John Lehman (Wisconsin politician)

John W. Lehman (born August 2, 1945) is an American educator and politician from Racine, Wisconsin. Lehman represented the 21st District in the Wisconsin Senate from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2012 to 2015, and was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin in 2014. Previously, Lehman was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1997 through 2007.[1] Elected as a state senator in 2006 but unseated in 2010, Lehman retook his old seat in the 2012 Wisconsin recall elections, defeating the incumbent, Van Wanggaard.

John W. Lehman
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 21st district
In office
July 16, 2012 – January 5, 2015
Preceded byVan Wanggaard
Succeeded byVan Wanggaard
In office
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byCathy Stepp
Succeeded byVan Wanggaard
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 62nd district
In office
January 6, 1997 – January 3, 2007
Preceded byKimberly Plache
Succeeded byCory Mason
Member of the Racine City Council
In office
1988–2000
Personal details
Born (1945-08-02) August 2, 1945
Rhinelander, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Catherine A. Lehman
ResidenceRacine, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma materLuther College
Carthage College

Background

Born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, Lehman graduated from Washington Park High School in Racine, Wisconsin. He received his bachelor's degree from Luther College and his master's degree from Carthage College. He also went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison and University of Wisconsin–Parkside. He taught history and economics at Washington Park High School.[2]

Political career

Lehman was elected to the Racine City Council in 1988. In 1996 he ran for and won election in the 62nd assembly district in a vacancy created when incumbent Kimberly Plache defeated 21st district state senator George Petak in a recall election. Lehman gave up his City Council seat in 2000. In 2006 the 21st state senate district was again an open seat, Lehman ran and defeated Republican Bill McReynolds. Lehman lost his senate seat in the 2010 wave election.[3][4]

On January 31, 2012, Lehman announced he would run against Wanggaard in what then was "looking like" a probable recall election. He stated "we need a change in course in this state and we need it now" before a gathering of about 20 supporters at the Racine Public Library, where he made the announcement. He added that "we need real leadership in Madison."[5] Volunteers and workers gathered more than 24,000 signatures to recall Wanggaard, one of four state Senators facing a recall along with the Republican Governor Scott Walker and the Republican Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch.[6]

Lehman claimed he was "not seeking payback" against Wanggaard for the 2010 election, but that Wanggaard has not represented Racine County well in the Senate. The Senate Minority Leader Mark F. Miller (D-Monona) stated that the Democrats "could not have done better" because "they" (meaning Lehman, state Rep. Donna Seidel, who would run against current Senator Pam Galloway in the Wausau district, and former state Rep. Kristen Dexter against Senator Terry Moulton in the Chippewa Falls district) "are folks that people have voted for before."[7] On June 6, 2012, Lehman narrowly defeated Wangaard, giving Democrats a brief one vote majority in the Wisconsin State Senate.

On November 18, 2013, Lehman announced that he would not seek re-election, and instead launched a campaign for Lieutenant Governor in the 2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.[8] On August 12, 2014, he won the Democratic nomination, defeating Mary Jo Walters. Lehman and his running-mate, gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke, lost the general election to incumbents Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch.

In 2018, Lehman announced that he would run for election again for the open seat in the 62nd Assembly District, which had been redrawn in 2011 into a safe Republican district.[9] Lehman was defeated by Racine Unified School Board President Robert Wittke in the 2018 general election.[10]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1996-2004)
Wisconsin Assembly, 62nd District Election, 1996[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic John Lehman 1,625 32.81%
Democratic Susan Michetti 802 16.19%
Republican Joseph S. Clementi 787 15.89%
Republican James Turek 750 15.14%
Republican Joseph F. Karls 552 11.14%
Democratic Paul A. Miller 437 8.82%
Democratic Sonia Tellez 359 7.25%
Republican Stella A. Young 255 5.15%
Libertarian Jim Sewell 16 0.32%
Taxpayers Thomas Casper 10 0.20%
Libertarian Todd Mascaretti 0 0.00%
Total votes '4,953' '100.0%'
General Election
Democratic John Lehman 10,765 53.48%
Republican Joseph S. Clementi 8,395 41.71%
Taxpayers Thomas Casper 512 2.54%
Libertarian Jim Sewell 457 2.27%
Total votes '20,129' '100.0%'
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Assembly, 62nd District Election, 1998[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic John Lehman (Incumbent) 1,912 63.08%
Republican Joseph S. Clementi 1,119 36.92%
Total votes '3,031' '100.0%'
General Election
Democratic John Lehman (Incumbent) 9,771 58.90% +5.42%
Republican Joseph S. Clementi 6,818 41.10% -0.61%
Total votes '16,589' '100.0%'
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Assembly, 62nd District Election, 2000[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic John Lehman (Incumbent) 974 99.19%
Constitution Mark Duncan 8 0.81%
Total votes '982' '100.0%'
General Election
Democratic John Lehman (Incumbent) 16,180 85.80% +26.90%
Constitution Mark Duncan 2,658 14.09%
Write-ins 20 0.11%
Total votes '18,858' '100.0%' +13.68%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Assembly, 62nd District Election, 2002[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic John Lehman (Incumbent) 3,867 99.43%
Libertarian Keith Deschler 22 0.57%
Total votes '3,889' '100.0%'
General Election
Democratic John Lehman (Incumbent) 10,974 84.77% -1.03%
Libertarian Keith Deschler 1,945 15.03%
Write-ins 26 0.20%
Total votes '12,945' '100.0%' -31.36%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Assembly, 62nd District Election, 2004[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic John Lehman (Incumbent) 1,622 98.96%
Libertarian Keith Deschler 17 1.04%
Total votes '21,477' '100.0%'
General Election
Democratic John Lehman (Incumbent) 19,282 89.55% +4.78%
Libertarian Keith Deschler 2,195 10.19% -4.84%
Write-ins 56 0.26%
Total votes '21,533' '100.0%' +66.34%
Democratic hold

