Leah Vukmir
- ️Tue Sep 14 2010
From Ballotpedia
Leah Vukmir
Prior offices
Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Senate District 5
Elections and appointments
Education
Personal
Contact
Leah Vukmir (Republican Party) was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing District 5. She assumed office in 2011. She left office on January 7, 2019.
Vukmir (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Wisconsin. She lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Vukmir is a former Republican member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing District 5 from 2010 through 2018.
Vukmir served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing District 14 from 2003 to 2010.
Biography
Vukmir was first elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2010, representing District 5. She also served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing District 14, from 2003 to 2010. Before entering public service, she earned her master's degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and worked as a nurse.[1]
Committee assignments
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Finance |
| • Health and Human Services, Chair |
| • Senate Organization |
| • Joint Finance |
| • Legislative Organization |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Vukmir served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Health and Human Services, Chair |
| • Education |
| • Finance |
| • Judiciary and Public Safety, Vice-Chair |
| • Joint Finance |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Vukmir served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Health and Human Services, Chair |
| • Judiciary and Labor, Vice Chair |
| • Administrative Rules, Co-chair |
2011-2012
At the beginning of the 2011 legislative session, Vukmir served on the following committees:
| Wisconsin committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Administrative Rules, Co-Chair |
| • Education, Vice Chair |
| • Health, Chair |
| • Public Health, Human Services, and Revenue |
| • Review of Administrative Rules, Chair |
Elections
2018
General election
Democratic primary election
Republican primary election
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- John Schiess (R)
Independent primary election
No Independent candidates ran in the primary.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Joseph Schnering (Independent)
Campaign finance
The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tammy Baldwin | Democratic Party | $31,514,876 | $31,549,383 | $142,193 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Leah Vukmir | Republican Party | $5,852,699 | $5,810,340 | $42,360 | As of December 31, 2018 |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
2014
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for 17 seats in the Wisconsin State Senate 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. Incumbent Leah Vukmir ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Wendy Friedrich ran as a Libertarian candidate. Vukmir defeated Friedrich in the general election.[2][3][4][5]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Leah Vukmir Incumbent |
73.6% | 55,869 | |
| Libertarian | Wendy Friedrich | 26.4% | 20,020 | |
| Total Votes | 75,889 |
2010
- See also: Wisconsin State Senate elections, 2010
Vukmir had no primary opposition. In the November 2, 2010, general election, she defeated Democratic incumbent Jim Sullivan.
Vukmir had been a speaker at several Wisconsin Tea Parties. One of her key issues was combined reporting, which requires companies based in Wisconsin to pay taxes on assets located in other states. Vukmir argued combined reporting was a reason Harley Davidson laid off 400 workers in 2010 and Polaris announced it would be leaving Wisconsin.[6][7][8]
| Wisconsin State Senate, District 5 (2010) General Election | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent |
| Leah Vukmir (R)
|
36,852 | 52.15% |
| Jim Sullivan (D) | 33,702 | 47.69% |
| Wisconsin Senate, District 5 Republican Primary (2010) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent |
| Leah Vukmir (R)
|
18,346 | 99.47% |
2008
On November 4, 2008, Vukmir won re-election to Assembly District 14, receiving 62.28% of the vote.[9]
| Wisconsin Assembly District 14 | |
|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes |
| Leah Vukmir (R)
|
19,419 |
| Dave Hucke (D) | 11,708 |
| Scattering | 55 |
Campaign themes
2018
| “ |
Our Troops Leah Vukmir is a blue star mother. Her son Nicholas is currently serving our country as a Lieutenant in the United States Army. Leah knows that how we treat our bravest reflects on our character as a nation. She was appalled to learn of the widespread mismanagement and disgraceful neglect that has taken place at Veterans Affairs and angered by the way Senator Tammy Baldwin failed our veterans at Tomah. Protect Life As a nurse, whose primary mission is to save lives, Leah’s unwavering stance in protecting the sanctity of life is commonsense. Leah is pro-life. She has maintained a perfect voting record with Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Right to Life and is proud to stand up for the unborn. In the Senate, she will vote to confirm pro-life judges and believes