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Tammy Baldwin
Wisconsin
“Republican politicians have sent Wisconsin women back to 1849…Wisconsin women must have the freedom and right to make their own personal healthcare decisions about abortion without interference from Republicans. ”
Tammy Baldwin is no stranger to making history. In 1998, she broke a glass ceiling in her home state by becoming the first woman to represent Wisconsin in Congress, and then in the nation in 2012 by becoming the first openly gay person elected to the U.S. Senate. For decades, she’s served not only as a politician but as a role model to young girls and women looking to speak up and become involved in politics.
Baldwin is also no stranger to overcoming obstacles. Born in Madison, Wisconsin, she was raised by her grandparents as her mother struggled with drug addiction and mental illness. After graduating as valedictorian from Madison West High School, she went on to receive a B.A. in political science and math from Smith College in 1984 and a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1989. In 1992, she was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a state representative and served three terms.
Baldwin’s early life experiences have shaped much of her work as a politician. During her seven terms in the House of Representatives she served on the Budget Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Energy and Commerce Committee. After surviving a serious illness as a child and knowing firsthand the challenges of trying to get healthcare with a “pre-existing condition,” Baldwin helped create the Patient Protection Act and the Affordable Care Act, the latter of which makes it so that children cannot be denied healthcare on the basis of a pre-existing condition and so that young adults can remain on their parents’ healthcare plans until age 26. After watching her mother’s struggles with mental illness and substance abuse while growing up, Baldwin also wrote and helped pass the Jason Simcakoski Memorial and Promise Act, which increases oversight of Veterans Affairs prescribing opioids and ensures better care for veterans.
In the Senate, Baldwin has fought for student loan reforms, affordable and quality healthcare, and protecting the rights of seniors and retirees. After being raised by her grandparents and later becoming their primary caregivers, Baldwin sponsored the RAISE Family Caregivers Act in the Senate, which was signed into law in 2018. Baldwin is also an avid fighter for the rights of rural communities in Wisconsin, which is known nationally as America’s Dairyland. She ensured that the FARMERS FIRST Act was included in the 2018 Farm Bill, providing funding for mental health resources for agricultural workers. As a swing state that has remained largely red in recent years, Wisconsin will once again be critical in the upcoming election. With her lifelong dedication to the people of Wisconsin and record of fighting for the basic rights of rural and working-class communities, Baldwin is poised to continue to be one of the most important voices in Congress.
—Olivia Flaherty-Lovy
Olivia Flaherty-Lovy is a writer for WeeklySenator. Born in New York and raised in Connecticut, she now studies English at Columbia University.
Policy Positions
Medicare and Social Security
I am the only Wisconsin Senator who won’t put Medicare on the chopping block and the only one who voted to lower prescription drug costs for seniors by allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices for you.
Clean Water
Every Wisconsin family deserves to have clean water coming out of their faucet. I’m proud to be delivering federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to do just that and bring clean water to communities statewide. I’ll keep working until we get the job done.
Local Infrastructure
I know just how important it is that our bridges are built to last and withstand extreme weather events. That’s why I’m working to bring climate-resilient infrastructure to Wisconsin communities and save taxpayers money.
Women’s Rights
Republican politicians have sent Wisconsin women back to 1849 and they want to keep us there… Wisconsin women must have the freedom and right to make their own personal healthcare decisions about abortion without interference from Republican politicians.
Student Loan Forgiveness
Higher education should be a path to prosperity, not debt. But unfortunately, college costs and student loan debt are holding back an entire generation and creating a drag on economic growth for our country. Washington must do more to address this problem with real solutions.
Endorsements
AFSCME Council 32
Blue Rising PAC
Brady: United Against Gun Violence
Clean Wisconsin Action Fund
Communication Workers of America Union
Council for a Livable World
Democracy for America
Emily’s List
End Citizens United
Equality PAC
Fair Wisconsin
Feminist Majority PAC
Friends of the Earth Action
Giffords
JStreetPAC
League of Conservation Voters
LGBTQ Victory Fund
Los Angeles Women’s Collective
State: Wisconsin
The site of freezing winters, back-and-forth political tension and, of course, dairy farms, Wisconsin can be considered an extremely interesting case study of the political consequences when rural populations and working-class communities feel unseen or unrepresented in government. Home to about 5.8 million people, Wisconsin is one of the least diverse states in America, with a population that’s 86.6 percent white. Bordered to the north and east by the Great Lakes of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, the geography of the state itself was largely shaped by glaciers about 17,000 years ago. The capital of Wisconsin is Madison, home to the University of Wisconsin Madison, a research university with an enrollment of over 40,000 students. The most populous city is Milwaukee, located on the shore of Lake Michigan and known for its world-famous breweries. It is also the home of the Brewers, a Major League Baseball team who were not, until recent years, known for their success.
Politically, elections in Wisconsin have been very contentious, and indicative of broader national trends. From the mid 1940s until 1984, Wisconsin primarily voted Republican. However, from 1988 to 2012, Democrats won all seven presidential elections in Wisconsin, albeit some by very slim margins (in 2000 and 2004, specifically.) In 2016, Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton to win Wisconsin by a margin of just 0.7 percent, one of the most important victories for the Republicans in Trump’s presidential race. In 2020, however, Joe Biden took Wisconsin back from Trump (again, by a very narrow margin) in a move that solidified his presidential victory. As more young people continue to move to Wisconsin, the state’s makeup is dramatically shifting, and it can be assured that Wisconsin will continue to play a critical role in the outcomes of future national elections.
