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Amy Sue Vruwink

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Amy Sue Vruwink
Vruwink in 2009
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 70th district
In office
January 6, 2003 – January 5, 2015
Preceded byMaryAnn Lippert
Succeeded byNancy L. VanderMeer
Personal details
Born (1975-05-22) May 22, 1975 (age 49)
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Matthew J. Crane
​
(m. 2000)​
Children2
ResidenceMilladore, Wisconsin
Alma materMarian University
OccupationFarmer
WebsitePersonal twitter

Amy Sue Vruwink (born May 22, 1975) is an American farmer and Democratic politician from Wood County, Wisconsin. She served 12 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 70th Assembly district from 2003 to 2015. After leaving office, she worked as a district representative for U.S. representative Ron Kind from 2015 to 2023.

Early life

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Amy Sue Vruwink was born in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, on May 22, 1975.[1] She was raised on her father's farm in the town of Sherry, Wisconsin, and graduated from Auburndale High School in neighboring Auburndale. She went on to attend Marian University, a Catholic private college in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and earned her bachelor's degree in communications in 1997.[2][3] Throughout her early years, Vruwink was active in 4-H and Future Farmers of America.[3]

During her sophomore year in college, in 1995, Vruwink was selected "Miss Farm Bureau" by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. As part of her activities as Miss Farm Bureau, Vruwink traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby on behalf of agricultural interests. Her experience with the farm bureau led to interest in public service; she served an internship in the office of Wisconsin U.S. representative Dave Obey (D–Wausau), and was then hired as a district representative on his staff in 1998.[3]

Political career

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Vruwink made her first run for public office at age 25 in 2000. She ran for Wisconsin State Assembly, seeking to challenge first-term incumbent Republican MaryAnn Lippert in the 70th Assembly district. At the time, the 70th district was almost entirely rural, comprising nearly all of Wood County except for the city of Wisconsin Rapids and the southeast corner of the county, along with much of northern Portage County around the city of Stevens Point; the largest population center in the district was the city of Marshfield. Before reaching the general election, Vruwink faced a contest for the Democratic Party nomination against Gary W. Morgan, a former radio reporter who was endorsed by long-time neighboring district representative Marlin Schneider.[4] After a vigorous campaign, Vruwink won the primary in a landslide, taking 78% of the vote.[5] In the general election, her race was one of the closest in the state, falling just 104 votes short of the incumbent, Lippert. Vruwink sought a recount, which changed the totals slightly, and brought her margin down to 96 votes.[6][7]

After losing the election, Vruwink resumed her work on the staff of Dave Obey. Just over a year later, in the spring of 2002, Lippert announced that, due to her husband's health challenges, she would not run for a third term in the Assembly.[8] Around the same time, Vruwink announced she planned to run again.[9] Between the 2000 and 2002 elections, the state also underwent redistricting, but the 70th Assembly district was barely affected.

Vruwink faced a primary opponent again in 2002, but prevailed by a wide margin, taking 71% of the vote.[10] In the general election, Vruwink's Republican opponent was Gary C. Meyer, a small business owner and high school classmate.[11] Vruwink was the subject of a significant volume of policy-based attacks during the 2002 campaign, suggesting she would prioritize a Milwaukee highway project over a local highway, and questioning her position on abortion.[12][13] There was also an attempt by Republicans to connect her to the recent "caucus scandal" in Madison, because she was one of several Assembly candidates who had received support from tainted third party PACs in the 2000 election.[14] Despite the barrage of attacks, Vruwink won the election by healthy margin, receiving 54.5% of the vote.[15]

After winning office, Vruwink won by large margins running for re-election in 2004, 2006, and 2008. She was assigned to the Assembly committee on agriculture and served on that committee for all of her years in the Assembly, rising to become chair of the committee during the 2009–2010 term. Following the 2008 election and the Great Recession, Republicans were buoyed by the Tea Party movement, a backlash against the new Democratic president Barack Obama and government spending. In the 2010 election, Vruwink was challenged by Republican John Spiros, a member of the Marshfield city council. Despite a Republican wave election, Vruwink still won her election with 53.7% of the vote.[16]

The 2010 elections, however, ushered in full Republican control of Wisconsin state government. Republicans used their power to pass controversial legislation, including a dramatic new redistricting law now recognized as one of the most aggressive gerrymanders in American history. Vruwink's 70th Assembly district was significantly redrawn, removing Marshfield and areas of northwestern Wood County and adding a wide swath of eastern Jackson County and northwest Monroe County. In the 2012 election, she faced farmer and business owner Nancy VanderMeer of Monroe County. Vruwink won the election, but by the small margin of just 144 votes.[17] After the 2012 election, Vruwink was named by her party's leadership to a coveted seat on the Legislature's budget-writing Joint Finance Committee.[2] VanderMeer ran again in 2014, however, and this time defeated Vruwink in the lower turnout midterm election.[18][19]

After leaving office, Vruwink returned to working as a congressional staffer, this time for U.S. representative Ron Kind (D–La Crosse). Vruwink was hired in January 2015 as Kind's district representative in the central Wisconsin portion of his 3rd congressional district.[20] She continued working for Kind until he retired in January 2023.

