Robert Brooks (Wisconsin politician) explained

Robert Brooks
State:Wisconsin
State Assembly:Wisconsin
District:60th
Term Start:January 5, 2015
Predecessor:Duey Stroebel
Office1:Chairman of the
Term Start1:April 2004
Term End1:April 2013
Predecessor1:Gustav W. Wirth Jr.
Successor1:Lee Schlenvogt
Party:Republican
Birth Date:13 July 1965
Birth Place:Rockford, Illinois, U.S.
Residence:Saukville, Wisconsin
Education:University of Wisconsin–La Crosse
Spouse:Dawn
Children:2

Robert Brooks (born July 13, 1965) is an American businessman and Republican politician from Saukville, Wisconsin. He is state representative for the 60th district of the Wisconsin State Assembly, since January 2015.[1]

Biography

Born in Rockford, Illinois, Brooks moved with his parents to Wisconsin and graduated from Parkview High School in Orfordville, Wisconsin. He went on to attend the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, but did not graduate. He went to work in the real estate business, and owned a number of restaurants, taverns, and rental properties. Since 1996, he has managed his real estate through Brooks Investment Group LLC.[2]

Political career

From 2002 through 2014, Brooks was an elected member of the Ozaukee County Board of Supervisors; he was chairman from 2004 through 2013. While serving on the county board, he was a commissioner on the South Eastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and was a member of the board of directors of the Wisconsin Mutual Insurance Company.[3]

In 2014, incumbent State Representative Duey Stroebel announced he would run for United States House of Representatives rather than seek another term in the Assembly. Brooks jumped into the race for the open seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly. In the Republican primary, he defeated Jean Opitz, the wife of former State Representative David W. Opitz. He was unopposed in the general election, and went on to begin his term in January 2015.[4] He went on to win reelection in 2016 by a wide margin, with only an independent opponent.

In the 2017 - 2018 session of the Assembly, Brooks was elected by his caucus as the assistant majority leader. However, he ran into problems in 2018 when the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Brooks had made "sexual comments to two female state lawmakers and a racial remark to a Latina legislator".[5] Brooks attributed the comments to the influence of alcohol, apologized, and resigned his leadership position in the assembly.[6] Republican Governor Scott Walker, in the middle of his own reelection campaign, called for Brooks to resign from the Assembly.[7] [8] Despite the pressure from inside his own party, Brooks resisted calls to resign and was reelected in the 2018 general election.[9]

He faced his first primary challenge as an incumbent in 2020, but Brooks prevailed again, taking 75% of the Republican primary vote. He was again unopposed in the 2020 general election.[10]

Electoral history

Year ElectionDateElectedDefeatedTotalPlurality
2014Primary[11] Republican4,79158.03%Republican3,45741.87%8,2561,334
General[12] Republican24,06698.93%Dem.50.02%24,32623,811
2016General[13] Republican23,80674.87%Ind.7,89524.83%31,79815,911
2018GeneralRepublican20,70264.86%Dem.11,18235.03%31,9209,520
2020Primary[14] Republican6,95875.99%Rep.2,19824.01%9,1564,760
GeneralRepublican28,85396.77%29,81727,889

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State Representative Robert Brooks, 60th Assembly District. Wisconsin State Assembly. January 22, 2019.
  2. Web site: Assembly District 60 - Rob Brooks . Republican Assembly Campaign Committee . January 19, 2021 .
  3. Web site: Biography . State Representative Robert Brooks . January 19, 2021 .
  4. News: WI Uncontested . . November 4, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141110190906/http://www.wkow.com/story/27275186/wi-uncontested . November 10, 2014 . . January 20, 2021 .
  5. News: Wisconsin Assembly Republican leader apologizes for making racial, sexual comments to female lawmakers . . Patrick. Marley. Molly. Beck. Daniel. Bice . September 26, 2018 . January 22, 2019 .
  6. News: Saukville republican resigns leadership position, not office after racist, sexual comments. WISN-TV. Scott. Bauer. September 26, 2018. January 22, 2019.
  7. News: Walker Calls On Rep. Rob Brooks To Resign Following Report Of Racial, Sexual Remarks . . Shawn . Johnson . September 26, 2018 . January 20, 2021 .
  8. 1044995252040470529 . September 26, 2018 . Governor Walker . GovWalker . Representative Brooks' comments are offensive and disrespectful. They have no place in our society and are inconsistent with the high standards that must be held by those in public office. He should resign from office, period. . January 20, 2021 .
  9. Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 . . February 22, 2019 . 24 . January 19, 2021 . February 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200207221049/https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/Summary%20Results-2018%20Gen%20Election_0.pdf . dead .
  10. Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 . . November 18, 2020 . 22 . January 20, 2021 . March 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210315220054/https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/Statewide%20Results%20All%20Offices%20%28pre-Presidential%20recount%29.pdf . dead .
  11. Canvass Results for 2014 Fall Partisan Primary - 8/12/2014 . . August 29, 2014 . 39 . January 19, 2021 . October 2, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201002031547/https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/Canvass_Results.pdf . dead .
  12. Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 . . November 26, 2014 . 22 . January 19, 2021 . December 13, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211213194318/https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/11.4.14%20Summary%20Results-all%20offices.pdf . dead .
  13. Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 . . December 22, 2016 . 22 . January 19, 2021 . March 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200307173552/https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/Statewide%20Results%20All%20Offices%20%28post-Presidential%20recount%29.pdf . dead .
  14. Canvass Results for 2020 Partisan Primary - 8/11/2020 . . August 26, 2020 . 38 . January 20, 2021 .