Brad Pfaff

Bradley M. Pfaff (born December 7, 1967) is an American politician and government official. A Democrat, he is a member of the Wisconsin State Senate for the 32nd senate district. The 32nd district comprises La Crosse and Crawford counties, as well as most of Vernon County and the southern half of Monroe County.

Brad Pfaff
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 32nd district
Assumed office
January 4, 2021
Preceded byJennifer Shilling
Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Acting
In office
January 7, 2019 – November 5, 2019
GovernorTony Evers
Preceded bySheila Harsdorf
Succeeded byRandall Romanski
Personal details
Born (1967-12-07) December 7, 1967
La Crosse County, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Betty J. Lounsbrough
​
​
(m. 1991)​
Children2
Parent
  • Leon Pfaff (father)
RelativesShawn Pfaff (brother)
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin, Green Bay (BA)
George Mason University (MPA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Pfaff was the secretary-designee of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection in the administration of Governor Tony Evers for most of 2019. The Republican controlled State Senate rejected his appointment ten months into his term.[1] Pfaff subsequently worked as director of business and rural development for the Wisconsin Department of Administration.

Pfaff previously served as the Wisconsin state executive director of the Farm Service Agency and deputy administrator for farm programs at the United States Department of Agriculture during the Obama administration.[2]

Early life and education

Pfaff was born in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, and raised on his family's farm there.[3] He earned his bachelor's degree in public and environmental administration from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay and a Master of Public Administration from George Mason University.[4]

Career

Early in his career, Pfaff became involved in public service and politics, working as an aide to state representative Virgil Roberts. He then worked as a constituent outreach staffer for U.S. senator Herb Kohl. In 1996, he made his first run for political office, running for Wisconsin State Assembly in the 94th Assembly district. With his brother as campaign manager, he challenged incumbent Republican Michael Huebsch, who had defeated his former boss Virgil Roberts in the 1994 election. Pfaff received the Democratic Party nomination without opposition in the primary, but was defeated in the general election by about 2,000 votes.[5][6]

After the 1996 election, Pfaff joined the staff of congressman Ron Kind in 1997, where he worked as a policy advisor on rural and agricultural issues for the next twelve years.[7] At the time, he was also a member of the Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council.[8]

In 2004, Pfaff made another run for office, running for Wisconsin Senate in the 32nd Senate district seat, which was vacated by Mark Meyer's appointment to the state Public Service Commission. Pfaff prevailed in the Democratic primary over Monte L. Jacobson,[9] but was narrowly defeated in the general election by Republican Dan Kapanke.[10]

He was subsequently elected to the La Crosse County board of supervisors in April 2006,[11] and was re-elected in 2008. He resigned from the county board in 2009 after he received his federal appointment.[8][12]

Obama administration

In 2009, Pfaff was appointed the Wisconsin executive director for the Farm Service Agency at the USDA.[13] In 2015, Pfaff was appointed to serve as the USDA Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs,[14] a position responsible for the implementation and delivery of all Title 1 crop commodity programs and the Conservation Reserve Program.[15] After President Obama left office in 2017, Pfaff rejoined congressman Ron Kind's office as deputy chief of staff.[16]

Evers administration

In December 2018, Governor-elect Evers announced his nomination of Pfaff to serve as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.[17] Pfaff began work in January 2019, but his appointment remained contingent on confirmation by the Wisconsin Senate.[18][19] Eleven months later, in November 2019, the State Senate voted along party lines to reject Pfaff's appointment.[1] Evers subsequently hired Pfaff as director of business and rural development in the Wisconsin Department of Administration.[20]

State Senate

In 2020, Pfaff decided to make another run for Wisconsin Senate in the 32nd Senate district, following the announcement that incumbent Democratic senator Jennifer Shilling would not seek re-election. Shilling endorsed Pfaff in May 2020,[21] and Pfaff defeated his opponents in the Democratic primary with 62% of the vote.[22] He went on to win the 2020 general election, narrowly defeating Dan Kapanke in a rematch of their 2004 election.[23][24] The 32nd Senate district—which comprises most of Pfaff's native La Crosse County, as well as most of Vernon County, part of Monroe County, and all of Crawford County—is one of the few competitive districts in the Wisconsin Senate. With the last two State Senate elections decided by fewer than 600 votes.[24]

2022 congressional election
Main article: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin § District 3

After the announcement that 13-term incumbent congressman Ron Kind would retire in 2022, Pfaff declared his candidacy for United States House of Representatives to replace his former boss in Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district.[25] Pfaff was narrowly defeated by Republican Derrick Van Orden in the 2022 general election.[26]

Personal life and family

Brad Pfaff is a son of Leon Pfaff, who served 20 years on the La Crosse County board of supervisors. Brad's younger brother, Shawn, served as an external relations manager on the staff of Governor Jim Doyle during his first term, and later served as mayor of Fitchburg, Wisconsin.[5][27]

Brad met his wife, Betty (née Lounsbrough), in high school. They married in 1991,[28] they now reside in Onalaska, Wisconsin, and have two adult children.[3]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1996)
Wisconsin Assembly, 94th District Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 5, 1996[6]
Republican Michael Huebsch (incumbent) 12,648 53.15% +1.45%
Democratic Brad Pfaff 10,580 44.46% -3.84%
Independent Jim Milliren 569 2.39%
Plurality 2,068 8.69% +5.29%
Total votes 23,797 100.0% +41.58%
Republican hold

