Don Pridemore

Don Pridemore
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 99th district
In office
2005–2015
Succeeded by Janel Brandtjen
Personal details
Born (1946-10-20) October 20, 1946
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Political party Republican
Residence Hartford, Wisconsin
Alma mater Marquette University
Profession Politician
Website Official website

Don Pridemore (born October 20, 1946) is a Wisconsin politician.

Early life

Pridemore was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from Milwaukee Lutheran High School in 1964. From 1965 to 1969 he served in the U.S. Air Force. In 1977, he received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University.[1][2] Before entering politics, Pridemore worked in electrical engineering.

Political career

Pridemore was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2004, and won re-election since then.[3]

Wisconsin State Assembly

2010 Primary

In 2010, Pridemore faced a three-way primary for the 99th District from Hartford Mayor Scott Henke and former Sussex Village Trustee Jim Batzko. With endorsements from the National Rifle Association[4] and a 100% rating from Wisconsin Right to Life,[5] Pridemore won with 58% of the vote.[6]

2012 Primary

Redistricting moved Pridemore to the 22nd District. Hartford was no longer in his district, but most of Menomonee Falls and parts of Milwaukee were. In 2012, Nick Oliver challenged Pridemore for the Republican nomination for the 22nd Assembly District. With endorsements from the Menomonee Falls Taxpayer Association,[7] Mark Belling,[8] and Governor Scott Walker,[9] Pridemore defeated Oliver 83% to 17%.[10]

Pridemore was unopposed in the general election after a review by the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board found that Democratic challenger Chad Bucholtz was 13 signatures short of the 200 needed to be on the ballot.[11]

2014

On April 9, 2014, Pridemore announced that he was retiring from the Wisconsin Assembly.[12]

Legislation

Healthcare whistleblowers

Pridemore has sponsored legislation to protect whistleblowers in the health care industry.[13] His bill was supported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.[14]

Election reform

Pridemore has introduced legislation to require photo identification in Wisconsin elections.[15] Special registration deputies would also be required to have a criminal background check. His bill would also move the party primaries from September to August so as not to conflict with a federal law intended to give military and overseas voters enough time to vote.[16]

Nonmarital parenthood and child abuse

In 2012, Pridemore cosponsored a bill that recognized "nonmarital parenthood as a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect".[17] He commented that in some situations there may be other options than divorce, stating "If they can refind those reasons and get back to why they got married in the first place it might help."[18] Politifact rated as "True" the bill author's claim that children in a nonmarital parenthood setting "have a 20 times greater chance of being sexually abused."[19]

Dog breeders

In 2011, Pridemore sponsored legislation that would redefine "commercial breeder" to protect hobby breeders and rescues from restrictions targeting large scale 'puppy mills.' The previous restrictions had been implemented by former Governor Jim Doyle in an effort to prevent 'puppy mills' where dogs live in abusive and neglectful conditions[20][21][22] The Dog Federation of Wisconsin argued that the previous restrictions were negatively impacting "rescue groups and smaller humane societies".[23] The previous restrictions were resulting in increased "dumping" of dogs in rural counties.[24]

Superintendent of Public Instruction

In December 2012, Pridemore announced he would be running for the Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction office in the Wisconsin April 2013 Election.[25] In the April 2013 Wisconsin election, Pridemore was defeated by Tony Evers.[26]

Controversy

In 2009, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin filed a complaint with the Government Accountability Board alleging that Pridemore's criticism of a candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction in a press release issued on his state letterhead violated state law.[27][28]

Notes

  1. ↑ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 2011-2012,' Biographical Sketch of Don Pridemore, pg. 85
  2. ↑ http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lrb/bb/09bb/pdf/1-98.pdf
  3. ↑ http://www.legis.state.wi.us/w3asp/contact/legislatorpages.aspx?house=Assembly&district=99
  4. ↑ "NRA Endorsement". Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "Don Pridemore - Ratings". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  6. ↑ Smaga, Paige (Sep 15, 2010). "Pridemore maintains 99th seat". Living Lake Country Reporter. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "MFTax.org Endorses Don Pridemore". MFTax.org. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  8. ↑ "Mark Belling on Pridemore". Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  9. ↑ Walker, Scott. "Gov. Scott Walker on Rep. Don Pridemore". YouTube. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  10. ↑ "Canvass Results for 2012 Partisan Primary" (PDF). Government Accountability Board. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  11. ↑ Marley, Patrick (June 8, 2012). "Democrat thrown off ballot in suburban Assembly race". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  12. ↑ 'Rep. Don Pridemore announced his retirement from Assembly,' Fox6Now.com., April 9, 2014
  13. ↑ http://nxt.legis.state.wi.us/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates&fn=default.htm&d=indxauth&jd=A99
  14. ↑ http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/29574739.html
  15. ↑ Petrie, Joe (April 25, 2011). "Pridemore Pushes Voter ID Bill". Sussex Patch. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  16. ↑ Marley, Patrick (April 25, 2011). "Pridemore bill would require photo ID, move primary". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  17. ↑ Grothman, Glenn. "2011 Senate Bill 507". Legislative Reference Bureau. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  18. ↑ http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/142161793.html.
  19. ↑ Kertscher, Tom (2012-03-25). "GOP Wisconsin State Senator Says a study shows that children who live with a biological parent and the parent's boyfriend or girlfriend "have a 20 times greater chance of being sexually abused."". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  20. ↑ http://chippewa.com/news/local/state-and-regional/article_63f436b6-b933-11e0-9e28-001cc4c002e0.html
  21. ↑ http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_b0f13924-b874-11e0-9d76-001cc4c03286.html
  22. ↑ http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/opinion/column/phil_hands/article_1a340394-bc44-11e0-b354-001cc4c002e0.html
  23. ↑ Johnston, Tracey. "Newsletter - November 2010" (PDF). Dog Federation of Wisconsin. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  24. ↑ Whitcomb, Rachael (July 1, 2011). "Wisconsin puppy-mills laws spur unintended consequences". DVM Newsmagazine. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  25. ↑ Rep Don Pridemore Launches Run For State Superintendent
  26. ↑ Tony Evers Wins State Superintendent Defeats Pridemore
  27. ↑ http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/41636442.html
  28. ↑ http://www.gmtoday.com/news/local_stories/2009/April_09/04282009_10.asp
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