10 and recall

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After the 2010 election, Republicans gained full control of state government. One of the first legislative initiatives of the new governor, Scott Walker, was the so-called "Budget Repair Bill", which stripped state employee unions of their collective bargaining rights. This immediately resulted in mass protests at the Wisconsin State Capitol, which continued for months. With Democrats unable to slow down consideration of the bill, Wirch fled the state along with 13 other Democratic senators, in order to deny a quorum.[11][12]

Republicans were eventually able to circumvent the quorum requirement by stripping out budgetary items from the bill. After the bill became law, Democrats attempted to capitalize on the outrage caused by the passage of the anti-union legislation and shifted to a recall campaign over the next year. Republicans countered by attempting to recall several Democrats who had fled the state, and Wirch was one of the senators targeted.

On February 24, 2011, Taxpayers to Recall Robert Wirch officially registered with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board.[13] On April 21, they filed 18,300 signatures with Wisconsin's Government Accountability Board, far surpassing the 13,537 signatures needed to trigger a recall election.[14] Wirch's recall election was set for August 16, 2011; Wirch faced Kenosha attorney Jonathan Steitz and prevailed with 57% of the vote.[15][16]

Senate minority

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Another effect of the new Republican government was a dramatic legislative gerrymander, passed in August of 2011, just before the recall elections. Under the new map, Wirch's district was significantly altered. Rural Kenosha County was removed from the district and replaced with the city of Racine, in Racine County; the changes packed most of the Democratic votes of Racine and Kenosha counties into Wirch's district and converted the neighboring 21st Senate district into a safely Republican seat.[17] The new plan also drew Wirch out of the district, removing all of Pleasant Prairie, where his home is located.[18][19] Wirch chose to purchase an apartment in Somers in order to maintain residency in the district and run for re-election. In his new district, Wirch won an easy re-election in 2012 with 70% of the vote[20] and did not face an opponent in 2016 or 2020.[21][22]

After the 2012 elections, Wirch obtained a coveted seat on the powerful budget-writing Joint Finance Committee. State political observers speculated that he received the seat in exchange for his vote for Chris Larson as minority leader.[23]

In 2017, Wirch was the only Democrat in the state Senate who voted in favor of the three billion dollar tax incentive package for the Foxconn in Wisconsin project. In explaining his vote, Wirch referred back to his own history as a third generation factory worker, watching those jobs shipped overseas, saying, "It's not a great deal, but it's the only deal on the table."[24] After the 2024 redistricting, the Foxconn in Wisconsin industrial park is now within the boundaries of Wirch's district.

Personal life

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Wirch resides in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. Mary, his wife of 47 years, died on February 23, 2020, from complications related to gall bladder cancer. They have two adult children, David and Julia.[25]

Wirch is a member of the Danish Brotherhood in America, the Polish Legion of American Veterans, and was previously a member of the board of directors of the Kenosha Boys & Girls Club.[2]

Electoral history

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Wisconsin Assembly (1992, 1994)

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1992 Primary[5] Sep. 8 Robert W. Wirch Democratic 3,229 45.52% Wanda Lynn Bellow Dem. 2,085 29.39% 7,094 1,144
Stephen P. Casey Dem. 1,780 25.09%
General[5] Nov. 3 Robert W. Wirch Democratic 15,144 74.13% Darnell H. Mason Rep. 5,286 25.87% 20,430 9,858
1994 General[6] Nov. 8 Robert W. Wirch (inc) Democratic 10,722 69.34% Walter E. Velden Rep. 4,741 30.66% 15,463 5,981

Wisconsin Senate (1996–present)

