Lena Taylor

Last updated

In the fall of 2019, Taylor launched a campaign for mayor of Milwaukee, challenging four-term incumbent Democratic mayor Tom Barrett in the 2020 Milwaukee mayoral election. [27] She survived the February non-partisan primary, which narrowed the field to the top two vote-getters, [28] but was defeated by Barrett in the general election, receiving 36% of the vote. [29] [30] [31]

In April 2018, Taylor generated controversy and received a citation for disorderly conduct after an incident in which she used the term "house nigga" (a combination of "house slave" and "nigga") during a dispute with a bank teller who had refused to cash a check (citing insufficient funds). Both Taylor and the teller involved are African Americans. [32]

Fifth term (2021–2024)

In 2020, Taylor was re-elected to a fifth term.

2022 lieutenant gubernatorial and mayoral candidacies

After incumbent Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin Mandela Barnes announced he would not run for re-election, Taylor briefly entered the race to succeed him, announcing her candidacy in October 2021. [33] [34] She ended her campaign just two months later, on December 25, 2021, choosing instead to focus on the upcoming Milwaukee mayoral election. [35]

After Joe Biden was elected president in 2020, Tom Barrett received an ambassadorial appointment and vacated the mayor's office after his Senate confirmation, necessitating a special election in 2022. Taylor ran again, but this time fell to third place in the non-partisan primary, behind acting mayor Cavalier Johnson and long-time city councilmember Bob Donovan, and therefore did not advance to the April general election. [36] [37]

2023 municipal judge candidacy

In the 2023 Spring election, Taylor sought election to a municipal judge seat in Milwaukee. [38] She was defeated in the April 4 general election by Molly Gena, the managing attorney of a pro bono legal services provider. [39] [40]

Judgeship (2024–present)

On January 26, 2024, Governor Tony Evers announced he was appointing Taylor to fill the Wisconsin circuit court judgeship in Milwaukee County left vacant by the resignation of judge Audrey Skwierawski. Taylor resigned from the state senate later that day, and was sworn in as judge on January 30. [2]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (2003)

Lena Taylor
2013 YOUNG SUMMIT (9548790700) (1).jpg
Taylor in 2013
Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 41
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 30, 2024
Wisconsin Assembly, 18th District Special Election, 2003
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Special Democratic Primary, April 1, 2003 [4]
Democratic Lena C. Taylor 2,640 67.88%
Democratic Ted Kraig1,24932.12%
Plurality1,39135.77%
Total votes3,889 100.0%
Special General Election, April 29, 2003 [5]
Democratic Lena C. Taylor 475 95.96%
Write-in 204.04%
Plurality45591.92%
Total votes495 100.0%

Wisconsin Senate (2004–2020)

YearElectionDateElectedDefeatedTotalPlurality
2004Primary [8] Sep. 14Lena C. Taylor Democratic 10,04246.80% Johnnie Morris-Tatum Dem. 7,73536.05%21,4562,307
James White Dem. 3,63316.93%
General [9] Nov. 2Lena C. Taylor Democratic 62,68999.16%--unopposed--63,22362,155
2008 General [14] Nov. 4Lena C. Taylor (inc) Democratic 66,75198.82%67,55165,951
2012General [23] Nov. 6Lena C. Taylor (inc) Democratic 67,06486.62%David D. King Ind. 10,15413.11%77,42656,910
2016 Primary [24] Aug. 9Lena C. Taylor (inc) Democratic 11,45460.56% Mandela Barnes Dem. 7,43339.30%18,9134,021
General [25] Nov. 8Lena C. Taylor (inc) Democratic 62,09998.33%--unopposed--63,15361,045
2020 General [26] Nov. 3Lena C. Taylor (inc) Democratic 62,40598.34%63,45861,352

Milwaukee County executive (2008)

Milwaukee County Executive Election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
General Election, April 1, 2008 [13]
Republican Scott Walker (incumbent) 98,039 58.66% +1.38pp
Democratic Lena C. Taylor68,78541.16%−1.35pp
Write-in 2940.18%
Plurality29,25417.50%+2.73pp
Total votes167,118 100.0% -29.65%

Milwaukee mayor (2020)

Milwaukee Mayoral Election, 2020
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Nonpartisan Primary, February 18, 2020 [30]
Nonpartisan Tom Barrett (incumbent) 33,151 50.01%
Nonpartisan Lena C. Taylor 20,347 30.69%
Nonpartisan Tony Zielinski 10,38515.67%
Nonpartisan Paul Rasky1,9022.87%
Write-in 5090.77%
Total votes66,294 100.0%
General Election, April 7, 2020 [31]
Nonpartisan Tom Barrett (incumbent) 57,492 62.55%
Nonpartisan Lena C. Taylor33,57236.52%
Write-in 8520.93%
Plurality23,92026.02%
Total votes91,916 100.0%
Nonpartisan hold

Milwaukee mayor (2022)

