Robin Vos

Robin J. Vos (born July 5, 1968) is an American Republican politician and the 79th Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly. He has been a member of the Assembly since 2005,[2] representing Racine County, and has been Speaker since 2013.[3] Vos is the President of National Conference of State Legislatures.[4]

Robin Vos
79th Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly
Assumed office
January 7, 2013
Preceded byJeff Fitzgerald
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 63rd district
Assumed office
January 3, 2005
Preceded byBonnie Ladwig
Personal details
Born (1968-07-05) July 5, 1968
Burlington, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Amy Kuemmel (2000–2003)
Samantha Schmitt (2008–2017)
Michelle Litjens (2017–present)
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Whitewater (B.A.)
Salary$53,299[1]
WebsiteOfficial page
Official twitter

Early life and education

Vos was born on July 5, 1968, in Burlington, Wisconsin, in the southwest corner of Racine County. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1986.

Vos attended the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where he studied political science and public relations. While at Whitewater, he roomed with Reince Priebus, who later became Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, and the 27th White House Chief of Staff. In 1989, Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson appointed Vos as a student representative on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. Vos graduated in 1991.[5]

Career

After graduation, Vos worked as a legislative assistant to State Representatives Jim Ladwig and Bonnie Ladwig.[5] 1994 Vos was elected to the Racine County Board of Supervisors. He remained on the board for the next 10 years.[6] After the election Vos worked as district director for State Representative Mark Neumann.[5]

In 1996 Vos purchased the RoJos Popcorn Company in Burlington.[5][7] His popcorn business, Robin J. Vos Enterprises, received more than $150,000 in coronavirus relief during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020.[8]

In 2004 Vos ran for the Wisconsin State Assembly to succeed Ladwig in the 63rd district. He was unopposed in the 2004 primary and general elections.

After Republicans won full control of government in Wisconsin in 2010, Vos rose to prominence pushing the controversial budget restructuring act alongside Governor Scott Walker. The law curtailed collective bargaining rights and public education funding in Wisconsin, and led to massive protests around the state, culminating in the 2012 Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election.[5]

In 2013, Vos was elected Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly.[5][9] Between 2014 and 2018 he received about $57,000 in travel and perks from lobbyists and organizations. He said he was certain he had followed ethics rules with his travel.[10][11][12] Vos supports deregulating the payday loan industry.[10] He opposes Medicaid expansion.[13]

In 2016 Vos endorsed Marco Rubio for president. After Rubio dropped out of the race, Vos endorsed Ted Cruz.[14]

In February 2019 Vos defended Brian Hagedorn, a judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals running for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, amid reports that Hagedorn had founded a school in 2016 that allowed for the expulsion of students and faculty if they were gay. Vos said he believed Hagedorn could rule fairly on LGBT issues.[15]

In July 2019 Vos was widely criticized for refusing to prohibit overnight floor sessions or allow paralyzed Democratic lawmaker Jimmy Anderson, who is in a wheelchair, to phone into committee meetings.[16][17] He later accused Anderson of political grandstanding[18] and attempting to sabotage him as Vos took on his new national role as head of the National Conference of State Legislatures.[19]

In August 2019 Vos became the 47th President of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Curbing the powers of the Evers administration

After Democratic nominee Tony Evers won the 2018 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, defeating incumbent Republican governor Scott Walker, Vos was the first public official to propose curbing the incoming governor's powers.[20] He claimed it was to restore a balance of power between the governor and the legislature, despite having previously voted to expand gubernatorial power.[21][22] Vos also said the changes were intended to lock in laws passed by Republicans and to prevent the incoming Democratic administration from fulfilling its campaign pledges, particularly a pledge to withdraw Wisconsin from a lawsuit seeking to overturn the federal Affordable Care Act.[23] The Republican-led legislature was called into a December lame duck session and passed laws decreasing the powers of the incoming governor, limiting early voting, and giving the legislature more control. Outgoing governor Walker then signed the bill.[24]

Christopher Beem of the McCourtney Institute of Democracy at Pennsylvania State University described Wisconsin Republicans' power grab as a "deeply undemocratic act." While it could be legal, Beem said, it erodes democratic norms: "Wisconsin’s GOP lawmakers are using power that the majority of the electorate has just taken away from them in order to make it more difficult for the incoming administration to undertake actions that the majority has just shown that it wants."[25] In June 2019 the conservative majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the December 2018 laws, ruling that extraordinary sessions are constitutional.[26]

