Joseph A. Strohl

Joseph A. Strohl (born March 19, 1946) is a Wisconsin lobbyist and former Majority Leader of the Wisconsin State Senate. He represented Racine County as a Democrat from 1979 through 1991.

Joseph Strohl
Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader
In office
January 5, 1987  January 7, 1991
Preceded byTimothy Cullen
Succeeded byDavid Helbach
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 21st district
In office
January 3, 1979  January 7, 1991
Preceded byHenry Dorman
Succeeded byGeorge Petak
Personal details
Born (1946-03-19) March 19, 1946
Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children2
Alma materNorthern Michigan University

Biography

Joseph Strohl was born on March 19, 1946, in Evanston, Illinois.[1] He graduated from high school in Stephenson, Michigan, received his B.S. from Northern Michigan University and attended graduate school at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Strohl is married with one child and one stepchild. He worked as a teacher before entering politics.

Political career

Strohl began his political career working as a legislative aide to Congressman Les Aspin, (WI-01), from 1971 to 1978.

In 1978, Strohl challenged 14-year incumbent Wisconsin Senator Henry Dorman in the 21st District Senate Primary. Dorman had been indicted earlier in the year for misuse of state telephone credit cards, and was plagued by other controversies, including a nepotism scandal.[2] Strohl's opponent in the 1978 general election was Sister Michelle Olley, the President of the Racine Unified School Board and a Catholic nun. Olley had been embroiled in a contentious, months-long teachers strike in 1977 which lead to dozens of arrests.[3] Strohl defeated Olley in the general election, held November 7, 1978. He was re-elected in 1982 and 1986, ultimately serving twelve years in the Senate, including four years as Senate Majority Leader.

In 1989, Strohl ran into controversy when, as Majority Leader, he prevented a parental consent bill from coming to a vote on the Senate floor. This was exploited in the 1990 election by Strohl's opponent, Racine Unified School Board Member George Petak. Strohl went on to lose that election, held November 6, 1990. Petak took office in 1991, the first time a Republican had held the 21st district senate seat since Edward F. Hilker died in office in 1949.[4]

Since leaving the Senate, Strohl has worked as a lobbyist in Madison.[5]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Senate, 21st District Election, 1978[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic Joseph Strohl 10,884 52.28%
Democratic Henry Dorman (incumbent) 6,452 31.00%
Republican Michelle Olley 3,480 16.72%
Total votes '20,815' '100.0%'
General Election
Democratic Joseph Strohl (incumbent) 25,659 64.37%
Republican Michelle Olley 14,202 35.63%
Total votes '39,861' '100.0%'
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Senate, 21st District Election, 1982[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic Joseph Strohl (incumbent) 11,945 66.00%
Republican Edward J. Huck 6,153 34.00%
Total votes '18,098' '100.0%'
General Election
Democratic Joseph Strohl (incumbent) 27,497 62.55% -1.82%
Republican Edward J. Huck 16,465 37.45% +1.82%
Total votes '43,962' '100.0%' +10.29%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Senate, 21st District Election, 1986[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic Joseph Strohl (incumbent) 6,123 57.49%
Republican Donald E. Walsh 4,528 42.51%
Total votes '10,651' '100.0%'
General Election
Democratic Joseph Strohl (incumbent) 23,179 56.26% -6.29%
Republican Donald E. Walsh 18,018 43.74% +6.29%
Total votes '41,179' '100.0%' -6.33%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Senate, 21st District Election, 1990
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election
Democratic Joseph Strohl (incumbent) 4,821 61.70%
Republican George Petak 2,992 38.30%
Total votes 7,813 '100.0%'
General Election
Republican George Petak 23,216 58.66% +14.92%
Democratic Joseph Strohl (incumbent) 16,360 41.34% -14.92%
Total votes 39,576 '100.0%' -3.89%
Republican gain from Democratic

References

  1. "Strohl, Joseph A. 1946". Wisconsin Historical Society. Archived from the original on August 17, 2007. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
  2. "Former state Senator Henry Dorman dies at 82". Racine Journal Times. 1998-11-10. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
  3. "Board urges court to cite teachers for contempt". Kenosha News. Racine, Wisconsin. 1977-03-15.
  4. ""Remember Joe Strohl"". Racine Journal Times. 1991-04-06. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  5. Cary Spivak and Kevin Crowe (2014-06-28). "Medical lobby is a powerhouse in Wisconsin Capitol". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
  6. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections". The state of Wisconsin 1979-1980 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 902, 920. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
  7. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections". The state of Wisconsin 1983-1984 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 907. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
  8. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. "Elections". The state of Wisconsin 1987-1988 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 903. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
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