that liberal elites in Washington want to impose a value system on the rest of the country that leaves little or no room for faith. Leah will fight efforts to restrict religious liberty and will stand against efforts by Congress to limit First Amendment protections of those who worship. She attends Annuciation Greek Orthodox Church in Wauwatosa. The Second Amendment Leah is 100% pro-gun. She received an A rating for her pro-gun record in the Wisconsin State Senate. Leah opposes expanded federal regulation of gun ownership. In the Senate, she would oppose efforts to start a federal gun registry. Homeland Security The threat from radical Islamic jihadists and ISIS is clear. They want to kill us, and they are not going to stop until we confront them. There is a war going on, and as we’ve seen here in America and across the world, ISIS is targeting innocent civilians in its attacks. Leah supports using any means necessary to wipe ISIS from the face of the earth. President Obama weakened America’s standing across the globe when he called ISIS the “JV team” and refused to enforce a red line drawn in Syria after Bashar Al-Assad used chemical weapons against his own people. Leah believes our leaders must project strength and be prepared to back it up with smart military force if necessary. Our enemies need to know that if you attack the United States or its civilians, we will respond. Law and Order President Trump talked a lot about law and order during the campaign, and Leah Vukmir agrees this is a critical issue. We must make sure our police officers have the equipment and tools they need to combat violent criminals and keep our communities safe. Leah has introduced multiple pieces of legislation to toughen penalties for violent criminals because she believes we need to send a message to repeat felons that their behavior will not be tolerated. Those that keep Americans safe at home are our brave first responders – our police and firefighters. Leah stands with their efforts to keep us safe and believes the unfair attacks on police officers specifically by the fringe left need to stop. Police officers deserve our praise and thanks, not protests and attacks. Immigration We are either a nation of laws or we are not. Leah Vukmir’s father was an immigrant from Greece. Her mother’s parents were immigrants as well. Both families came the right way – legally. In the U.S. Senate, Leah Vukmir will support construction of a wall on the southern border and efforts to crack down on illegal immigration in the United States. Leah also opposes sanctuary cities in Wisconsin. The Constitution Leah believes our rights come from God, not man. The government exists to enforce our freedoms and protect our rights, not to create new entitlements not specifically enumerated in the Constitution. If elected, Leah will swear an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States, and she pledges to always refer to the intention of our founders when deciding how to vote. Taxes and Spending It’s not just that Congress spends too much – Congress is addicted to spending our money. Leah Vukmir is a conservative who believes that if hard-working Wisconsinites have to balance a checkbook, Congress should too. Leah supports a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution for this very reason. To pay for all this spending, Congress has created a complicated federal tax code. Thousands of pages long and burdensome for many Americans, Leah believes we must streamline the tax code by eliminating loopholes and deductions, while lowering tax rates for all Americans. Finally, smaller companies pay one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. Taxation of this magnitude negatively impacts our ability to remain competitive and keep our workforce in the United States. In the Senate, Leah will push for a tax code that is simplified, increases competition with other nations, and benefits all Americans. Repeal Obamacare Leah understands why people are upset with Republicans who promised to repeal Obamacare and didn’t deliver. She supports full repeal of Obamacare. Period. And she won’t stop pushing for full repeal in Congress. Leah supports replacing Obamacare with free-market solutions that will lower costs and premiums. For example, Leah would allow insurers to offer a wider variety of plans that fit the demands of patients and families, not government central planners. And she would support allowing individuals to buy insurance across state lines, increasing competition and choice. Finally, Leah knows from her experience dealing with Wisconsin’s Medicaid program that states truly are laboratories of innovation, which is what our founders intended. Leah supports more flexibility for states when it comes to Medicaid spending, and would support efforts to send Medicaid dollars to states in the form of a block grant – allowing states more flexibility to design their own plans and save taxpayers billions of dollars.[10] |
” |
| —Leah Vukmir for Senate[11] |
2014
Vukmir's campaign website highlighted the following issues:[12]
Jobs and the Economy
- Excerpt: "The government doesn’t create jobs – the private sector does. That’s why I’m focused on minimizing the tax burden and red tape facing our job creators."