Robin Vos on election day during the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic
Further information: COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin

In April 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Vos opposed calls by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, to delay the state's primary election from early April to late May, to make it a mail-in election, and to mail ballots to all registered voters.[27][28] The legislature adjourned without taking action on any of those proposals. When the governor then issued a last-minute emergency order to suspend in-person voting, Vos and the state senate majority leader appealed the order to the state supreme court, which overturned it, and the election was held as scheduled.[29] Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was estimated that many voters would be effectively disenfranchised, and in-person voting was also considered a public health risk.[27][30] According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Vos had no answer to how local election officials are supposed to keep people safe as a massive shortage of poll workers has resulted in the closure or reduction of polling locations, forcing more people to vote at a single site."[31] Vos said, "If you are bored at home and sick of watching Netflix, volunteer to go and help at the polls."[31]

On election day, Vos served as an election inspector.[32] While dressed in full-body personal protective equipment,[33] he said it was "incredibly safe" to vote at the polls.[32] More than 50 coronavirus cases in Wisconsin were later linked to in-person voting in the 2020 spring election, but it remains unclear how many of those people contracted the virus at the polls.[34]

Due to the Republican-controlled Wisconsin legislature's slowness to waive a requirement that unemployed Wisconsites wait a week before they can be reimbursed unemployment benefits, Wisconsin lost $25 million in federal funding from the CARES Act. Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald had been warned that this would happen if the waiver was not passed in time.[35]

Electoral history
Wisconsin 63rd District Assembly Election 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Robin Vos 16,775 61.00% -3.16%
Democratic Joel Jacobsen 10,705 38.93% +3.09%
Write-ins 19 0.07%
Total votes 27,499 100.0% -6.01%
Republican hold
Wisconsin 63rd District Assembly Election 2016
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Robin Vos 18,771 64.16% +0.93%
Democratic Andy Mitchell 10,487 35.84% -0.86%
Total votes 29,258 100.0% +20.42%
Republican hold
Wisconsin 63rd District Assembly Election 2014
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Robin Vos 15,361 63.23% +4.92%
Democratic Andy Mitchell 8,917 36.70% -4.92%
Write-ins 17 0.07%
Total votes 24,295 100.0% -19.98%
Republican hold
Wisconsin 63rd District Assembly Primary Election 2014
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Robin Vos 4,594 89.45%
Republican Bryn Biemeck 540 10.51%
Write-ins 2 35.84% -0.04%
Total votes 5,136 100.0%
Wisconsin 63rd District Assembly Election 2012
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Robin Vos 17,704 58.31% -41.04%
Democratic Kelley Albrecht 12,637 41.62%
Write-ins 21 0.07%
Total votes 30,362 100.0% +54.49%
Republican hold
Wisconsin 63rd District Assembly Election 2010
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Robin Vos 19,525 99.35% +37.84%
Write-ins 128 0.65%
Total votes 19,653 100.0% -40.07%
Republican hold
Wisconsin 63rd District Assembly Election 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Robin Vos 20,172 61.51% +3.35%
Democratic Linda Flashinski 12,609 38.45% -3.37%
Write-ins 13 0.04%
Total votes 32,794 100.0% +33.12%
Republican hold
Wisconsin 63rd District Assembly Election 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Robin Vos 14,329 58.16% -41.21%
Democratic Tim Daley 10,304 41.82%
Write-ins 4 0.02%
Total votes 24,637 100.0% +3.38%
Republican hold
Wisconsin 63rd District Assembly Election 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Robin Vos 23,682 99.37%
Write-ins 149 0.63%
Total votes 23,831 100.0%
Republican hold

Awards and memberships

The seventh annual Children's Champion Policy Awards from Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin were given to Vos and State Representatives Steve Doyle and Patrick Snyder for their work with the Speaker's Task Force on Foster Care. The award honors public policy leaders in Wisconsin who work to positively impact the lives of Wisconsin children and families by moving children's health policy forward.[36]

Vos is the President-Elect of the National Conference of State Legislatures,[37] a bipartisan organization for legislators and staff, and the Second Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation.[38] A member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Vos is the group's former Wisconsin state chair.[39]

