Pedro Colón
Pedro A. Colón (born April 7, 1968) is a Milwaukee jurist and politician who currently serves as a Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Milwaukee County. The first Latino elected to the Wisconsin Legislature, Colón was a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 8th Assembly District, from 1999 to 2010.[1] In 2010, he was appointed to the circuit court by Governor Jim Doyle.
The Honorable Pedro Colón | |
|---|---|
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 18 | |
| Assumed office September 20, 2010 | |
| Appointed by | Jim Doyle |
| Preceded by | Patricia D. McMahon |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 8th district | |
| In office January 1, 1999 – September 20, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Walter Kunicki |
| Succeeded by | JoCasta Zamarripa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 7, 1968 Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Betty Ulmer |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Alma mater | Marquette University, University of Wisconsin–Madison |
| Profession | attorney |
Background
Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, April 7, 1968, Colón grew up on the South Side of Milwaukee and graduated from Thomas More High School in Milwaukee. He received his B.A. in political science from Marquette University in 1991, and his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1994.[2]
Political history
He was first elected to the State Assembly in 1998, making him the first Latino to be elected a member of either house of the Wisconsin Legislature;[3] and was reelected in the next five elections. He serves as Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Finance and of the Judiciary and Ethics Committee.
He briefly ran for mayor of Milwaukee in 2003, but withdrew, endorsing and becoming co-chair of the campaign for eventual 2004 election winner Tom Barrett.[4] Colón also ran unsuccessfully for Milwaukee city attorney in 2008 against incumbent Grant Langley. On May 26, 2010, Colón announced that he was not running for re-election in the 2010 general election, and resigned from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Commission, which he once chaired.[5] The next day, he confirmed that he was applying for a job as the deputy director of legal services at the District, and had resigned to avoid a potential conflict of interest.[6]
Wisconsin Circuit Judge
In September 2010, Governor Jim Doyle appointed Colón a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge for Milwaukee County.[7] He was elected to the seat in the April 5, 2011 spring election,[8][9] and was subsequently re-elected in 2017.
Personal life
He is married to Betty J. Ulmer; they have two daughters, Lily and Julia, and live in Walker's Point. Colón is on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.[10]
References
- Wisconsin Blue Book 2009-2010, Biographical Sketch of Pedro Colon, p. 25
- Official biography
- Pabst, Georgia. "After a long campaign, Legislature's first Hispanic readies for next challenge" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Nov. 8, 1998
- Borowski, Greg J. "Colón bows out of mayor's race; Assemblyman endorses Barrett, will serve as campaign co-chair." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sept. 3, 2003; p. 1B, col. 2.
- Pabst, Georgia. "Colon, Newcomer won't seek another term: They join 21 other lawmakers who aren't running." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel May 27, 2010
- Behm, Don. "Pedro Colon says he is applying for MMSD job" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel May 28, 2010
- "Doyle appoints Pedro Colón to Circuit Court Judge". Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper. 2010-09-18. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
- Colon Appointed Judge
- Colon Holds On to Milwaukee County Court
- Biography on campaign website
External links
- Pedro Colón at Ballotpedia
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Follow the Money – Pedro A Colón
- Campaign 2008 campaign contributions at Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
| Wisconsin State Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Walter Kunicki |
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 8th district 2011 – present |
Succeeded by JoCasta Zamarripa |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Patricia D. McMahon |
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 18 2010 – present |
Incumbent |