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2008 Spring Elected Candidates
This spring, 23 Progressive Majority candidates in Arizona and Wisconsin proved progressive values are winning values. In voting booths from Tempe to Green Bay, communities showed their desire for progressive leadership.
In Arizona, Marquisha Griffin and Corey Woods became the first African-Americans ever elected to the Maricopa and Tempe City Councils!
In Brown County, Wisconsin, we helped re-elect three farm team members, including Celestine Jeffreys, the only woman and person of color on the Green Bay City Council. This important swing part of the state has been a priority for Progressive Majority since we began our work in Wisconsin. In an exciting progressive power shift, Mike Giese is now the new mayor of Onalaska.
Corey Woods
Elected to Tempe City Council - At Large (Challenger)
In 2008, Corey Woods was elected to the non-partisan Tempe City Council. Corey ran unsuccessfully for the council in 2005, but afterward he became more involved in the community by serving on the City of Tempe's Transportation Commission, the Boards of Directors for the Boys and Girls Clubs, Communities in Schools, Kiwanis Club of Tempe, and Tempe Community Action Agency. Corey is the first African American to serve on the council of Tempe.
Mike Giese
Elected to Mayor of Onalaska (Open Seat)
Mike Giese served on the Onalaska City Council for six years before running for mayor unsuccessfully against a long-time incumbent. In his second attempt running for mayor in 2008, he was victorious by nine votes. Mike is a former owner of the Onalaska Community Life Newspaper, which he sold when he decided to seek public office. Mike made progressive issues, such as health care and the environment, the centerpiece of his campaign. With his election, now he can put those values into action.
Marquisha Griffin
Elected to Maricopa City Council - At Large (Challenger)
Marquisha Griffin is a 32-year-old member of the Maricopa City Council. She is the only female and the only person of color on the city council. Marquisha is also in her third term on the City of Maricopa Planning and Zoning Commission. She volunteers at local charity events and city sponsored activities and is currently employed by the City of Mesa as a City Council Assistant.
Adam Warpinksi
Elected to Brown County Board - District 1 (Incumbent)
Adam has been a member of our farm team since late 2005, and was first successfully fielded by Progressive Majority to the Brown County Board in 2006. At 25 years old, Adam is currently the youngest member of the board. He is an organizer for the League of Conservation Voters, a partner organization and member of our Advisory Council. Adam is a great champion for progressive values.
Jack Krueger
Elected to Brown County Board - District 5 (Incumbent)
Jack is a retired AFSCME member who has been a leader on the Brown County Board, especially in the area of protecting workers and fair labor practices. After the 2006 election, Jack was one vote shy of becoming the Brown County Board Chairman, and has since worked tirelessly to recruit and help elect progressive candidates. Our work in 2008 has been tied closely to working with Jack and other progressive partners in Brown County. Four years ago, there was much doubt that progressives could make inroads into this historically conservative part of the state. Jack has been instrumental in helping shift that perception.
Carole Andrews
Elected to Brown County Board - District 15 (Open Seat)
Carole Andrews has an extensive policy background and has worked on Democratic campaigns in Green Bay and Brown County for several election cycles. We know she will make a great addition to the Board.
Rob Zerban
Elected to Kenosha County Board - District 5 (Open Seat)
Rob Zerban was elected a Kenosha County Supervisor in April of 2008. Rob is an enterpreneur who has started several food service companies in Illinois. He was recruited by our Kenosha County Task Force in July 2007 to run for this seat.
Jennifer Jackson
Elected to Kenosha County Board - District 20 (Incumbent)
When Jennifer Jackson was elected to the Kenosha County Board, she was the most outspoken progressive, and the lone progressive woman. In 2008, she led our recruitment task force and worked with us to recruit new candidates to Kenosha local elected positions. Jenn is a stay-at-home mom and a leader in the environmental community.
Bill Brockmiller
Elected to La Crosse County Board - District 13 (Open Seat)
Bill Brockmiller was a first-time candidate when he won his seat on the La Crosse County Board in 2008. Bill is active in his union as a Labor Market Analyst for AFSCME and a member of the bargaining unit.
Beverly Mach
Elected to La Crosse County Board - District 15 (Challenger)
Beverly Mach was recruited to run for the La Crosse County Board by our regional task force in Spring of 2008, and she emerged victorious. Beverly has lived in her district for more than 39 years and has strong ties to the community. Prior to her retirement, Beverly was a career advisor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Tara Johnson
Elected to La Crosse County Board - District 18 (Incumbent)
Tara Johnson was recruited to the Progressive Majority Farm Team in the fall of 2007. She is currently serving her fifth term on the La Crosse County Board. Tara is the former executive director of United Way and currently a stay-at-home mom. On the La Crosse County Board, she is the chair of Health and Human Services Committee and Second Vice-Chair of the board. Tara is well respected and admired for her ability to fight for progressive values while building consensus among her peers.
