Jim Holperin
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 12th district
In office
January 3, 2009 – January 7, 2013
Preceded byRoger Breske
Succeeded byTom Tiffany
3rd Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism
In office
May 12, 2003 – January 3, 2007
GovernorJim Doyle
Preceded byKevin Shibilski
Succeeded byKelli A. Trumble
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office
January 7, 1985 – January 2, 1995
Preceded byJohn Medinger
Succeeded byJoe Handrick
Constituency34th Assembly district
In office
January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1985
Preceded byThomas A. Loftus
Succeeded byThomas A. Loftus
Constituency46th Assembly district
Personal details
Born (1950-12-18) December 18, 1950
Eagle River, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Whitewater (BS)

James C. Holperin (born December 18, 1950) is a retired American politician from Vilas County, Wisconsin. He served in the Wisconsin State Senate (2009–2012) and State Assembly (1983–1994), representing northern Wisconsin. He also served as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism from during the first term of Governor Jim Doyle.[1][2] He is the only state legislator in history to face recall twice, surviving both.

Early life and education

Holperin was born in Eagle River, Wisconsin, on December 18, 1950. In 1969, he graduated from Eagle River High School. In 1973, he earned a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.[3]

Career

He served for nine years (1994-2003) as the director of Trees For Tomorrow, a natural resources specialty school focused primarily on conservation education for young people.[4][5]

Assembly

In 1982, he successfully ran for the 46th District seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly representing Oneida and Vilas Counties. He served on the budget committee and the Joint Committee on Finance. After redistricting based on the 1980 Census, Holperin's district was re-designated as the 34th. In 1990, Holperin faced a recall effort due to his support for Native American treaty rights. At the center of the dispute was the controversy over the treaties between the federal government and the Chippewa tribe, in which the tribe ceded vast lands in northern Wisconsin in exchange for spearfishing, hunting, and timber harvesting rights. Holperin won the recall election handily, winning 61% of the vote.[6] He retired in 1994. He was succeeded by Republican Joe Handrick.

Senate

In 2003, Governor Jim Doyle appointed him as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.[7] In 2008, he ran to become a State Senator when incumbent Democratic Wisconsin State Senator Roger Breske decided to retire after four-plus terms (1990–2008). He defeated Republican nominee Tom Tiffany with 51% of the vote.[8]

2011 Union protests

During the 2011 protests in Wisconsin, Holperin, along with the 13 other Democratic State Senators, left the state on February 17 to deny the State Senate a quorum on Governor Scott Walker's controversial budget repair bill. On March 9, Republicans in the State Senate declared that they had removed all fiscal provisions from the fiscal repair bill and passed it without needing a quorum. On March 12, Holperin and the rest of the Democratic Senators returned to Wisconsin.

2011 attempted recall

Holperin was one of three Democratic state senators facing recall as a result of the 2011 Wisconsin protests. On February 22, 2011, the "Jim Holperin Recall Committee" officially registered with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board.[9] 15,960 valid signatures of electors residing within the 12th District were required by April 25, 2011, to generate a recall election.

On March 10, 2011, supporters of the recall effort against Holperin complained of intimidation by his supporters.[10] On April 21, 2011, Holperin recall supporters filed about 23,300 signatures on recall petitions.[11]

Holperin and Kim Simac faced off in the general recall election on August 16, 2011. Holperin won, keeping his seat.[12]

Election 2012

In March 2012, with his district having been drastically revised by the legislature, Holperin announced he would not seek re-election in 2012.[13] He was succeeded in the new 12th District by Republican Tom Tiffany.

References

  1. ↑ Wisconsin Blue Book 2011-2012, Biography Sketch of Jim Holperin, pg. 42
  2. ↑ "Senator Jim Holperin (WI)". Project Vote Smart. 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Wisconsin State Legislature Home Page".
  4. ↑ Millard, Pete (November 16, 2003). "Promoting 'up north' -- and more". Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  5. ↑ "About Us". Trees For Tomorrow. 2003. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  6. ↑ Th Milwaukee Journal April 4, 1990.
  7. ↑ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Jim Holperin".
  8. ↑ "Our Campaigns - WI State Senate 12 Race - Nov 04, 2008".
  9. ↑ "Jim Holperin Recall Committee". Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. March 9, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  10. ↑ Rietz, Kristin (March 10, 2011). "Confrontation at Merrill rally to recall Holperin". WAOW. Archived from the original on March 15, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  11. ↑ Tolan, Tom (April 21, 2011). "Recall petitions filed against 4 lawmakers". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  12. ↑ "News from the Associated Press". hosted.ap.org. Archived from the original on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  13. ↑ State Senator Jim Holperin Will Not Seek Reelection
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