Chris Kapenga
- ️Tue Jul 21 2015
From Ballotpedia
Chris Kapenga
Wisconsin State Senate District 33
Tenure
2015 - Present
Term ends
2027
Years in position
9
Predecessor
Prior offices
Wisconsin State Assembly District 99
Compensation
Elections and appointments
Education
Contact
Chris Kapenga (Republican Party) is a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing District 33. He assumed office on August 6, 2015. His current term ends on January 4, 2027.
Kapenga (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Wisconsin State Senate to represent District 33. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Kapenga served as Senate President of the Wisconsin State Senate from 2021 to 2024.
Kapenga was first elected to the chamber in a special election on July 21, 2015. He was sworn in on August 6, 2015.[1][2]
Kapenga served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing District 99 from 2011 to August 6, 2015.
Biography
Kapenga earned a B.S. in accountancy from Calvin College and is a CPA. Before assuming office, he was the owner and president of Integrated Time Systems.[3][4]
Committee assignments
2023-2024
Kapenga was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Organization Committee, Vice Chairman
- Joint Legislative Council Committee, Co Chair
- Employment Relations Committee, Co Chair
- Legislative Organization Committee, Co Chair
2021-2022
Kapenga was assigned to the following committees:
- Employment Relations Committee, Co-Chair
- Joint Legislative Council Committee, Co-Chair
- Legislative Organization Committee, Co-Chair
- Senate Organization Committee, Vice Chair
2019-2020
Kapenga was assigned to the following committees:
- Joint Legislative Audit Committee
- Government Operations, Technology, and Consumer Protection Committee, Vice-Chair
- Labor and Regulatory Reform Committee
- Public Benefits, Licensing, and State-Federal Relations Committee, Chair
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Elections and Utilities, Vice chair |
| • Government Operations, Technology, and Consumer Protection |
| • Public Benefits, Licensing, and State-Federal Relations, Chair |
| • Joint Legislative Audit |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Kapenga served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Labor |
| • Health |
| • Financial Institutions |
| • Constitution and Ethics, Chair |
| • Public Benefit Reform, Vice-Chair |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Kapenga served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Constitution and Ethics, Co-Chair |
| • Financial Institutions, Vice chair |
| • Health |
| • Jobs, Economy and Mining |
| • Labor |
2011-2012
During the 2011-2012 legislative session, Kapenga served on these committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Insurance |
| • Jobs, the Economy and Small Business |
| • Labor and Workforce Development |
| • Ways and Means |
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2022
General election
Republican primary election
Campaign finance
2018
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2018
General election
Republican primary election
2015
Sherryll Shaddock was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Chris Kapenga defeated Brian Dorow and Mikael Langner in the Republican primary on June 23.[1][5] Kapenga defeated Shaddock in the special election on July 21.[2]
The seat was vacant following Paul Farrow's (R) resignation on July 17.[6]
A special election for the position of Wisconsin State Senate District 33 was called for July 21. A primary election took place on June 23. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 26.[7]
| Wisconsin State Senate, District 33, Special Election, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Chris Kapenga |
71.9% | 7,191 | |
| Democratic | Sherryll Shaddock | 28% | 2,798 | |
| Other | Scattering | 0.2% | 18 | |
| Total Votes | 10,007 |
2014
- See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2014
Elections for all 99 seats in the Wisconsin State Assembly took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 12, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 2, 2014. Alice Jensen was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Chris Kapenga was unopposed in the Republican primary. Jensen and Kapenga faced off in the general election.[8][9] Incumbent Kapenga defeated Jensen in the general election, and was re-elected for another term.[10]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Chris Kapenga Incumbent |
77.9% | 23,232 | |
| Democratic | Alice Jensen | 22.1% | 6,593 | |
| Total Votes | 29,825 |
2012
Regular
- See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2012
Kapenga won re-election in the 2012 election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 99. Kapenga ran unopposed in the Republican primary on August 14 and defeated Thomas Hibbard (D) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[11][12]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Chris Kapenga Incumbent |
76.3% | 26,314 | |
| Democratic | Thomas Hibbard | 23.7% | 8,166 | |
| - | Scattering | 0% | 15 | |
| Total Votes | 34,495 |
Special
Kapenga ran in the special election for state Senate District 33. Rich Zipperer (R) resigned the seat to join Gov. Scott Walker's cabinet. Kapenga faced fellow state Rep. Paul Farrow (R) in the Republican primary on November 6.[13][14] Kapenga conceded the November 6 Republican primary race to Farrow.[15]
2010
- See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2010
Kapenga ran unopposed in the November 2 general election. Kapenga defeated Republicans Joe Deklotz, Brian Dorow, and Steve Ksobiech in the primary election.[16]
| Wisconsin State Assembly, District 33 Republican Primary (2010) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent |
| Chris Kapenga(R)
|
5,253 | 39.87% |
| Brian Dorow (R) | 4,541 | 34.47% |
| Joe Deklotz (R) | 2,646 | 20.09% |
| Steve Ksobiech (R) | 734 | 5.57% |
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Chris Kapenga did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2012
Kapenga's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
- Economy and jobs - "Our economy runs on businesses, not government."