Milwaukee Mayoral Special Election, 2022
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Special Nonpartisan Primary, February 15, 2022 [30]
Nonpartisan Cavalier Johnson (incumbent) 25,779 41.79%
Nonpartisan Bob Donovan 13,742 22.28%
Nonpartisan Lena C. Taylor7,87712.77%−17.92pp
Nonpartisan Marina Dimitrijevic 7,5212.87%
Nonpartisan Earnell Lucas5,8869.54%
Nonpartisan Michael Sampson5140.83%
Nonpartisan Ieshuh Griffin3150.51%
Write-in 560.09%
Total votes61,690 100.0% -6.94%

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Taylor, Lena C. 1966". Wisconsin Historical Society . Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Bice, Daniel (January 26, 2024). "Sen. Lena Taylor appointed Milwaukee County judge by Gov. Tony Evers". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Three legislative seats are on the ballot". Wisconsin State Journal . March 23, 2003. p. 37. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (2003). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 2003–2004 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp.  921, 924 . Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Special General Election - 04/29/2003 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. May 5, 2003. p. 1. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  6. ↑ Sides, Phyllis (May 18, 2004). "She's a fighter from Racine". Racine Journal Times . p. 1. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Same-party showdown highlights fall races". Wausau Daily Herald. July 14, 2004. p. 2. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 Results of Fall Primary Election - 09/14/2004 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. November 10, 2004. p. 11. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  9. 1 2 Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2004 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2004. p. 6. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  10. ↑ "Lena Taylor steps up". The Capital Times . October 8, 2007. p. 8. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Walker headed for victory?". Wisconsin State Journal . March 30, 2008. p. 33. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Scott Walker a serious challenger?". Wisconsin State Journal . February 3, 2008. p. 16. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 Tabular Statement of the Votes Cast for County Executive at a Spring Election held in the several wards, villages, and election districts in the County of Milwaukee on the 1st day of April, 2008 (PDF) (Report). Milwaukee County Election Commission. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Wayback Machine.
  14. 1 2 Results of Fall General Election - 11/04/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 5. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  15. ↑ "About Lena". Lena C. Taylor, Wisconsin State Senate, 4th District. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved 2022-05-23– via Wayback Machine.
  16. ↑ "A Talk with State Senator Lena Taylor of Wisconsin!". MSNBC.com. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  17. ↑ Video of Wisconsin State Senator Compares Scott Walker to Hitler
  18. ↑ Wisconsin state Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, says like Hitler, Gov. Scott Walker is abolishing unions
  19. ↑ Hitler Tweet Among Social Media Debate
  20. ↑ "Kapanke given toughest odds in recall election". www.jsonline.com. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  21. ↑ "Strong voter turnout helps recall efforts in state".
  22. ↑ "Taylor Appointed Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Finance". Lena C. Taylor, Wisconsin State Senate, District 4. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  23. 1 2 Canvass Results for 2012 Presidential and General Election - 11/6/2012 (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 26, 2012. p. 4. Retrieved February 12, 2024– via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  24. 1 2 Canvass Results for 2016 Partisan Primary - 8/9/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. September 30, 2016. p. 7. Retrieved February 13, 2024– via Wisconsin Elections Commission.
  25. 1 2 Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. p. 5. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  26. 1 2 Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 4. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Taylor formally announces mayoral run". Racine Journal Times . September 4, 2019. p. A6. Retrieved February 13, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ Dirr, Alison (18 February 2020). "State Sen. Lena Taylor to square off against Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in April election". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  29. ↑ Dirr, Alison (13 April 2020). "Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett easily wins reelection in race against Lena Taylor". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  30. 1 2 3 City of Milwaukee - Spring Primary - February 18, 2020 (Report). City of Milwaukee. 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  31. 1 2 City of Milwaukee - Spring Election - April 7, 2020 (Report). City of Milwaukee. 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  32. ↑ O'Donnell, Dan (April 9, 2018). "State Sen. Lena Taylor Cited for Disorderly Conduct'". WISN.
  33. ↑ Schmidt, Mitchell (October 5, 2021). "Democratic state Sen. Lena Taylor announces bid for lieutenant governor". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  34. ↑ Anderson, Andrea (2021-10-04). "Democratic state Sen. Lena Taylor running for lieutenant governor". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  35. ↑ "Lena Taylor Abandons Lieutenant Governor Bid". Wisconsin Public Radio . December 25, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  36. ↑ Caine, Patrick (December 26, 2021). "Democratic State Senator Lena Taylor to run for Mayor of Milwaukee". WTMJ (AM) . Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  37. ↑ 2022 Spring Primary - February 15, 2022 (Report). City of Milwaukee. February 15, 2022. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2024.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  38. ↑ Schwabe, Amy (December 10, 2022). "Sen. Lena Taylor will run for Milwaukee Municipal Court judge". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  39. ↑ Jannene, Jeramey (March 27, 2023). "Race For Municipal Judge Gets Little Attention". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  40. ↑ Dawson, Drew (April 5, 2023). "Molly Gena defeats Lena Taylor for Milwaukee municipal judge". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . Retrieved April 6, 2023.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 18th district
2003–2005		Succeeded by
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 4th district
2005–2024		Vacant
Legal offices
Preceded by
Audrey Skwierawski
 Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 41
January 30, 2024 –present		Incumbent
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