Todd Novak | |
---|---|
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 51st district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Howard Marklein |
Personal details | |
Born | Cobb,Wisconsin | April 23,1965
Political party | Republican |
Residence(s) | Dodgeville,Wisconsin,U.S. |
Todd D. Novak (born April 23,1965) is an American newspaper editor and politician.
Born in Cobb,Wisconsin and currently residing in Dodgeville,Wisconsin,Novak was the government and assistant editor of the Dodgeville Chronicle newspaper from 1990 until his retirement in 2014. In 2012,Novak was elected mayor of Dodgeville,Wisconsin. [1]
In November 2014,Novak was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican by a 64-vote margin. The Democratic candidate,Dick Cates,did not seek a recount. [2]
On November 8,2016,Novak was re-elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly by a margin of 723 votes,defeating Democrat Jeff Wright. [3]
In 2018,Novak defeated Jeff Wright for a second time. Novak was also successful in winning an Assembly District also won by Democratic Governor Tony Evers.
On November 3,2020,Novak was re-elected to his fourth term in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Novak defeated his challenger,Democrat Kriss Marion by a margin of 1,258 votes. This was his largest margin since first being elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly. [4] He further increased his margin two years later,when he was re-elected to his fifth term in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Novak defeated his challenger,Democrat Leah Spicer,by a margin of 3,214 votes. [5]
Although a Republican,Novak has positioned himself as an "independent voice" and has touted a bipartisan voting record,which is helpful in his liberal-leaning district. [6]
For the 2021–2022 Legislative Cycle,Novak served on the following committees: [7]
In his first term in the State Assembly,Novak authored a bill creating the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail which links the architect's notable creations using existing roadways. [8]
On February 11,2019,Speaker Vos appointed Novak chairman of a 16-member bipartisan task force on water quality. The task force was created to provide recommendations on assessing and improving the quality of surface water and groundwater throughout the state of Wisconsin. The task force traveled throughout the state,visiting the cities of Milwaukee,Madison,Green Bay,Janesville,Racine,Lancaster,LaCrosse,Mauston,Stevens Point,Menomonie,Tomahawk,Marinette,and Superior holding public hearings to gather information on specific concerns in the various regions of the state. [9]
Representative Novak authored two bills as a result of the task force's findings. The first bill,2019 Assembly Bill 790 increases funding for Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation staff. The bill also adds new language calling for conservation staff to work to implement the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). [10] The CREP leverages federal and state funding to compensate farmers to voluntarily decommission farmland and implement conservation practices. [11] The second bill,2019 Assembly Bill 801 provides funding to the University of Wisconsin System to implement the Freshwater Collaborative. The Freshwater Collaborative Program is designed to address two unique challenges relevant in Wisconsin,Agriculture Water Management,and Water Quality Safety and emerging contaminants. As part of the Freshwater Collaborative,the UW System will work to establish and develop a variety of undergraduate programs focused on preparing the Wisconsin Workforce to address Water Management and Water Quality safety issues while expanding opportunities for research and collaboration across campuses. [12]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Todd Novak (incumbent) | 14,759 | 56.1% | +4.1% | |
Democratic | Leah Spicer | 11,546 | 43.9% | -4.0% | |
Republican hold | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Todd Novak (incumbent) | 15,937 | 52.0% | +1.4% | |
Democratic | Kriss Marion | 14,679 | 47.9% | -1.4% | |
Republican hold | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Todd Novak (incumbent) | 12,445 | 50.6% | -0.7% | |
Democratic | Jeff Wright | 12,113 | 49.3% | +0.6% | |
Republican hold | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Todd Novak (incumbent) | 13,912 | 51.3% | +3.8% | |
Democratic | Jeff Wright | 13,189 | 48.7% | +1.5% | |
Republican hold | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Todd Novak | 10,619 | 47.5% | ||
Democratic | Dick Cates | 10,560 | 47.2% | ||
Libertarian | Adam Laufenberg | 1,177 | 5.3% | ||
Republican hold | |||||
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The 51st Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in southwest Wisconsin, the district comprises most of Lafayette County, as well as most of the southern half of Green County, central and western Iowa County, southwest Sauk County, and part of southeast Richland County. It includes the cities of Darlington, Dodgeville, Mineral Point, Monroe, and Shullsburg, and the villages of Argyle, Avoca, Belmont, Cobb, Gratiot, Highland, Lime Ridge, Lone Rock, Loganville, Plain, Rewey, and Spring Green. It also contains landmarks such as Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin estate, the historic Iowa County Courthouse, Governor Dodge State Park, Yellowstone Lake State Park, and Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area. The district is represented by Republican Todd Novak, since January 2015.
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