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Scott Gunderson

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Scott Gunderson
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 83rd district
In office
January 2, 1995 – January 4, 2011
Preceded byKathleen A. Krosnicki
Succeeded byDave Craig
Personal details
Born (1956-10-24) October 24, 1956 (age 68)
Burlington, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Lisa A. Nemath
​
(m. 1981)​
Children3
ResidenceWaterford, Wisconsin
OccupationFarmer, businessman

Scott Lee Gunderson (born October 24, 1956) is an American farmer, Republican politician, and former small business owner from Racine County, Wisconsin. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly for 16 years, representing the 83rd Assembly district from 1995 to 2011. He left office to accept a job in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Since leaving state office, he has been active locally, running Waterford's Fourth of July and Memorial Day parades, and the Racine County Fair.[1]

Early life

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Scott Gunderson was born in Burlington, Wisconsin, and raised in neighboring Waterford, Wisconsin. He graduated from Waterford Union High School in 1974.[2] His father died in 1977.[3] In 1980, he became the owner of a liquor and hunting supply store known as "Gundy's Liquor and Sport", in Wind Lake, Wisconsin, which he operated until 2007.[4] During that time, he also became the operator of the Gunderson family farm in the town of Norway, and became active in many farm-related civic organizations, such as the Racine County Farm Bureau and the Racine County Fair.[2]

Political career

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In April 1991, Gunderson first entered public office when he was elected to the board of supervisors of the town of Waterford.[5] He was re-elected in 1993.

In 1994, first-term state representative Kathleen A. Krosnicki announced she would not run for re-election.[6] Gunderson became one of four candidates seeking the Republican Party nomination to succeed her that fall. He prevailed with 40% of the vote in the Republican primary, likely assisted by increased turnout for a school referendum in Waterford at the same election.[7] In the general election, he defeated Democrat Thomas Schilling with 62% of the vote.[8] He went on to win re-election eight times.

In his time in the Assembly, he was a member of the committee on natural resources for all 16 years of his legislative career, serving as chairman during the 2005–2006 term. He was also chairman of the committee on urban and local affairs from 1997 through 2005. He was also active on the Wisconsin Coastal Management Council and the Wisconsin State Fair Park board.[9]

In 1998, a vacancy occurred in the 28th Senate district when incumbent Lynn Adelman was appointed a United States district judge. Gunderson entered the special election to succeed him in the Wisconsin Senate, but he was defeated in the Republican primary by state representative Mary Lazich.[10]

Ethics accusation

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Gunderson has sponsored bills to lower the hunting age in Wisconsin to eight and to allow people to carry concealed handguns. In 2005, he refused to turn over a draft of concealed carry legislation on the grounds that draft bills are confidential, even though he had previously shown the draft to lobbyists for the National Rifle Association of America to solicit their feedback.[11] The state Ethics Board ruled in 2006 that Gunderson as owner of Gundy's Sport didn't have enough of a financial interest in gun-related proposals to have a conflict. He said his store would not directly benefit from the legislation, and had sold fewer than 50 guns in the prior year.[4]

Residency dispute

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In 2006, Gunderson's Democratic opponent filed a charge that Gunderson did not live in the 83rd Assembly District, which he was elected to represent, and that he was violating election laws by voting in the village of Waterford. Gunderson acknowledged that his farm and farmhouse is in the 63rd District; but points out that he has an apartment in Waterford, which has been his official address and voting residence for some time. When his Norway farm home was redistricted out of the 83rd district, he had told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he would be moving to a new home inside the district.[12] The Racine County District Attorney refused to file charges,[13] and Gunderson was re-elected despite the challenge.

After elected office

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After winning re-election in 2010, Gunderson resigned his seat before the start of the 2011 legislative term, accepting a job as an executive assistant in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.[14] He worked at the Department of Natural Resources for several years before resigning. Since then, he has been active locally, running Waterford's Fourth of July and Memorial Day parades, and the Racine County Fair.[1]

Personal life and family

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Scott Gunderson was one of four children born to Dean Gunderson and his wife Julie. Dean Gunderson was a truck driver and died at the relatively young age of 40.[3] The Gunderson family farm in the town of Norway had been established by Scott Gunderson's great-great grandfather, pioneer Gouty Gunderson, who immigrated to the United States from Norway in the 1830s. By the time of his death in 1905, Gouty Gunderson was one of the more prosperous farmers in the county, having expanded his farm to 220 acres.[15]

