Sept. 14, 2011-- Legislative recall and special elections in Wisconsin have increased the number of attorneys serving in the Legislature from 14 to 17 in 2011.

Special elections to fill vacant seats in the 48^th and 94^th Assembly Districts brought two new attorneys to Madison and a third lawyer was elected to the Senate in a recall election. The three new attorney legislators, all Democrats, are: Steve Doyle, 94^th Assembly District; Chris Taylor, 48^th Assembly District; and Jessica King, 18^th Senate District.

A special election was held in the 94^th Assembly District, which includes portions of La Crosse and Monroe Counties, in May 2011 to fill a vacancy created when Michael Huebsch was named Secretary of Administration by Governor Scott Walker. Doyle is a 1986 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School and practices in La Crosse.

A second special election was held in Dane County last month to fill a vacancy created earlier in 2011 when Joe Parisi was elected Dane County Executive. Chris Taylor, a 1995 University of Wisconsin Law School graduate, had served as Public Policy Director at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin from 2003 until her election.

This summer’s unprecedented series of recall elections also brought a new attorney to the Senate. Jessica King replaced Randy Hopper when she won an August recall election for the 18^th Senate District, which includes Oshkosh and Fond du Lac. She is a 2001 graduate of Thomas Jefferson School of Law and has previously served on the Oshkosh Common Council and as deputy mayor.

With these results, Republicans now hold a 59-38 majority in the Assembly (the 95^th Assembly District seat is vacant and Rep. Bob Ziegelbauer, who represents the 25^th Assembly District, is an independent) and a 17-16 majority in the Senate.

Attorney legislators who now serve in the Wisconsin Legislature are:

STATE ASSEMBLY

David Cullen (D-Milwaukee)
Steve Doyle (D-La Crosse)
Gary Hebl (D-Sun Prairie)
Fred Kessler (D-Milwaukee)
Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) 
Louis Molepske, Jr. (D-Stevens Point)
Jim Ott (R-Mequon)
Mark Radcliffe (D-Black River Falls)
Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee)
Kelda Helen Roys (D-Madison)
Tony Staskunas (D-West Allis)
Chris Taylor (D-Madison)

STATE SENATE

Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend)
Jessica King (D-Oshkosh)
Fred Risser (D-Madison)
Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee)
Rich Zipperer (R-Pewaukee)

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