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1996 General[8] Nov. 5 Robert W. Wirch Democratic 33,847 56.81% Bruno M. Rizzo Rep. 25,728 43.19% 59,575 8,119
2000 General[26] Nov. 7 Robert W. Wirch (inc) Democratic 39,321 55.98% Dave Duecker Rep. 30,897 43.99% 70,244 8,424
2004 General[27] Nov. 2 Robert W. Wirch (inc) Democratic 42,097 52.11% Reince Priebus Rep. 38,644 47.84% 80,779 3,453
2008 General[28] Nov. 4 Robert W. Wirch (inc) Democratic 54,946 66.65% Benjamin Lee Bakke Rep. 27,383 33.21% 82,444 27,563
2011 Recall[15] Aug. 16 Robert W. Wirch (inc) Democratic 26,524 57.35% Jonathan Steitz Rep. 19,662 42.51% 82,444 27,563
Brian Harwood (write-in) Ind. 23 0.05%
2012 General[20] Nov. 6 Robert W. Wirch (inc) Democratic 51,177 69.57% Pam Stevens Rep. 22,278 30.29% 73,559 28,899
2016 General[21] Nov. 8 Robert W. Wirch (inc) Democratic 50,841 98.16% --unopposed-- 51,794 49,888
2020 General[22] Nov. 3 Robert W. Wirch (inc) Democratic 55,214 96.22% 57,385 53,043
2024 General Nov. 5 Robert W. Wirch (inc) Democratic
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References

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  1. ^ a b "Monday, January 7, 2013". State of Wisconsin Senate Journal. One-Hundred and First Regular Session. Wisconsin Legislature. January 7, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Wirch, Robert W. 1943". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  3. ^ "Wirch candidacy means primary election needed". Kenosha News. November 22, 1985. p. 7. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Shook, Dennis A. (June 10, 1992). "Bellow joins race for Assembly". Kenosha News. p. 3. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c Barish, Lawrence S.; Theobald, H. Rupert, eds. (1993). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1993–1994 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 905, 922. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (1995). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1995–1996 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 905, 922. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  7. ^ Hillock, Darren (April 29, 1996). "Editor's Desk". Kenosha News. p. 34. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (1997). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1997–1998 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 888, 889, 890. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  9. ^ Huey-Burns, Caitlin (January 24, 2011). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Reince Priebus". U.S. News.
  10. ^ "Senator Robert Wirch profile". Wisconsin State Legislature. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  11. ^ Stephen, Jessica (February 28, 2011). "Wirch: 'I think I'm on the right side of the issue'". Kenosha News. p. 6. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Glauber, Bill (February 20, 2011). "In Illinois, Wisconsin Senate Democrats vow unity". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  13. ^ "Taxpayers to Recall Robert Wirch". Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. March 9, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  14. ^ Tolan, Tom (April 21, 2011). "Recall petitions filed against 4 lawmakers". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  15. ^ a b Pohlman, Julie; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2013). "Elections in Wisconsin" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 2013–2014 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 892, 893, 894. ISBN 978-0-9752820-6-9. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  16. ^ "August 16 Wisconsin recall election results". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. August 17, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  17. ^ Gordon, Scott (December 7, 2015). "Wisconsin Vs. Illinois: A Redistricting Map Rorschach Test". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  18. ^ Jones, Stephanie (July 16, 2011). "Being redistricted out of their district - Sen. Wirch and two opponents would not live in Senate district under new map". Racine Journal Times. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  19. ^ Gilbert, Craig (July 11, 2011). "How the GOP redistricting plan protects 3 Republican state senators". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  20. ^ a b Canvass Results for 2012 Presidential and General Election - 11/6/2012 (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 26, 2012. p. 7. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  21. ^ a b Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. p. 7. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 6. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  23. ^ Murphy, Bruce (November 27, 2012). "The Rise of Chris Larson". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  24. ^ Smith, Deneen (September 12, 2017). "Wirch breaks ranks with party to support Foxconn deal". Kenosha News. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  25. ^ "Condolences: Wife of State Senator Robert Wirch Passes". WGTD. February 24, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  26. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2000 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. May 10, 2001. p. 9. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  27. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2004 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2004. p. 9. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  28. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/04/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 8. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 65th district
January 4, 1993 – January 6, 1997 		Succeeded by
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 22nd district
January 6, 1997 – present 		Incumbent
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