Wisconsin Senate (2006, 2010, 2012)
Wisconsin Senate, 21st District Election, 2006[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic John Lehman 5,972 55.84%
Republican Bill McReynolds 4,709 44.03%
Write-ins 13 0.12%
Total votes '10,681' '100.0%'
General Election
Democratic John Lehman 31,737 53.03% +3.89%
Republican Bill McReynolds 28,069 46.90% -3.78%
Write-ins 38 0.06%
Total votes '59,844' '100.0%' +19.57%
Democratic gain from Republican
Wisconsin Senate, 21st District Election, 2010[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Republican Van Wanggaard 13,864 61.13%
Democratic John Lehman (incumbent) 5,317 23.45%
Republican Bob Gulan 3,475 15.32%
Write-ins 22 0.10%
Total votes '22,678' '100.0%'
General Election
Republican Van Wanggaard 32,036 52.52% +5.62%
Democratic John Lehman (incumbent) 28,930 47.43% -5.60%
Write-ins 29 0.05%
Total votes '60,995' '100.0%' +5.60%
Republican gain from Democratic
Wisconsin Senate, 21st District recall Election, 2012[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic John Lehman 20,284 67.80%
Democratic Tamra Varebrook 9,513 31.80%
Write-ins 122 0.41%
Total votes '29,919' '100.0%'
General Election
Democratic John Lehman 36,358 50.53% +3.10%
Republican Van Wanggaard (incumbent) 35,539 49.39% -3.13%
Write-ins 58 0.08%
Total votes '71,955' '100.0%' +17.97%
Democratic gain from Republican

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor (2014)
Wisconsin Lieutenant Gubernatorial Primary Election, 2014
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Rebecca Kleefisch (incumbent) 228,864 46.58%
Democratic John Lehman 144,591 29.43%
Democratic Mary Jo Walters 116,518 23.71%
Write-ins 1,410 0.29%
Total votes '491,383' '100.0%'
Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election, 2014
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Scott Walker / Rebecca Kleefisch (incumbent) 1,259,031 52.26% -0.82%
Democratic Mary Burke / John Lehman 1,122,913 46.59% +0.31%
Independent Robert Burke / Joseph M. Brost 18,720 0.78%
Independent Dennis Fehr 7,530 0.31%
Write-ins 1,445 0.06%
Total votes '2,410,314' '100.0%'
Republican hold

Wisconsin Assembly (2018)
Wisconsin Assembly, 62nd District Election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election[19]
Democratic John Lehman 4,903 45.63%
Republican Robert Wittke 3,931 36.58%
Republican John Leiber 1,885 17.54%
Write-ins 26 0.24%
Total votes '10,745' '100.0%'
General Election[20]
Republican Robert Wittke 16,035 54.87%
Democratic John Lehman 13,161 45.04%
Write-ins 27 0.09%
Total votes '29,223' '100.0%' +29.75%
Republican hold

References
  1. State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2009-2010 (biographical sketch of John Lehman), pg. 60
  2. Wisconsin Blue Book 2009-2010 (biographical sketch of John Lehman), pg. 60
  3. "The race for state Senate: Lehman vs. Wanggaard". Racine Journal Times. 2010-10-11. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  4. Mike Moore (2010-11-02). "STATE SENATE: Lehman concedes to Wanggaard as Senate falls to GOP control". Racine Journal Times. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  5. Lehman vs. Wanggaard
  6. Lehman vs Wanggaard, ibid.
  7. Huffington Post coverage of Terry Moulton recall effort
  8. Lehman to run for Lt. Governor
  9. Stephanie Jones (2018-05-08). "John Lehman to run for state Assembly". Racine Journal Times. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  10. "Wittke elected in District 62; incumbents returned in other legislative races". Racine Journal Times. 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  11. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1997-1998 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 901, 904. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  12. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1999-2000 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 880, 883. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  13. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 2001-2002 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 927, 930. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  14. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 2003-2004 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 920, 923. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  15. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections". State of Wisconsin 2005-2006 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 926, 929. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  16. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections". State of Wisconsin 2007-2008 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 908, 909. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  17. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections". State of Wisconsin 2011-2012 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 892, 893. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  18. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections". State of Wisconsin 2013-2014 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 892, 893. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  19. Wisconsin Elections Commission Official Results, 2018 Partisan Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  20. Canvass Results for 2018 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. Retrieved 2019-03-26.


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