The Second Amendment
- Excerpt: "I am a proud gun owner and member of the NRA. I am committed to defending our constitutional right to bear arms."
Human Life
- Excerpt: "I am 100% pro-life and believe that life needs to be defended at every stage. I am proud to have the support of Wisconsin Right to Life and Pro Life Wisconsin."
Healthcare
- Excerpt: "I oppose ObamaCare and will continue to fight against its implementation in Wisconsin. We must look to the private sector and find local solutions that place power in the hands of families and health care professionals, not unelected bureaucrats."
Education
- Excerpt: "Every child, regardless of location or background, must have access to a quality education. That’s why I have worked so hard to improve our public schools, as well as expand school choice so that parents have the best options available for educating their children."
2012
Vukmir's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
Jobs and the Economy in Wisconsin
- Excerpt: "We must eliminate government regulations and taxes that put our businesses at a competitive disadvantage and we must stop punishing successful companies that create good jobs."
State Spending
- Excerpt: "We can no longer afford to grow state spending faster than our economy"
Taxes
- Excerpt: "I will continue to work for tax relief, and fiscal policies that will grow our economy."
Education
- Excerpt: "If our children are going to succeed in a world economy, they must have the skills to compete."
Healthcare
- Excerpt: "I will work to expand competition and consumer-driven health care in Wisconsin."
Human Life
- Excerpt: "I understand, appreciate and value the sanctity of all human 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.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Vukmir is married and has two children.[13]
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.
2018
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.
- Legislators are scored on whether they voted for or against MMAC's position.
- National Federation of Independent Business in Wisconsin: 2016 legislative voting record
- Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor policy.
- Wisconsin Family Action: 2017-2018 legislative scorecard
- Legislators are scored by the Wisconsin Family Action on their votes on legislation related to "marriage, family, the sanctity of human life, or religious freedom."[14]
- Legislators are scored on their stances on conservation issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on legislation WMC deemed as "most important issues for the business community."
- Wisconsin Professional Police Association: 2018 report card
- Legislators are scored on their votes by the Wisconsin Professional Police Association on legislation related to Wisconsin's law enforcement community.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
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.
|
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Leah + Vukmir + Wisconsin + Senate"
See also
- United States Senate election in Wisconsin, 2018
- Wisconsin State Legislature
- Wisconsin State Senate
- Wisconsin State Senate Committees
- Wisconsin Joint Committees
- Wisconsin state legislative districts
External links
- Official campaign website
- Profile from Open States
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Legislative Profile from Project Vote Smart
- Map of 14th District
- Leah Vukmir on Facebook
- Leah Vukmir on Twitter
- Leah Vukmir on LinkedIn
- Campaign Contributions: 2010, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002
Footnotes
- ↑ Leah Vukmir for Senate, "Meet Leah," accessed February 22, 2018
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Certification of Nomination - Independent Candidates," accessed July 24, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "2014 Partisan Primary Candidates," accessed June 19, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered by Office," June 11, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Canvass Results for 2014 General Election," December 1, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered by Office, 2010 Partisan Primary - 09/14/2010," July 13, 2010 (dead link)
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Official 2010 Primary election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Official 2010 General election results," accessed April 25, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin State Elections Board, "Results of Fall General Election," accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Leah Vukmir for Senate, "Issues," accessed March 8, 2018
- ↑ Leah Vukmir's campaign website, "Issues," accessed October 22, 2014
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ 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
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Sullivan |
Wisconsin State Senator, District 5 2011-2018 |
Succeeded by Dale Kooyenga (R) |
| Preceded by Scott Walker |
Wisconsin State Assembly District 14 2002–2011 |
Succeeded by Dale Kooyenga |
Leadership
Senate President:Mary Felzkowski
Majority Leader:Devin LeMahieu
Minority Leader:Dianne Hesselbein
Senators
Republican Party (18)
Democratic Party (15)
