Roger Roth

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Roger Roth
Wisconsin State Senator Roth Leads a Q&A Session with Secretary Pompeo (50379157197) (cropped).jpg
President of the Wisconsin State Senate
In office
January 3, 2017 – January 4, 2021
Preceded byMary Lazich
Succeeded byChris Kapenga
Member of the Wisconsin State Senate
from the 19th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded byMichael Ellis
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 56th district
In office
January 1, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byTerri McCormick
Succeeded byMichelle Litjens
Personal details
Born (1978-02-05) February 5, 1978 (age 43)
Appleton, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin–Oshkosh (BA)

Roger J. Roth Jr. (born February 5, 1978) is an American politician from Wisconsin. A Republican, he was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 2007 to 2011, and a member of the Wisconsin State Senate from 2015 to present.

Early life, education, and career before politics[]

Roth was born in Appleton, Wisconsin on February 5, 1978.[1] Roth graduated from St. Mary Central High School in Neenah, Wisconsin in 1996 and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh in 2001.[1][2] He was a member of "Students for Bush" while in college, and also worked on Tommy Thompson's reelection campaign.[2] Prior to entering politics, Roth worked for his family's homebuilding business.[2] In 2003, Roth joined the Wisconsin Air National Guard; he served four tours of duty during the Iraq War, doing F-16 maintenance.[2]

Political career[]

Roth was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican from 2007 to 2011.[1] He supported a resolution backing a Republican lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act, the federal health care reform legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama.[3] Roth called for the repeal of the ACA.[4]

In 2010, Roth sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives seat from Wisconsin's 8th congressional district, seeking to challenge incumbent Democratic Representative Steve Kagen.[4] However, Roth was defeated by Reid Ribble in the Republican primary election.[2][5]

In the 2014 election, Roth ran for the Wisconsin State Senate against Penny Bernard Schaber in the 19th state Senate district to replace longtime incumbent Michael Ellis, who retired after holding the seat since 1982.[2] The seat covered Appleton and a large portion of the Fox Valley.[2] Roth won the November 2014 election.[6][7] Roth was reelected to the state Senate in 2018, defeating Democratic nominee Lee Snodgrass.[8] Roth considered seeking the 2016 Republican nomination to fill the U.S. House seat held by Ribble, who decided not to seek reelection.[9] However, Roth ultimately chose not to run.[10]

In 2017, Roth introduced legislation in the state Senate that would abolish the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources permitting system for wetland filling, allowing developers to fill state wetlands without oversight. Fellow Republican Jim Steineke introduced a companion bill in the state Assembly. The bill was opposed by environmental and conservation groups.[11][12] The bill was unsuccessful.[13]

As Senate president, Roth opposed proposals to legalize marijuana in Wisconsin.[14]

In January 2019, Roth falsely claimed that Wisconsin Republicans did not curb the powers of the incoming Democratic administration of Governor Tony Evers and State Attorney General Josh Kaul, during the lame-duck session. In fact, after Evers and Kaul unseated Republicans in the 2018 election, the Republican-majority state legislature passed, and outgoing Republican Governor Scott Walker signed, an array of last-minute bills transferring various powers from the executive to the legislature.[15]

In 2020, Roth proposed a resolution in the Wisconsin Senate, condemning human rights abuses and atrocities by the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party, including the occupation of Tibet, persecution of Uyghurs, harvesting of organs from Falun Gong practitioners and other political prisoners, and restrictions on religious freedom and freedom of speech; the resolution criticized Chinese propaganda efforts and accused the Chinese government of sustained intellectual property theft.[16]

In January 2021, amid a campaign by President Donald Trump to subvert his defeat by Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, Roth opposed a resolution in the Wisconsin Senate to affirm Biden's victory and condemn the U.S. Capitol attack.[17]

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges, Roth blocked the Evers' nominees to the state technical college system board; years into Evers' governorship, the committee had refused to confirm Evers's nominees while allowing Walker's appointees to continue to serve even though their terms were expired.[18]

In 2021, Roth and fellow Republican Shae Sortwell proposed an amendment to the Wisconsin state Constitution to eliminate elections for the state superintendent, state treasurer, and secretary of state (all positions currently held by Democrats). Roth and Sortwell's proposed amendment would convert these positions into appointed posts filled by the governor with confirmation by the state Senate.[19]

Personal life[]

His uncle, Toby Roth, was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin from 1979 to 1997.[2]

Electoral history[]

Wisconsin 19th Senate election, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roger Roth 41 628 57.17
Democratic Penny Bernard Schaber 31 135 42.76
Republican hold
Wisconsin 56th Assembly election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roger Roth (incumbent) 20,971 59.66
Democratic Susan Garcia Franz 14,144 40.24
Scattering 34 0.10
Republican hold
Wisconsin 56th Assembly election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roger Roth 15,472 59.04
Democratic Susan Garcia Franz 10 722 40.91
Republican hold

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b c Senator Roger Roth: Senate District 19 (R-Appleton), Wisconsin State Legislature.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Nick Penzenstadler (October 26, 2014). "Politics runs deep for Roger Roth". Post-Crescent Media/USA Today Network. Appleton, Wis.
  3. ^ Katherine Kehoe, Obama signs health care bill, Badger Herald (March 24, 2010).
  4. ^ a b Larry Sandler, 3 vying to take on Kagen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (August 27, 2010).
  5. ^ Craig Gilbert, Ribble wins race to oppose Kagen, Wisconsin Journal Sentinel (September 15, 2010).
  6. ^ 'Republicans fend Democratic attempt at control, keep majority in Wisconsin state Senate', Minneapolis Star Tribune, Todd Richmond, November 5, 2014.
  7. ^ Maureen McCollum, Republican Marklein Wins Schultz's Open Seat In Senate: Victory Cements GOP's Retention Of Senate Control, Wisconsin Public Radio (November 5, 2014).
  8. ^ Mica Soellner, Wisconsin election: Roger Roth retains Senate seat with victory over Lee Snodgrass, Appleton Post-Crescent (November 7, 2018).
  9. ^ Four consider run at Reid Ribble's seat, Appleton Post-Crescent (February 1, 2016).
  10. ^ Madeleine Behr, Roger Roth won't run for Reid Ribble's seat, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin (February 4, 2016).
  11. ^ Environmental group rips GOP wetland permit bill, Associated Press (October 2, 2017).
  12. ^ The Latest: Wetland exemption authors promise easier process, Associated Press (December 21, 2017).
  13. ^ Todd Richmond, Wisconsin GOP revises wetland permit exemptions bill, Associated Press (January 29, 2018).
  14. ^ Doug Schneider, Legalizing marijuana: No quick action likely in Wisconsin despite overwhelming support at polls, Green Bay Press Gazette (November 7, 2018).
  15. ^ Eric Litke (January 10, 2019). "Roth veers from party line with lame-duck action impact". PolitiFact.
  16. ^ Alexandra Ma. "China is attempting to win political points from the coronavirus with 'mask diplomacy' — but it mostly isn't working". Business Insider.
  17. ^ Beck, Molly. "Wisconsin Senate Republicans block resolution condemning U.S. Capitol assault and affirming Biden victory". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  18. ^ Kelly Meyerhofer. "GOP hasn't confirmed most of Gov. Tony Evers' picks to UW Regents, tech college board". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  19. ^ Molly Beck, Wisconsin GOP lawmakers want superintendent, treasurer and secretary of state appointed, not elected, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (September 29, 2021).

External links[]

Political offices
Preceded by President of the Wisconsin Senate
2017–2021 		Succeeded by
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