Kelda Roys

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In 2012, when Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Herb Kohl, Roys left her Assembly seat to run for office in the open 2nd Congressional district. She lost to Mark Pocan in a four-candidate Democratic primary. [13]

Out of office

2018 gubernatorial election

On December 11, 2017, Roys formed an exploratory committee to run for governor of Wisconsin. [14]

During the campaign, Roys ran as a progressive, focusing on issues such as a $15 minimum wage, student loan debt forgiveness and engaging with progressive voters. [15] She gained national attention when a campaign ad in which she breastfeeds her infant daughter went viral. The ad drew attention to legislation Roys had supported during her time in the state assembly to ban the use of Bisphenol A in baby bottles, which is used in various plastic products and can linings [16]

Roys won first place by 12 points in the Democratic Party of Wisconsin State Convention straw poll. [17] In July 2018, the Roys campaign announced that she had raised over $800,000. [18] [19] In the primary election, Roys came in third out of the eight candidates, with Tony Evers winning the nomination and going on to defeat Scott Walker. [20]

Business career

In 2013, Roys founded a venture-backed real estate tech company, OpenHomes, a virtual real estate agency that helps people buy and sell homes more efficiently and affordably. [21] [22] [23]

Wisconsin Senate

In March 2020, Fred Risser, the longest-serving legislator in American history, announced he would retire from his seat in the Wisconsin State Senate at the end of the current term. [24] Roys immediately announced her candidacy to run for the vacated seat. [25] The race, in the heavily Democratic region of Dane County, Wisconsin, attracted six other candidates in a crowded Democratic primary, which was also defined by the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin and the protests against institutional racism prompted by the murder of George Floyd. In the August primary, Roys prevailed over her six competitors, winning 40% of the vote. She was unopposed in the November general election, and assumed office in January 2021. [26] [27]

Personal life

Roys has a husband and three daughters and two step daughters. [28]

She is an atheist and a secular humanist. [29]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (2008–2010)

U.S. House (2012)

Kelda Roys
Kelda Roys.jpg
Roys in 2009
Member of the Wisconsin State Senate
from the 26th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 4, 2021
YearElectionDateElectedDefeatedTotalPlurality
2012 Primary [30] Aug. 14 Mark Pocan Democratic 43,17172.16%Kelda Roys Dem. 13,08121.87%59,82630,090
Matt Silverman Dem. 2,3653.95%
Dennis Hall Dem. 1,1631.94%

Wisconsin Governor (2018)

YearElectionDateElectedDefeatedTotalPlurality
2018 Primary [31] Aug. 14 Tony Evers Democratic 225,08241.77% Mahlon Mitchell Dem. 87,92616.32%538,857137,156
Kelda Roys Dem. 69,08612.82%
Kathleen Vinehout Dem. 44,1688.20%
Mike McCabe Dem. 39,8857.40%
Matt Flynn Dem. 31,5805.86%
Paul Soglin Dem. 28,1585.23%
Andy Gronik (withdrawn) Dem. 6,6271.23%
Dana Wachs (withdrawn) Dem. 4,2160.78%
Josh Pade Dem. 1,9080.35%
Paul Boucher (write-in) Dem. 100.00%

Wisconsin Senate (2020, 2024)

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References

  1. ↑ Reilly, Briana (August 11, 2020). "Kelda Roys prevails in seven-way Democratic contest for Madison Senate seat". The Cap Times.
  2. ↑ Kelda Roys On Gubernatorial Run, Education, Jobs, Foxconn | Here and Now , retrieved 2018-07-12
  3. ↑ 2009-2010 Wisconsin Blue Book. State of Wisconsin. p. 73.
  4. ↑ "Kelda Helen Roys audio interview". D.C. Everest School District. Archived from the original on 2013-07-24. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Law firm biography". Wheeler, Van Sickle and Anderson. Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Kelda Roys". www1.dce.k12.wi.us. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  7. ↑ "Kelda Helen Roys". Wisconsin Vote. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  8. ↑ "Paula Bezark: Kelda Roys will deliver results in the state Senate". The Capital Times . June 2020. Archived from the original on June 11, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Kelda Roys: CEO/Founder". OpenHomes.
  10. ↑ Jason Joyce (September 9, 2009). "Kelda Helen Roys wins 81st Assembly District, will replace 30-year incumbent Dave Travis". Isthmus . Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Gubernatorial candidate Kelda Roys breastfeeds in campaign ad". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  12. ↑ "Democrats say they would repeal Act 10 if they unseat Gov. Scott Walker". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  13. ↑ "Our Campaigns - WI - District 02 - D Primary Race - Aug 14, 2012". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  14. ↑ Johnson, Shawn (December 11, 2017). "Former State Rep. Kelda Roys Forms Committee To Run For Governor". Wisconsin Public Radio . Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  15. ↑ White, Laurel (June 13, 2018). "Kelda Roys' Family Focused Campaign". Wisconsin Public Radio . Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  16. ↑ Graef, Aileen (March 9, 2018). "Candidate for Wisconsin governor breastfeeds in campaign ad". CNN . Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Wisconsin Democrats 'excited,' 'overwhelmed' by broad governor field, Roys wins straw poll". host.madison.com. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  18. ↑ "Democrat Roys reports raising $800,000 so far". WISC. July 10, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  19. ↑ Journal, Matthew DeFour | Wisconsin State. "Kelda Roys has raised $800,000 since entering governor's race". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  20. ↑ DeFour, Matthew (August 14, 2018). "It's Evers: State schools superintendent to challenge Scott Walker in November". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  21. ↑ "Featured Member/Ambassador for Month – Kelda Roys – Doyenne". Doyenne. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  22. ↑ Marc Eisen (August 8, 2013). "Former Rep. Kelda Helen Roys launches online startup OpenHomes". Isthmus . Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  23. ↑ "About Us - Open Homes". openhomesrealty.com. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  24. ↑ Vetterkind, Riley (March 27, 2020). "Sen. Fred Risser, longest-serving lawmaker in American history, to retire". Wisconsin State Journal . Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Kelda Roys to Run for State Senate" (PDF). Kelda Roys for State Senate (Press release). March 27, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2020– via The Wheeler Report.
  26. ↑ Schmidt, Mitchell (August 11, 2020). "Former Rep. Kelda Roys wins 26th Senate District race". Wisconsin State Journal . Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Democrats fend off veto-proof Republican majority in state elections". The Daily Cardinal. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  28. ↑ Several Staff Collaborating to Report the Single News; Story (March 10, 2018). "Candidate Kelda Roys exemplifies motherhood in campaign video about toxic baby bottles".
  29. ↑ Humanist, The (June 14, 2022). "Representation Matters: State Senator Kelda Roys". TheHumanist.com.
  30. ↑ Canvass Results for 2012 Partisan Primary - 8/14/2012 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. August 28, 2012. p. 2. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  31. ↑ Canvass Results for 2018 Partisan Primary - 8/14/2018 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 31, 2018. pp. 1–2. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded byMember of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 81st district
January 2009 –January 7, 2013		Succeeded by
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded byMember of the Wisconsin Senate from the 26th district
January 4, 2021 –present		Incumbent
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