Scott Gunderson married Lisa A. Nemath in 1981. They have three adult children. The Gundersons are members of the Lutheran church.[2]

Electoral history

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Wisconsin Assembly (1994–2010)

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1994 Primary[8] Sep. 13 Scott L. Gunderson Republican 1,804 40.04% Ken Bohmann Rep. 1,347 29.90% 4,505 457
Michael R. Hanrahan Rep. 1,028 22.82%
Robert A. Knackert Rep. 326 7.24%
General[8] Nov. 8 Scott L. Gunderson Republican 11,538 62.32% Thomas R. Schilling Dem. 6,977 37.68% 18,515 4,561
1996 General[16] Nov. 5 Scott L. Gunderson (inc) Republican 17,639 69.36% Jeff Carew Dem. 7,793 30.64% 25,432 9,846
1998 General[10] Nov. 3 Scott L. Gunderson (inc) Republican 16,828 100.0% --unopposed-- 16,828 16,828
2000 General[17] Nov. 7 Scott L. Gunderson (inc) Republican 24,329 76.08% Daniel J. Drumel Dem. 7,633 23.87% 31,979 16,696
2002 General[18] Nov. 5 Scott L. Gunderson (inc) Republican 16,932 99.73% --unopposed-- 16,978 16,886
2004 General[19] Nov. 2 Scott L. Gunderson (inc) Republican 25,972 99.68% 26,055 25,889
2006 General[20] Nov. 7 Scott L. Gunderson (inc) Republican 17,565 68.57% Donald G. Herron Dem. 8,045 31.41% 25,615 9,520
2008 General[21] Nov. 4 Scott L. Gunderson (inc) Republican 24,834 72.97% Aaron Robertson Dem. 9,182 26.98% 34,032 15,652
2010 General[22] Nov. 2 Scott L. Gunderson (inc) Republican 22,192 78.69% Aaron Robertson Dem. 6,003 21.28% 28,203 16,189

Wisconsin Senate (1998)

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Wisconsin Senate, 28th District Special Election, 1998[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Special Republican Primary, February 17, 1998
Republican Mary Lazich 6,090 54.35%
Republican Scott L. Gunderson 5,115 45.65%
Plurality 975 8.70%
Total votes 11,205 100.0%
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References

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  1. ^ a b "Racine County Board". Racine Journal Times. May 19, 2022. p. C5. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Gunderson, Scott L. 1956". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Gunderson, Dean "Gundy"". Racine Journal Times. May 23, 1977. p. 16. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Lawmaker Who Owns Gun Store Does Not Have a Conflict, Board Says". WSAW. Associated Press. April 24, 2006. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  5. ^ "Waterford board results". Racine Journal Times. April 3, 1991. p. 6. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ McGowan, Elizabeth H. "Krosnicki: Once is it". Racine Journal Times. p. 11. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Rider, Jane (September 15, 1994). "Gunderson GOP winner". Racine Journal Times. p. 9. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b c Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (1995). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1995–1996 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 905, 923. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  9. ^ Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2005). "Biographies" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 2005–2006 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 75. ISBN 0-9752820-1-8. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Barish, Lawrence S.; Meloy, Patricia E., eds. (1999). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1999–2000 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 868, 881, 884. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  11. ^ Marley, Patrick. "Gun bill ignites open records dispute; Does sharing draft with outsiders make it public? Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. August 30, 2005
  12. ^ Tunkieicz, Jennie (October 31, 2006). "Complaint challenges Gunderson residency". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Wayback Machine.
  13. ^ Tunkieicz, Jennie (November 5, 2006). ""ELECTION 2006; Residency challenge falls short in 83rd; District attorney won't pursue fraud charges against Gunderson". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  14. ^ Trent Artus (January 6, 2011). "DNR Secretary announces executive staff". WQOW 18 News. Madison. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011.
  15. ^ Commemorative Biographical Record of Prominent and Representative Men of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin. J. H. Beers & Co. 1906. p. 151. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  16. ^ Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (1997). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1997–1998 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 901, 905. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  17. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2000 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. May 10, 2001. p. 37. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  18. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/05/2002 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 2, 2002. p. 39. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  19. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2004 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2004. p. 39. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  20. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2006 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 11, 2006. p. 39. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  21. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/04/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 37. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  22. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2010 (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 1, 2010. p. 29. Retrieved January 20, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 83rd district
January 2, 1995 – January 4, 2011 		Succeeded by
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