Kimberly Plache (born January 4, 1961) is an American Democratic politician and former member of the Wisconsin State Senate.
Kimberly Plache | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 21st district | |
| In office June 14, 1996 – January 6, 2003 | |
| Preceded by | George Petak |
| Succeeded by | Cathy Stepp |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 62nd district | |
| In office January 3, 1989 – June 13, 1996 | |
| Preceded by | Jeffrey A. Neubauer |
| Succeeded by | John Lehman |
| Member of the Racine Unified School Board | |
| In office 2009–2016 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 4, 1961 Racine, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Paul Hable |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin–Parkside |
Early life and education
editBorn in Racine, Wisconsin, Plache graduated from William Horlick High School in 1979. In 1984, she received her bachelor's degree in psychology from University of Wisconsin–Parkside.
Career
editShortly after her college graduation, Plache was hired as a legislative aide by her representative in the Wisconsin State Assembly, Jeffrey A. Neubauer. When Neubauer chose not to run for re-election in 1988, Plache ran and was elected to succeed him in the Assembly.
She was re-elected in 1990, 1992, and 1994.
In October 1995, Racine County's representative in the Wisconsin Senate, George Petak, ran into controversy when he changed his vote on a funding bill for the Miller Park stadium. Miller Park was being planned to replace the forty-year-old Milwaukee County Stadium and was being pushed by Republican Governor Tommy Thompson and Milwaukee Brewers owner and future-Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig. Petak had promised his constituents that he would vote against the bill, but changed his mind based on the belief that the Brewers would leave Wisconsin if a new stadium wasn't built.[1]
Petak's deciding vote supported a 0.1 percent sales tax increase for the five counties in the proposed stadium's vicinity, including Racine.[2] Petak faced immediate outrage in his home district, and local Democrats were energized to collect signatures for a recall petition. The petition was certified on March 26, 1996, and a recall election was ordered for June.[3]
Plache decided to run in the recall and faced no competition in the Democratic primary. In June, she defeated Petak, making him the first Wisconsin state legislator to be removed from office in a recall election.[4][5]
Plache was re-elected to a full term in the senate in 1998, defeating Racine Unified School Board Member David Hazen.[6] Plache sought re-election again in 2002, but was narrowly defeated by Republican Cathy Stepp.[7]
In 2009, the Mayor of Racine was forced to resign after being indicted. Plache ran in the special election to replace him, but did not pass the primary. In the same year, however, she was elected to the Racine Unified School Board. She served on the school board until 2016.[8]
She is currently a senior community relations officer for the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.
Personal life
editPlache married Paul Hable in October 1999. They live in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, and they have one daughter.
Electoral history
editWisconsin Assembly (1988-1994)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache | 2,846 | 43.18% | ||
| Republican | Saundra Herre | 1,932 | 29.31% | ||
| Democratic | Thomas A. Kexel | 1,799 | 27.29% | ||
| Independent | Kay C. Rouse | 14 | 0.02% | ||
| Total votes | '4,645' | '100.0%' | |||
| General Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache | 11,796 | 62.76% | +1.07% | |
| Republican | Saundra Herre | 6,703 | 35.66% | −2.65% | |
| Independent | Kay C. Rouse | 297 | 1.58% | ||
| Total votes | '18,796' | '100.0%' | +28.27% | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 1,320 | 65.87% | ||
| Republican | Kay C. Rouse | 684 | 34.13% | ||
| Total votes | '2.004' | '100.0%' | -18.60% | ||
| General Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 7,484 | 62.75% | −0.01% | |
| Republican | Kay C. Rouse | 4,443 | 37.25% | +1.59% | |
| Total votes | '11,927' | '100.0%' | -18.60% | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 3,644 | 69.88% | ||
| Republican | Mark Ladd | 1,571 | 30.12% | ||
| Total votes | '5,215' | '100.0%' | |||
| General Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 14,244 | 61.28% | −1.45% | |
| Republican | Mark Ladd | 8,999 | 38.72% | ||
| Total votes | '23,243' | '100.0%' | +69.56% | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Election | |||||
| Republican | James Turek | 1,258 | 40.26% | ||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 989 | 59.74% | ||
| Total votes | '2,247' | '100.0%' | |||
| General Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 9,504 | 59.74% | −1.54% | |
| Republican | James Turek | 6,404 | 40.26% | ||
| Total votes | '15,908' | '100.0%' | +33.38% | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
Wisconsin Senate (1996-2002)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Election | |||||
| Republican | George Petak (incumbent) | 14,147 | 60.20% | ||
