Shae Sortwell
Shae Sortwell | |
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Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 2nd district | |
Assumed office January 7, 2019 | |
Preceded by | André Jacque |
Personal details | |
Born | [1] Saratoga Springs, New York | August 3, 1985
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Krista |
Children | 6 |
Residence | Gibson, Wisconsin |
Website | |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() ![]() |
Years of service | 2009–2018 |
Rank | ![]() |
Shae Sortwell (born August 3, 1985) is an American Republican politician. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 2nd Assembly district since 2019.
Political career[]
Local politics[]
After serving on the Green Bay, Wisconsin, city council in 2010, Sortwell introduced an online petition in 2016 asking mayor Jim Schmitt to resign over criminal campaign finance violations.[2] He later joined the Gibson, Wisconsin, Town Board of Supervisors.[3]
Wisconsin State Assembly[]
Sortwell ran for the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2014, contesting the 90th Assembly District as an independent.[4] In 2018, after incumbent Andre Jacque announced he would not run for reelection, Sortwell declared his candidacy for Wisconsin Assembly District 2.[5] He defeated Dean Raasch in an August primary for the Republican nomination[6] and won the November election over Democrat Mark Grams, garnering 55 percent of the vote.[7]
After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election and Donald Trump refused to concede, Sortwell made false claims of fraud in the election and urged Congress not to certify the election results.[8]
Personal life[]
Sortwell graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 2006.[9] He formerly was a sergeant in the U. S. Army.[3] In 2021, he compared a children's museum in central Wisconsin to Nazi Germany because it continued to require unvaccinated people to wear masks by writing "The Gestapo wants to see your papers, please" on Facebook regarding the museum's decision, drawing ire.[10]
In autumn of 2021, controversy emerged around allegations that Sortwell abused his child after the child was found to have bruises. The investigation conducted by "four police officers, two social workers, a child forensic officer -a trained agent who interviews child victims of physical and sexual abuse -a child advocacy staff member and a nurse practitioner," resulted in law enforcement officers recommending a "felony child abuse charge against Sortwell and a felony charge of failure to act to prevent bodily harm against his wife."[11] However, Deputy District Attorney Dana J. Johnson neglected to pursue charges, citing "the defense of the parent using reasonable force to discipline the child." Sortwell told officers he and his wife often struck their child with objects when he was being “defiant” because they are commanded to in the Bible. [12]
Electoral history[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Election[13] | |||||
Democratic | Eric Genrich (incumbent) | 7,953 | 54.94% | ||
Republican | Eric Wimberger | 5,342 | 36.90% | ||
Independent | Shae Sortwell | 1,164 | 8.04% | ||
Write-ins | 18 | 0.12% | |||
Total votes | 14,477 | 100.0% | |||
Democratic hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary Election[14] | |||||
Republican | Shae Sortwell | 2,708 | 54.88% | ||
Republican | Dean Raasch | 2,221 | 45.01% | ||
Republican | Write-ins | 5 | 0.1% | ||
Total votes | 4,934 | 100.0% | |||
General Election[15] | |||||
Republican | Shae Sortwell | 15,014 | 54.82% | ||
Democratic | Mark Grams | 10,118 | 36.94% | ||
Independent | Jeff Dahlke | 1,494 | 5.45% | ||
Libertarian | Kevin A. Bauer | 745 | 2.72% | ||
Write-ins | 18 | 0.07% | |||
Total votes | 27,389 | 100.0% | |||
Republican hold |
References[]
- ^ "Representative Shae A. Sortwell". Wisconsin State Legislature. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
- ^ Krumholz, Ben. "Online petition forms calling for Mayor Schmitt to resign". WLUK-TV. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ a b "2nd Assembly District: Q&A with Republican Shae Sortwell of Two Rivers". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ WisconsinEye (10 September 2014). "Shae Sortwell (I) for 90th Assembly District" – via YouTube.
- ^ Schafer, Alisa M. "Wisconsin election: District 2 state assembly race features four candidates". The Herald Times Reporter. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ Anderson, Jonathan. "Wisconsin primary: Shae Sortwell prevails in the Republican race in the state's 2nd Assembly District". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ "Election Results". www.wisconsinvote.org. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ Epstein, Reid J. (2021-06-29). "Wisconsin G.O.P. Wrestles With Just How Much to Indulge Trump". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- ^ "UW-Green Bay alumnus is candidate in the District 2 state assembly race". University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ "Twitter: A letter from a Wisconsinite to State Rep. Shae Sortwell after he compared a children's museum to Nazi Germany because it still is requiring masks be worn by those over age 5 who aren't vaccinated against COVID-19". Twitter. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Green Bay police referred Rep. Shae Sortwell for child abuse in 2013". Green Bay Press Gazette. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ "Before he was a Wisconsin lawmaker, Shae Sortwell was investigated for child abuse. Here's what we know about it". Green Bay Press Gazette. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2014 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. November 4, 2014. p. 29. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2018 Partisan Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. August 14, 2018. p. 31. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2018 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. November 6, 2018. p. 10. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
External links[]
- Living people
- 1985 births
- University of Wisconsin–Green Bay alumni
- Wisconsin Republicans
- Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
- 21st-century American politicians