Devin LeMahieu
Majority Leader of the Wisconsin Senate
Assumed office
January 4, 2021
Preceded byScott L. Fitzgerald
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 9th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded byJoe Leibham
Personal details
Born (1972-08-08) August 8, 1972 (age 51)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
RelativesDaniel LeMahieu (father)
EducationDordt College (BA)

Devin LeMahieu (born August 8, 1972) is an American businessman and Republican politician from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He is the current majority leader of the Wisconsin Senate, since 2021, and has represented the 9th Senate district since 2015. His father, Daniel LeMahieu, served in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Early life, education and career

LeMathieu was born and raised in Sheboygan, Wisconsin; he graduated from Sheboygan County Christian High School in 1991. He went on to earn his bachelor's degree from Dordt College, in 1995, where he studied business administration and political science.[1] He is the owner of The Lakeshore Weekly in Oostburg, Wisconsin.

Early political career

LeMahieu served on the Sheboygan County Board of Supervisors as a member of the Human Resources and Finance Committees. His father, Dan LeMahieu, also served on the Sheboygan County Board (where he was the chairman) and as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.[2]

Wisconsin State Senate

On November 4, 2014, LeMahieu was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate as a Republican.[3] He succeeded Joe Leibham, who did not run for re-election.

After Scott L. Fitzgerald was elected to the United States House of Representatives, LeMahieu was selected by a majority of the Wisconsin Senate Republican Caucus to serve as the Senate's majority leader.[4][5]

He opposes the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana in Wisconsin.[6] He argued Wisconsin would be a "rogue state" if it were to legalize medical marijuana and that there was no "actual science behind it."[6]

In April 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, LeMahieu said he opposed the Wisconsin government setting COVID-19 rules in place.[6] He said, "I trust in people to educate themselves and make their own decisions. I don’t think at this point the government needs to tell people how to respond to the pandemic since we’re a year into this."[6]

In October 2021, LeMahieu defended a heavily pro-Republican gerrymandered redistricting map for Wisconsin.[7]

In January 2022, LeMahieu said that the Republican-led legislature would not confirm any of Tony Evers's appointees for the rest of Evers's term in office.[8]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Senate (2014, 2018, 2022)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
2014 General[9] Nov. 4 Devin LeMahieu Republican 43,186 59.95% Martha Laning Dem. 28,770 39.94% 72,035 14,416
2018 General[10] Nov. 6 Devin LeMahieu (inc) Republican 44,680 58.47% Kyle Whelton Dem. 31,684 41.47% 76,409 12,996
2022 General[11] Nov. 8 Devin LeMahieu (inc) Republican 57,836 93.64% Jarrod Schroeder (write-in) Dem. 1,237 2.00% 61,765 56,599

References

  1. ^ Urban Milwaukee-Devin LeMahieu
  2. ^ VoteSmart.org.-Devin LeMahieu
  3. ^ "Republican Devin LeMahieu wins Wisconsin's 9th state Senate District seat". Archived from the original on 2014-11-06. Retrieved 2014-11-06.
  4. ^ Journal, Mitchell Schmidt | Wisconsin State. "Sen. Devin LeMahieu to be next Senate Majority Leader". madison.com. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  5. ^ Fannon, Emilee (2020-12-06). "Capital City Sunday: Incoming Senate Leader on pandemic response, COVID-19 distribution plan". WKOW. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  6. ^ a b c d Marley, Patrick. "Wisconsin Republicans won't allow medical or recreational marijuana, top Republican says". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  7. ^ Johnson, Shawn (2021-10-20). "New Republican-drawn maps would extend GOP edge in Wisconsin for next decade". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  8. ^ Redman, Henry. "State Senate Won't Confirm Evers' Appointees". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  9. ^ Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. November 26, 2014. p. 6. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  10. ^ Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. February 22, 2019. pp. 6–7. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  11. ^ Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 6. Retrieved January 29, 2024.

External links

Wisconsin Senate Preceded byJoe Leibham Member of the Wisconsin Senatefrom the 9th district 2015–present Incumbent Preceded byScott L. Fitzgerald Majority Leader of the Wisconsin Senate 2021–present
Statewide political officials of Wisconsin
Floor leaders of state senates
Members of the Wisconsin Senate
Categories