- Taxes - He proposes "to bring more accountability into place and stop the extreme spending habits of the liberal democrats in power."
- Welfare - Will work to refine the definition of "the poor" while supporting the "moral obligation" "...to ensure that those in society who are unable to care for themselves are cared for. "
- Immigration - Supports government assurances to "provide a reasonable process of review in a timely manner." for applicants for citizenship."
- Role of Government - Kapenga believes that "n.o law should be passed that goes beyond the defined scope, with the exception of a passed amendment taking place that changes the scope."
- Education - "The key to quality education is solid teachers, involved parents, and local decision making."
- Environment - He believes in protecting the clean water of the Great Lakes and "in programs such as increased use of nuclear power plants, which would decrease pollution and our dependence on fossil fuels."
- Religion -"Exercise of this freedom must be upheld, and only when religion conflicts with the well-being of society should government step in."
- Abortion - Kapenga is pro-life.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Endorsements
Presidential preference
2012
Chris Kapenga endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.[17]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Kapenga is married with two children.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Wisconsin scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2023, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 3 to December 31.
|
2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2022, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 18 to March 8.
|
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2021, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 4 to December 31.
|
2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2020, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 14 to May 13.
|
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2019, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 7, 2019 through January 13, 2020.
|
2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2018, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 16 through March 27. Special sessions were held from January 1 through February 27 and from March 15 through March 29.
|
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2017, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 3 through December 31. There were also special sessions. The first special session was January 5. The second special session was August 1 through September 15.
|
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2016, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 12 through March 15.
|
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2015, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 5 through December 31.
|
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2014, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 14 through June 4.
|
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2013, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 7 to December 31.
|
2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2012, the Wisconsin State Legislature was in session from January 10 through March 16.
|
See also
- Wisconsin State Legislature
- Wisconsin State Assembly
- Wisconsin state legislative districts
- Wisconsin State Senate
- Wisconsin State Senate Committees
- Wisconsin Joint Committees
- Wisconsin State Senate District 33
- State legislative special elections, 2015
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered by Office," accessed May 27, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Canvass Results for 2015 Special Election State Senate 33 - 7/21/2015," accessed August 6, 2015
- ↑ Campaign website, "About," accessed May 6, 2014
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Assembly member Chris Kapenga biography," May 26, 2011
- ↑ jsonline.com, "Chris Kapenga wins special Senate primary in Waukesha County," accessed June 24, 2015
- ↑ madison.com, "State Sen. Farrow announces July 17 resignation," accessed May 6, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "2015 Senate District 33 Special Election," accessed May 6, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability, "Candidates Registered by Office," June 11, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "2014 Partisan Primary Candidates," accessed June 19, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Canvass Results for 2014 General Election," December 1, 2014
- ↑ Government Accountability Board, "2012 Fall Partisan Primary," accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ Government Accountability Board, "2012 Fall General Election," accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Kapenga joins Farrow in race to replace Zipperer," July 26, 2012
- ↑ Sussex Sun, "Absentee ballot confusion in Senate primary," October 2, 2012
- ↑ Waukesha Patch, "Kapenga Concedes to Farrow in 33rd Senate District," November 7, 2012
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Official 2010 Primary election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Mitt Romney for President, "Mitt Romney Announces Wisconsin Endorsements," March 26, 2012
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Family Action, "2015-2016 legislative scorecard," accessed May 31, 2017
Leadership
Senate President:Mary Felzkowski
Majority Leader:Devin LeMahieu
Minority Leader:Dianne Hesselbein
Senators
Republican Party (18)
Democratic Party (15)
