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Todd Novak

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Todd Novak
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 51st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded byHoward Marklein
Mayor of Dodgeville, Wisconsin
In office
April 2012 – April 2024
Preceded byJames McCaulley
Succeeded byBarry Hottmann
Personal details
Born (1965-04-23) April 23, 1965 (age 59)
Cobb, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceDodgeville, Wisconsin
OccupationNewspaper editor, politician
WebsiteOfficial website

Todd Daniel Novak (born April 23, 1965) is an American Republican politician and retired newspaper editor from Iowa County, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 51st Assembly district since 2015. He previously served 12 years as mayor of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, from 2012 to 2024.

Biography

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Born in Cobb, Wisconsin, and currently residing in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, Novak was the government and assistant editor of the Dodgeville Chronicle newspaper from 1990 until his retirement in 2014. In 2012, Novak was elected mayor of Dodgeville, Wisconsin.[1]

In November 2014, Novak was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican by a 64-vote margin. The Democratic candidate, Dick Cates, did not seek a recount.[2]

On November 8, 2016, Novak was re-elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly by a margin of 723 votes, defeating Democrat Jeff Wright.[3]

In 2018, Novak defeated Jeff Wright for a second time. Novak was also successful in winning an Assembly District also won by Democratic Governor Tony Evers.

On November 3, 2020, Novak was re-elected to his fourth term in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Novak defeated his challenger, Democrat Kriss Marion by a margin of 1,258 votes. This was his largest margin since first being elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly. He further increased his margin two years later, when he was re-elected to his fifth term in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Novak defeated his challenger, Democrat Leah Spicer, by a margin of 3,214 votes.[4]

Although a Republican, Novak has positioned himself as an "independent voice" and has touted a bipartisan voting record, which is helpful in his liberal-leaning district.[5]

Wisconsin State Assembly

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For the 2021–2022 Legislative Cycle, Novak served on the following committees:[6]

  • Assembly Committee on Local Government (Chair)
  • Speakers Task Force on Water Quality (Chair)
  • Assembly Committee on Agriculture
  • Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice & Public Safety
  • Assembly Committee on Rural Development
  • Assembly Committee on Environment

In his first term in the State Assembly, Novak authored a bill creating the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail which links the architect's notable creations using existing roadways.[7]

On February 11, 2019, Speaker Vos appointed Novak chairman of a 16-member bipartisan task force on water quality. The task force was created to provide recommendations on assessing and improving the quality of surface water and groundwater throughout the state of Wisconsin. The task force traveled throughout the state, visiting the cities of Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Janesville, Racine, Lancaster, LaCrosse, Mauston, Stevens Point, Menomonie, Tomahawk, Marinette, and Superior holding public hearings to gather information on specific concerns in the various regions of the state.[8]

Representative Novak authored two bills as a result of the task force's findings. The first bill, 2019 Assembly Bill 790 increases funding for Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation staff. The bill also adds new language calling for conservation staff to work to implement the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).[9] The CREP leverages federal and state funding to compensate farmers to voluntarily decommission farmland and implement conservation practices.[10] The second bill, 2019 Assembly Bill 801 provides funding to the University of Wisconsin System to implement the Freshwater Collaborative. The Freshwater Collaborative Program is designed to address two unique challenges relevant in Wisconsin, Agriculture Water Management, and Water Quality Safety and emerging contaminants. As part of the Freshwater Collaborative, the UW System will work to establish and develop a variety of undergraduate programs focused on preparing the Wisconsin Workforce to address Water Management and Water Quality safety issues while expanding opportunities for research and collaboration across campuses.[11]

Electoral history

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Wisconsin Assembly (2014–present)

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
2014 Primary[12] Aug. 26 Todd Novak Republican 2,262 48.29% Dennis Polivka Rep. 922 19.68% 4,684 1,340
Tyler G. Schultz Rep. 859 18.34%
Ken Rhino Rynes Rep. 639 13.64%
General[13] Nov. 4 Todd Novak Republican 10,642 47.48% Dick Cates Dem. 10,577 47.19% 22,413 65
Adam Laufenberg Ind. 1,177 5.25%
2016 General[14] Nov. 8 Todd Novak (inc.) Republican 13,912 51.29% Jeff Wright Dem. 13,189 48.62% 27,124 723
2018 General[15] Nov. 6 Todd Novak (inc.) Republican 12,445 50.65% Jeff Wright Dem. 12,113 49.29% 24,573 332
2020 General[16] Nov. 3 Todd Novak (inc.) Republican 15,937 52.04% Kriss Marion Dem. 14,679 47.93% 30,624 1,258
2022 General[17] Nov. 8 Todd Novak (inc.) Republican 14,760 56.08% Leah Spicer Dem. 11,546 43.87% 26,320 3,214

References

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  1. ^ "Todd Novak-State Assembly".
  2. ^ "Cates won't ask for recount; Novak wins 51st District Assembly race".
  3. ^ "Current Election Results". Wisconsin Vote. Archived from the original on September 1, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  4. ^ "Wisconsin State Assembly – District 51 Election Results". Journal Sentinel. June 12, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  5. ^ "Despite left-leaning district, Novak hopes to hold off Wright in southwestern Wisconsin - The Daily Cardinal". The Daily Cardinal. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  6. ^ "Representative Todd Novak". docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  7. ^ "Governor Scott Walker signs bill establishing Frank Lloyd Wright Trail". FOX6Now.com. March 21, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  8. ^ "Speaker Robin Vos Announces Water Quality Task Force".
  9. ^ "DATCP Home Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)".
  10. ^ "Wisconsin Legislature: AB790: Bill Text".
  11. ^ "2019 Assembly Bill 801".
  12. ^ Canvass Results for 2014 Fall Partisan Primary - 8/12/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 29, 2014. p. 35. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  13. ^ Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 26, 2014. p. 20. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  14. ^ Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. p. 20. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  15. ^ Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. February 22, 2019. pp. 21–22. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  16. ^ Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 20. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  17. ^ Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 20. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 51st district
January 3, 2015 – present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
James McCaulley
 Mayor of Dodgeville, Wisconsin
April 2012 – April 2024 		Succeeded by
Barry Hottmann
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