References
  1. Salaries of Wisconsin State Elected Officials (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. 2019. p. 2. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  2. Profile, legis.wisconsin.gov; accessed November 15, 2014.
  3. Wisconsin Blue Book 2011-2012, Biographical sketch of Robin Vos, p. 61.
  4. "Wisconsin Speaker Robin Vos to Head NCSL". National Conference of State Legislatures. August 19, 2019.
  5. "Robin Vos Timeline". Wisconsin State Journal. December 22, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  6. "Robin Vos - Ballotpedia". Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  7. "Robin Vos, the man amidst the controversy", journaltimes.com; accessed November 15, 2014.
  8. Marley, Patrick. "Assembly Speaker Robin Vos' popcorn company received $150,000 or more under the Paycheck Protection Program". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  9. "Robin J. Vos".
  10. Patrick Marley. "Assembly Speaker Robin Vos received $57,000 in travel and other perks since 2014". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 3, 2018.
  11. Julie Carr Smyth. Robin Vos among GOP leaders who made trip with lobbyists and controversial lawmaker". Wisconsin State Journal, April 18, 2018.
  12. Jason Stein and Patrick Marley. "Speaker Robin Vos took free trip to London with lobbyists and leaders from other states". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 12, 2018.
  13. "Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos vows to 'never' take Medicaid expansion money". WIZM 92.3FM 1410AM. October 3, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  14. Sommerhauser, Mark (March 25, 2016). "Robin Vos endorses Ted Cruz". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  15. "Realtors revoke endorsement of Supreme Court candidate Brian Hagedorn over school's policy on gay students". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  16. Associated Press (August 1, 2019). "Republicans won't let Democratic lawmaker in wheelchair phone in". Wisconsin State Journal.
  17. Pierce, Charles P. (August 2, 2019). "This Is Called Being a Colossal Dick for No Reason at All". Esquire.
  18. Smith, Matt (August 1, 2019). "Assembly speaker accuses paralyzed lawmaker of 'political grandstanding'". WISN 12 News.
  19. Beck, Molly (August 15, 2019). "Robin Vos accuses paralyzed lawmaker of trying to sabotage him by seeking accommodations". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  20. "What The Wisconsin Political Power Play Means For American Democracy". www.wbur.org. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  21. BAUER, TODD RICHMOND and SCOTT. "Vos open to looking at ways to limit Evers' powers". Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  22. Press, Associated. "Vos open to limiting power of Evers as governor". Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  23. Berman, Russell (December 5, 2018). "'Wisconsin Has Never Seen Anything Like This'". The Atlantic. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  24. Johnson, Shawn; White, Laurel (December 5, 2020). "Wisconsin Legislature Works Overnight To Approve Limiting Gov.-Elect Tony Evers' Power". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  25. Beem, Christopher. "Wisconsin GOP's power grab is a danger to democracy". The Conversation. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  26. https://madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-ruling-upholds-lame-duck-laws/article_3ca70585-a462-5faa-97c7-37b1e25543b9.html
  27. Natasha Korecki & Zach Montellaro (April 3, 2020). "Wisconsin governor makes last-minute plea to delay Tuesday election". Politico.
  28. Danbeck, Jackson. "Wisconsin GOP says election should go on as scheduled". Associated Press. Retrieved April 4, 2020 – via WMTV.
  29. Karson, Kendall (April 6, 2020). "Wisconsin Supreme Court blocks order by governor suspending in-person voting, putting Tuesday's election back on track". ABC News. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  30. Montellaro, Zach. "'It is terrifying': Wisconsin leaders warn of coronavirus disaster with Tuesday's vote". POLITICO. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  31. Beck, Molly. "Republican lawmakers reject Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers' call to stop in-person voting Tuesday because of virus threat". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  32. Sullivan, Kate. "Republican Wisconsin assembly speaker wears protective gear while ironically telling voters they are 'incredibly safe to go out'". CNN. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  33. Panetta, Grace (April 7, 2020). "Watch Wisconsin's Assembly Speaker tell voters it is 'incredibly safe to go out' while dressed in head to toe PPE gear". Business Insider. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  34. "52 who worked or voted in Wisconsin election have COVID-19". ABC News. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  35. Beck, Molly. "Wisconsin lost out on $25M in federal funding because GOP lawmakers waited to pass coronavirus relief bill". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  36. "Children's Hospital of Wisconsin honors state officials". LaCrosse Tribune. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  37. "National Conference of State Legislatures".
  38. "State Legislative Leaders Foundation".
  39. Lazic, Nikolina (April 30, 2014). "Federal Court Strikes Down WI's 'Discriminatory' Voter ID as Unconstitutional". progressive.org. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by
Bonnie Ladwig		 Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 63rd district
2005 – present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Jeff Fitzgerald		 Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly
2013 – present		 Incumbent
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