Wisconsin Senate (2004)
Wisconsin Senate, 32nd District Election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Primary, September 14, 2004[9]
Democratic Brad Pfaff 8,637 79.13%
Democratic Monte L. Jacobson 2,258 20.69%
Scattering 20 0.18%
Total votes 10,915 100.0%
General Election, November 3, 2004[10]
Republican Dan Kapanke 46,416 52.46% -3.58%
Democratic Brad Pfaff 41,928 47.39% +3.56%
Scattering 139 0.16%
Plurality 4,488 5.07% +3.00%
Total votes 88,483 100.0%
Republican gain from Democratic Swing 7.14%

Wisconsin Senate (2020)
Wisconsin Senate, 32nd District Election, 2020
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Primary, August 11, 2020[24]
Democratic Brad Pfaff 12,631 62.73%
Democratic Jayne Swiggum 6,558 32.57%
Democratic Paul Michael Weber 934 4.64%
Scattering 11 0.05%
Total votes 20,134 100.0%
General Election, November 3, 2020[24]
Democratic Brad Pfaff 48,877 50.26% +1.41%
Republican Dan Kapanke 48,295 49.67% +0.87%
Scattering 67 0.07%
Plurality 582 0.60% +0.54%
Total votes 97,239 100.0% +9.04%
Democratic hold

U.S. House of Representatives (2022)
Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District Election, 2022
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Primary, August 9, 2022[29]
Democratic Brad Pfaff 24,041 38.95%
Democratic Rebecca Cooke 19,221 31.14%
Democratic Deb Baldus McGrath 11,770 19.07%
Democratic Mark Neumann 6,672 10.81%
Scattering 25 0.04%
Total votes 61,729 100.0%
General Election, November 8, 2022[30]
Republican Derrick Van Orden 164,743 51.82% +3.18%
Democratic Brad Pfaff 152,977 48.12% -3.18%
Scattering 202 0.06%
Plurality 11,766 3.70% -1.05%
Total votes 317,922 100.0% -18.40%
Republican gain from Democratic Swing 6.36%

References
  1. Schmidt, Mitchell (November 7, 2019). "Senate Republicans vote to fire Ag Secretary Brad Pfaff". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  2. "Brad Pfaff and Stan Gruszynski appointed to key state USDA posts". eCALS. July 1, 2009. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  3. "About Me". Brad Pfaff - Wisconsin State Senator - District 32. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  4. "Dept. of Adminstration [sic]: Brad Pfaff joins DOA as Director of Business and Rural Development". Wisconsin Department of Administration (Press release). November 11, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via Wispolitics.com.
  5. Luchterhand, Ken (March 3, 2004). "Stepping up with the governor: Local man arranges Doyle's appearances". Jackson County Chronicle. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via La Crosse Tribune.
  6. Barish, Lawrence S.; Meloy, Patricia E., eds. (1997). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1997–1998 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 905. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  7. "USDA Release: Obama Administration Begins Naming State Executive Directors for the Farm Service Agency". United States Department of Agriculture (Press release). June 30, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011 – via Crop Insurance Research Bureau.
  8. "Pfaff named state executive director for the Farm Service Agency". La Crosse Tribune. June 30, 2009. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  9. Results of Fall Primary Election - 09/14/2004 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. November 10, 2004. p. 20. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  10. Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2004 (Report). December 1, 2004. p. 11. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  11. "Unofficial Results". La Crosse Tribune. April 5, 2006. p. 10. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Mial, Richard (August 1, 2009). "Pfaff steps down from county board". Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  13. Mial, Richard. "Brad Pfaff to head state Farm Service Agency". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  14. "Obama makes 2 Wisconsin ag appointments". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. June 29, 2009. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  15. "Pfaff to run farm programs at FSA in round of USDA personnel changes". The Hagstrom Report. August 24, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  16. "Pfaff Returns To Wisconsin Roots". Farm Report. January 27, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  17. "Governor-elect Tony Evers names picks for Transportation, Agriculture, Insurance". WITI (TV). December 21, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  18. Vetterkind, Riley (December 22, 2018). "Scott Fitzgerald casts doubt on Tony Evers' transportation secretary pick". WiscNews. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  19. "Governor-elect Evers announces more Cabinet appointments". WDJT-TV. December 21, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  20. Anderson, Andrea (November 11, 2019). "Fired Wisconsin Agriculture Secretary Brad Pfaff Gets New Job In Evers Administration". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  21. "Sen. Shilling: Endorses Brad Pfaff for state Senate". State Senator Jennifer Shilling (Press release). La Crosse, Wisconsin. Retrieved December 16, 2020 – via Wispolitics.com.
  22. Canvass Results for 2020 Partisan Primary - 8/11/2020 (PDF) (Report). August 26, 2020. pp. 11–12. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  23. Schmidt, Mitchell; Meyerhofer, Kelly (November 4, 2020). "GOP supermajority unlikely in Wisconsin Legislature as precincts report". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  24. Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 7. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  25. Tribune, Olivia Herken La Crosse (October 4, 2021). "Newly-elected state Sen. Pfaff announces run for Congress". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  26. Andrea, Lawrence (November 9, 2022). "Republican Derrick Van Orden defeats Brad Pfaff in Wisconsin's 3rd District, flipping seat". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  27. Ivey, Mike (December 4, 2014). "Fitchburg Mayor Shawn Pfaff to seek another term". The Capital Times. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  28. "Lounsbrough-Pfaff". La Crosse Tribune. July 7, 1991. p. C6. Retrieved May 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. Canvass Results for 2022 Partisan Primary - 8/9/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2022. p. 7. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  30. Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
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