Scott Fitzgerald (politician)

For other people with a similar name, see Scott Fitzgerald (disambiguation).

Scott Fitzgerald
Majority Leader of the Wisconsin Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 2013
Preceded by	Mark F. Miller
In office January 3, 2011 – March 17, 2012
Preceded by	Russ Decker
Succeeded by	Mark F. Miller
Minority Leader of the Wisconsin Senate
In office July 17, 2012 – January 7, 2013
Preceded by	Mark F. Miller
Succeeded by	Chris Larson
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 13th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Barbara Lorman
Personal details
Born	(1963-11-16) November 16, 1963 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Lisa Fitzgerald
Children	3
Education	University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh (BS)
Website	Senate website

Scott L. Fitzgerald (born November 16, 1963) is an American politician and one-time newspaper publisher. He is a Republican member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 13th District since 1994.

He is running for the Republican nomination for Wisconsin's 5th congressional district in the 2020 election.

Early life, education and career

Fitzgerald was born in Chicago, but moved with his family to Hustisford, Wisconsin, at age 11. He graduated from Hustisford High School in 1981, and earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh in 1985. He worked for nearly a decade as a newspaper publisher. He purchased the Dodge County Independent News in Juneau, Wisconsin, in 1990, and sold it in 1996 to the Watertown Daily Times, where he remained as associate publisher for several years.

Military Service

Fitzgerald joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 1981 and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Armor Branch in 1985. He completed the Army Command and General Staff College and served in a number of assignments during his 27 years of service, including battalion commander. In 2009, he retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Wisconsin Senate

In 1994, Fitzgerald was elected to the Wisconsin Senate, and he has been re-elected since 1998. He was elected by his Senate Republican colleagues as Senate Majority Leader for the 2011–2012 legislative session. In prior sessions, Fitzgerald has served as Minority Leader, Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Finance, and Chairman of the Senate Corrections Committee.

U.S. House of Representatives

See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin § District 5

In September 2019, Fitzgerald announced he would run for Wisconsin's 5th congressional district. The announcement came two weeks after 21-term incumbent and fellow Republican Jim Sensenbrenner announced his retirement.

Sensenbrenner, first elected to Congress in 1978, later endorsed Fitzgerald, saying that he would "be proud to pass the baton" to Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald as his successor in Congress.

Family

Fitzgerald's father, Stephen "Steve" Fitzgerald, was Sheriff of Dodge County, Wisconsin, for 14 years and served as the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Wisconsin. He was later appointed head of the Wisconsin State Patrol by Walker.

Fitzgerald's younger brother, Jeff, was an Assembly Representative from the 39th Assembly District, and was Assembly Speaker during the 2011–2012 legislative session.

Personal life

Fitzgerald and his wife, Lisa, own a small horse farm in rural Clyman. They have three sons: Scott, Brennan, and Connor.

External links

• Wisconsin State Senator Scott L. Fitzgerald official government website
• Scott Fitzgerald (politician) at Curlie
• Profile at Vote Smart
• 13th Senate District, Senator Fitzgerald in the Wisconsin Blue Book (2005–2006)
• 13 Senate District, Senator Fitzgerald- redistricted map based on 2011 Wisconsin Act 43 (2011)