| Republican | William A. Pangman | 5,174 | 22.02% | ||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache | 4,016 | 17.09% | ||
| Libertarian | Todd Mascaretti | 163 | 0.07% | ||
| Total votes | 23,500 | '100.0%' | |||
| General Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache | 21,045 | 51.22% | +13.33% | |
| Republican | George Petak (incumbent) | 19,318 | 47.02% | −15.09% | |
| Libertarian | Todd Mascaretti | 725 | 1.76% | ||
| Total votes | 41,088 | '100.0%' | -10.00% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 5,505 | 61.45% | ||
| Republican | David Hazen | 3,454 | 38.55% | ||
| Total votes | '8,959' | '100.0%' | |||
| General Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 27,353 | 55.46% | +4.24% | |
| Republican | David Hazen | 21,967 | 44.54% | −2.48% | |
| Total votes | '49,320' | '100.0%' | +20.04% | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Election | |||||
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 12,207 | 63.31% | ||
| Republican | Cathy Stepp | 5,462 | 28.33% | ||
| Republican | John W. Knuteson | 1,613 | 8.36% | ||
| Total votes | '19,282' | '100.0%' | |||
| General Election | |||||
| Republican | Cathy Stepp | 25,367 | 50.68% | +6.14% | |
| Democratic | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 24,594 | 49.14% | −6.32% | |
| Total votes | '50,050' | '100.0%' | +1.48% | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | |||||
Racine Mayor (2009)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Election | |||||
| Independent | John Dickert | 2,307 | 23.09% | ||
| Independent | Robert L. Turner | 1,671 | 16.73% | ||
| Independent | Kimberly Plache | 1,313 | 13.14% | ||
| Independent | James Spangenberg | 1,249 | 12.50% | ||
| Independent | Greg Helding | 1,150 | 11.51% | ||
| Independent | Pete Karas | 851 | 8.52% | ||
| Independent | Jody Harding | 658 | 6.59% | ||
| Independent | Q.A. Shakoor II | 414 | 4.14% | ||
| Independent | Lesia Hill-Driver | 161 | 1.61% | ||
| Independent | Raymond Fay | 148 | 1.48% | ||
| Independent | Jaimie Charon | 69 | 0.69% | ||
| Total votes | '9,991' | '100.0%' | |||
| General Election | |||||
| Independent | John Dickert | 6,027 | 55.46% | ||
| Independent | Robert L. Turner | 4,841 | 44.54% | ||
| Total votes | '10,868' | '100.0%' | |||
Racine School Board (2009–2016)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election | |||||
| Independent | Don J. Nielsen (incumbent) | 9,550 | 24.46% | ||
| Independent | Gretchen L. Warner (incumbent) | 8,440 | 21.62% | ||
| Independent | Kimberly Plache | 7,747 | 19.84% | ||
| Independent | Stella A. Young | 7,041 | 18.04% | ||
| Independent | John Leiber | 6,176 | 15.82% | ||
| Write-ins | 85 | 0.22% | |||
| Total votes | '39,039' | '100.0%' | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election | |||||
| Independent | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 12,223 | 22.27% | ||
| Independent | Don J. Nielsen (incumbent) | 10,383 | 18.91% | ||
| Independent | Gretchen L. Warner (incumbent) | 10,012 | 18.24% | ||
| Independent | Brian Dey | 7,910 | 14.41% | ||
| Independent | Roger Pfost | 7,416 | 13.51% | ||
| Independent | Scott Brownell | 6,840 | 12.46% | ||
| Write-ins | 112 | 0.20% | |||
| Total votes | '54,896' | '100.0%' | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election | |||||
| Independent | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 11,183 | 25.33% | ||
| Independent | Don J. Nielsen (incumbent) | 9,571 | 21.68% | ||
| Independent | Lisa Parham | 9,248 | 20.95% | ||
| Independent | Wally Rendón (incumbent) | 7,494 | 16.97% | ||
| Independent | Bryn Biemeck | 6,656 | 15.08% | ||
| Total votes | '44,152' | '100.0%' | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election | |||||
| Independent | Julie McKenna (incumbent) | 2,293 | 51.13% | ||
| Independent | Kimberly Plache (incumbent) | 2,192 | 48.87% | ||
| Total votes | '4,485' | '100.0%' | |||
Notes
edit- ^ Sandomir, Richard (1998-05-07). "Stadiums Are Proposed, but Public Isn't Always Disposed to Pay Price". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
- ^ "Petak Recall Counter to History". Racine Journal Times. Madison. 1996-04-12. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
- ^ "Recall gets green light". Racine Journal Times. Madison. 1996-03-27. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
- ^ "Plache sworn in as state senator". Racine Journal Times. 1996-06-14. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
- ^ Toner, Robin (1996-06-09). "Political Briefing: The States and the Issues;Wisconsin: Recall Alters Balance of Power". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
- ^ Sides, Phyllis (2003-01-08). "Unified School Board veteran not seeking re-election". Racine Journal Times. Racine. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
- ^ Wisconsin Historical Society-Kimberly Plache
- ^ ProgressMajority.org=Kimberly Plache
- ^ Official Proceedings (PDF) (Report). Racine Unified School District. 2009-04-20. p. 7. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
- ^ Final Official 04-05-2016 Election Results for State and County Races (Report). Racine County Clerk. 2016-04-05. p. 20. Retrieved 2019-04-05.