Kitty Rhoades (née Richie) (April 7, 1951 – June 18, 2016) was an American politician. She served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, where she represented the 30th district, before serving as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Kitty Rhoades | |
|---|---|
| Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services | |
| In office February 22, 2013 – June 18, 2016 | |
| Governor | Scott Walker |
| Preceded by | Dennis Smith |
| Succeeded by | Linda Seemeyer |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 30th district | |
| In office January 4, 1999 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Sheila Harsdorf |
| Succeeded by | Dean Knudson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kitty Richie April 7, 1951 Hudson, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | June 18, 2016 (aged 64) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin–River Falls (BA) Illinois State University (MEd) |
Early life and education
editBorn in Hudson, Wisconsin, Rhoades received a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and a master's degree in education from Illinois State University.
Career
editRhoades worked as an educator, small business owner, and consultant. In 1998, she was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican.[1]
In the 1990s, Rhoades proposed the term Winnesota to describe Wisconsin's St. Croix and Pierce Counties, which border Minnesota and are within the U.S. Census Bureau's Minneapolis-Saint Paul Metropolitan Area. According to Rhoades, "I still call my area Winnesota. We are in Wisconsin, but it sure is hard to remember it."[2]
Rhoades retired from the state Assembly in 2010,[3] and took a position with the administration of then-Governor Scott Walker in 2011 as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health Services.[4] In February 2013, following the resignation of Dennis Smith, she was appointed Secretary.[5][6]
Death
editRhoades died on June 18, 2016, in Madison, Wisconsin from pneumonia.[7][8]
Electoral history
editWisconsin State Assembly (1998–2008)
edit| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Primary[9] | Sep. 8 | Kitty Rhoades | Republican | 2,788 | 68.25% | Jay Griggs | Rep. | 1,297 | 31.75% | 4,085 | 1,491 |
| General[10] | Nov. 3 | Kitty Rhoades | Republican | 9,755 | 57.29% | James R. Johnson | Dem. | 7,272 | 42.71% | 17,027 | 2,483 | |
| 2000 | General[11] | Nov. 7 | Kitty Rhoades (inc) | Republican | 17,303 | 62.76% | Laurie J. Lundgaard | Dem. | 10,247 | 37.17% | 27,568 | 7,056 |
| 2002 | General[12] | Nov. 5 | Kitty Rhoades (inc) | Republican | 12,563 | 69.01% | Bob Feickert | Dem. | 5,635 | 30.95% | 18,205 | 6,928 |
| 2004 | General[13] | Nov. 2 | Kitty Rhoades (inc) | Republican | 20,540 | 61.09% | Tom Parent | Dem. | 13,071 | 38.87% | 33,624 | 7,469 |
| 2006 | General[14] | Nov. 7 | Kitty Rhoades (inc) | Republican | 12,790 | 57.40% | Dan Gorman | Dem. | 9,479 | 42.54% | 22,282 | 3,311 |
| 2008 | Primary[15] | Sep. 9 | Kitty Rhoades (inc) | Republican | 2,432 | 86.70% | Bob Hughes | Rep. | 372 | 13.26% | 2,805 | 2,060 |
| General[16] | Nov. 4 | Kitty Rhoades (inc) | Republican | 19,729 | 54.74% | Sarah A. Bruch | Dem. | 16,278 | 45.17% | 36,041 | 3,451 | |
References
edit- ^ Wisconsin Blue Book 2007-2008, Biographical Sketch of Kitty Rhoades, p. 39.
- ^ Bill Glauber (February 18, 2006). "Welcome to Minnesota: Twin Cities workers find comforts of home in St. Croix, Wisconsin's fastest-growing county". The Milwaukee Journal. Archived from the original on August 14, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
- ^ Rhoades Retires From Wisconsin Assembly Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Health Services Announces New Leadership Team". Archived from the original on 2012-02-12. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
- ^ Andy Rathburn, "Gov. Walker appoints Kitty Rhoades to top Wisconsin health post". St. Paul Pioneer Press. February 22, 2013.
- ^ "Kitty Rhoades appointed secretary of the Department of Health Services". RiverTowns. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
- ^ Wisconsin health services secretary Kitty Rhoades dies at 65
- ^ Kitty (Richie) Rhoades-obituary
- ^ Barish, Lawrence S.; Meloy, Patricia E., eds. (1999). "Elections". District Vote for Representatives to the Assembly - Primary elections, 1997 - 1998-Continued (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 880. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ Barish, Lawrence S.; Meloy, Patricia E., eds. (1999). "Elections". District Vote for Representatives to the Assembly - Special and General Elections, 1998 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 882. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
- ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2000 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. May 10, 2001. p. 20. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
- ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/05/2002 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 2, 2002. p. 21. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
- ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2004 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2004. p. 20. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
- ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2006 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 5, 2006. p. 21. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
- ^ Results of Fall Primary Election - 09/09/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. September 29, 2008. p. 40. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
- ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/04/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 19. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.