Marina Dimitrijevic
Elected to Milwaukee County Board - District 4 (Incumbent)
Marina was first elected in 2004 as the youngest-ever person (then 22) elected to the Milwaukee County Board. In her first two terms as Supervisor, she held over 50 town hall meetings, served on more than 30 community organizations and worked to promote progressive legislation including a GreenPrint Plan that she authored and passed in 2007. Marina is a rising star in Milwaukee politics and is committed to building a movement of young progressives.
Chris Larson
Elected to Milwaukee County Board - District 14 (Open Seat)
Chris Larson was recruited by Progressive Majority to run for a then-open seat on the Milwaukee County Board in 2008. He is committed to protecting the county parks and fixing the public transit system and will be an important voice on the Milwaukee County Board.
Diane Lange
Elected to Racine County Board - District 6 (Incumbent)
Diane Lange is active in the Racine women's progressive movement, is an SEIU member working as a public nurse and a vocal challenger to conservative mismanagement in her county government. Diane is an active community member, serving on the Board of Directors for Youth Connections, a member of the Hispanic Roundtable, and State Board Member for her SEIU Local.
Ken Hall
Elected to Racine County Board - District 15 (Incumbent)
Ken Hall has been a member of our farm team since 2005 and was first elected to the Racine County Board in 2006. Since then, he has been working to recruit and train other progressive candidates for various local offices in his community. Ken and his wife, Debra, are building a progressive movement in Racine; Debra chairs the newly formed Racine Progressive Women's Network, a group of 200 women working for political accountability and positive change in southeastern Wisconsin. Ken has a history of community service and activism and has been strongly supported by labor.
Katie Kuznacic
Elected to Rock County Board - District 29 (Challenger)
Katie Kuznacic is an elected member of the Rock County Board. She works as a legislative assistant to progressive Assembly Representative Michael Sheridan and specializes in constituent relationships. Katie is supported by United Auto Workers and the local Labor Council.
Celestine Jeffreys
Elected to Green Bay City Council - District 7 (Incumbent)
Celestine is currently one of Wisconsin's rising political stars. She was elected to the Green Bay City Council and is currently the only woman and only person of color on the council. Progressive Majority recruited her in 2006, when she successfully won her first election. In her first term as Councilwoman, Celestine stood for the separation of church and state against a controversial ordinance that allowed a nativity scene to be placed a top City Hall. We need more progressive champions like Celestine in Green Bay and all across Wisconsin.
Michael Orth
Elected to Kenosha City Council - District 15 (Challenger)
Michael is a lifelong Kenosha resident whose election to the Kenosha City Council was his first race. Michael and his wife have two small children and are active members of the community. Both he and his wife are teachers in the Kenosha public schools - Michael teaches history and is very active in the local teachers' union, as well as Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), the Wisconsin chapter of the NEA. Michael is a great elected official and we see him as a rising star in the progressive movement.
Anthony Kennedy
Elected to Kenosha City Council - District 10 (Open Seat)
We first met Anthony Kennedy in January 2007, and convinced him to run for local office. As a community member, Anthony has been involved with the NAACP, the local Democratic Party, and is a former AFSCME member and campaign manager for other local candidates. In 2008, Anthony successfully won a seat on the Kenosha City Council.
Gilbert Ostman
Elected to Kenosha Unified School Board - At Large (Incumbent)
Gilbert Ostman is a member of the Kenosha School Board. He has been a leader and teacher in the Kenosha School District for more than 30 years. He retired from teaching social studies and driver's education in 1999. In addition to his many hours in the classroom, Gilbert has worked in the community. He has coached soccer, served on the Mayor's Youth Commission, helped found the Youth Memorial in one of Kenosha's parks, and is a lifetime member of the NEA and KEA (Kenosha Education Association). His knowledge and experience with issues important to both educators and students makes him a critical member of the school board.
Pamala Handrow
Elected to Racine School Board - At Large (Challenger)
Pam Handrow was a founding member of the Racine Women's Progressive Network and has been an agent of change in Racine County for years. Currently Pam teaches adult education and labor law. Pam started her professional career as a social worker, which later prompted her to attend law school. She also has a master's degree in library science. Pam has assisted countless children and families in attaining important social services and has worked as a mediator. Her education and her life experience instilled in her a deep dedication to improving the lives of children.
Melvin Hargrove
Elected to Racine School Board - At Large (Incumbent)
Melvin Hargrove was first appointed to serve on the Racine School Board in December 2007, and won his first election to the post in 2008. A lifelong resident of Racine and founding pastor of Zoe Outreach Ministries, Melvin sees first-hand how education is critical to the Racine community. Melvin plans to improve area schools by working with state legislators to address Wisconsin's school funding crisis. Melvin is the only African American serving on the Racine School Board.
Dennis Wiser
Elected to Racine School Board - At Large (Challenger)
Dennis Wiser is a retired math teacher from Case High School, where he spent over 30 years in the classroom and working for the teachers' union. We recruited Dennis to run through our network of women in the Racine Women's Progressive Network, and he won election to the School Board in April, 2008.