Mark Pocan
| Mark Pocan | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 78th district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Tammy Baldwin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 14, 1964 Kenosha, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Domestic partner | Philip Frank |
| Residence | Madison, Wisconsin |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin, Madison |
| Occupation | business owner |
| Website | MarkPocan.net |
Mark Pocan is a Democratic Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, first elected to represent the 78th district in 1998. He represents parts of downtown Madison and his district includes the Wisconsin State Capitol. In September 2011, Pocan announced that he would seek election to replace Democratic U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin as the next member of Congress from Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district.
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[edit] Early life and career
Pocan attended Mary D. Bradford High School in Kenosha. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1986.
[edit] Political career
Pocan came to Madison to attend college and shortly after earning a degree in journalism in 1986 opened up his own small business – a printing company he continues to own and run today. His active years at UW-Madison in College Democrats led to his election in 1991 to the Dane County Board of Supervisors where he served Madison’s downtown community for three terms. In 1998 he was elected to succeed his long-time friend and ally Tammy Baldwin as the state representative from the 78th District, when she left for Congress. He left the board in 1996.
In 1998, Tammy Baldwin, then a state representative from the 78th district, mounted a successful bid for Congress. Pocan ran to succeed her in the state legislature and won a three-way Democratic primary with 54% of the vote. He faced no Republican opponent in the general election and defeated an independent, polling 15,828 votes (93%) to his opponent's 1,251 (7%). He has been re-elected biennially ever since, including in 2010 when he faced no opposition.
During his time as a state legislator, Pocan has consistently earned a reputation for moving the Wisconsin political debate to the left. One of the most outspoken progressive members of the state assembly, Pocan has focused on difficult issues including corrections reform, the state budget, education funding, and fighting privatization schemes.
For six years Pocan sat on the state’s powerful budget writing Joint Finance Committee, including a term as co-chair last session. He has also taken on a leading role among Assembly Democrats, running caucus campaign efforts in 2008 when Dems went from five seats down to successfully retaking the majority for Democrats for the first time in 14 years.
Pocan currently serves on the Assembly Committee on Urban and Local Affairs, the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities, and the Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems.
[edit] Other organizations
Pocan identifies as a progressive Democrat, and is a member of a number of organizations, including Wisconsin Citizens Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, Fair Wisconsin and Midwest Progressive Elected Officials Network.
He is a member of the AFL-CIO, which he joined as a small business owner. Pocan owns and still operates a small specialty printing company, Budget Signs & Specialties.[1]
[edit] Personal life
Pocan was born and raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He attended Harvey Elementary, Washington Junior High, and graduated from Mary D. Bradford High School in 1982.
He credits his political activism in part to an incident soon after he graduated college and opened his printing business. Pocan reports that he was followed by two men after he left a gay bar, and was beaten with a baseball bat while they called him "faggot" and other slurs. This gaybashing incident spurred him to become active in the Madison GLBT community.[2] Pocan is notable for being the only openly gay member of the state assembly and is one of only two openly gay members of the Wisconsin State Legislature,[1] alongside Sen. Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee).
He has been an active participant in the ongoing debate regarding same-sex marriage in Wisconsin, though the state has approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
On November 24, 2006, Pocan and his long-term partner, Philip Frank, were legally married in Toronto, Ontario.[3] The marriage is not legally recognized in Wisconsin.
Mark Pocan's brother William Pocan serves as a circuit court judge in Milwaukee County.[4]
[edit] Recognition
Pocan has received the following recognition while in office:
- Fair Wisconsin Statewide Leader Award (2009)
- Planned Parenthood Rebecca Young Leadership Award (2009)
- Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin Legislator of the Year (2008)
- Wisconsin Library Association’s Public Policy Award (2008)
- Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault Voices of Courage Public Policy Award (2008)
- Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters Honor Roll (2008)
- Wisconsin Aids Fund award (2007)
- Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters Conservation Champion (2006)
- Wisconsin Counties Association Outstanding Legislator Award (2006 & 2008)
- Clean Wisconsin Clean 16 Award (2004, 2002 & 2000)
- ACLU Special Recognition Award (2001)
- Wisconsin Federation of Teachers State Employees Council Representative of the Year (2003 & 2002)
- Outreach Man of the Year
[edit] References
- ^ a b Weier, Anita (October 28, 2004), "UW Student Challenges Rep. Pocan", The Capital Times, http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2004/10/28/0410280382.php, retrieved 2008-03-12
- ^ Pocan, Mark. "A Seat at the Table" Our Lives March/April 2012; p. 23
- ^ Conklin, Melanie (December 13, 2006), "Gay Legislator's Marriage Is About Being A Couple", Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/wsj/2006/12/13/0612130002.php, retrieved 2008-03-12
- ^ http://www.wislawjournal.com/archive/2006/0719/pocan.html
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mark Pocan |
- Wisconsin Assembly - Representative Mark Pocan official page of the Wisconsin Legislature website
- Mark Pocan personal website
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Follow the Money - Mark Pocan
- Campaign 2008 campaign contributions at Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