Personal life and family

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Amy Sue Vruwink is one of eight children born to James T. Vruwink and his wife Donna (née Spranger).[21]

On July 8, 2000, she married Matthew J. Crane at St. James Catholic Church, in Vesper, Wisconsin.[22] They have two children together.[3]

Her nephew, Zach Vruwink, served as mayor of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, from 2012 through 2020,[23] and was the city's youngest ever mayor when he was first elected, at age 24.[24]

Electoral history

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Wisconsin Assembly (2000–2014)

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
2000 Primary[5] Sep. 12 Amy Sue Vruwink Democratic 2,705 78.73% Gary W. Morgan Dem. 730 21.25% 3,436 1,975
General[7] Nov. 7 MaryAnn Lippert (inc) Republican 12,071 50.17% Amy Sue Vruwink Dem. 11,975 49.77% 24,060 96
2002 Primary[10] Sep. 10 Amy Sue Vruwink Democratic 5,337 71.36% Trent T. Rasmussen Dem. 2,141 28.63% 7,479 3,196
General[15] Nov. 5 Amy Sue Vruwink Democratic 9,207 53.56% Gary C. Meyer Rep. 7,953 46.27% 17,190 1,254
2004 General[25] Nov. 2 Amy Sue Vruwink (inc) Democratic 18,120 63.03% Daniel Mielke Rep. 10,622 36.95% 28,747 7,498
2006 General[26] Nov. 7 Amy Sue Vruwink (inc) Democratic 14,278 66.52% Dennis Juncer Rep. 7,180 33.45% 22,074 7,098
2008 General[27] Nov. 4 Amy Sue Vruwink (inc) Democratic 19,490 69.62% Dennis Seevers Rep. 8,495 30.34% 27,995 10,995
2010 General[16] Nov. 2 Amy Sue Vruwink (inc) Democratic 12,178 53.75% John Spiros Rep. 10,461 46.17% 22,658 1,717
2012 General[17] Nov. 6 Amy Sue Vruwink (inc) Democratic 13,518 50.19% Nancy VanderMeer Rep. 13,374 49.65% 26,936 144
2014 General[18] Nov. 4 Nancy VanderMeer Republican 11,766 52.78% Amy Sue Vruwink (inc) Dem. 10,508 47.14% 22,293 1,258

References

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  1. ^ "Vruwink, Amy Sue 1975". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Representative Amy Sue Vruwink". Wisconsin Legislature. 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Centennial: Miss Farm Bureau Reflections from Amy Sue Vruwink". Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. November 4, 2019. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  4. ^ "Morgan, Vruwink face off in 70th Assembly". Marshfield News-Herald. September 6, 2000. p. 3. Retrieved October 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b Results of Fall Primary Election - 09/12/2000 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. September 27, 2000. p. 51. Retrieved October 26, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  6. ^ "70th District may get recount". Marshfield News-Herald. November 9, 2000. p. 16. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2000 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. May 10, 2001. p. 33. Retrieved October 26, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  8. ^ "Lippert torn by budget bill vote". Stevens Point Journal. July 10, 2002. p. 3. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Chronis, Paul (May 30, 2002). "Race is on for Lippert's seat". Stevens Point Journal. p. 1. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b Results of Fall Primary Election - 09/10/2002 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. September 24, 2002. p. 57. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  11. ^ "Meter, Vruwink eagerly pursue 70th seat". The Daily Tribune. October 29, 2002. p. 1. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Seitz, Bob (October 26, 2002). "Professional politicians not needed". Marshfield News-Herald. p. 9. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Tritz, Ralph (October 26, 2002). "'Pro-choice' money accepted". The Daily Tribune. p. 4. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Tomfohrde, C. Dale (October 26, 2002). "Contributions can be telling". The Daily Tribune. p. 4. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b Results of Fall General Election - 11/05/2002 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 2, 2002. p. 34. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  16. ^ a b Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2010 (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 8, 2010. p. 26. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  17. ^ a b Canvass Results for 2012 Presidential and General Election - 11/6/2012 (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 26, 2012. p. 25. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  18. ^ a b Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 26, 2012. p. 24. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Wisconsin Elections Commission.
  19. ^ Kowalski, B.C. (November 4, 2014). "UPDATE: VanderMeer defeats Vruwink in 70th District". Stevens Point Journal. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  20. ^ Vine, Nathan (February 6, 2015). "Vruwink joins Kind's staff as congressional aide". Stevens Point Journal. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  21. ^ "James T. Vruwink". Marshfield News-Herald. May 30, 2024. p. A2. Retrieved October 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Vruwink-Crane". The Daily Tribune. August 5, 2000. p. 28. Retrieved October 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Poltrock, Heather (April 13, 2020). "Shane Blaser defeats Zach Vruwink in Rapids mayoral race". WSAW-TV. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  24. ^ Shuda, Nathaniel (April 4, 2012). "Vruwink victorious". The Daily Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2004 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2004. p. 30. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  26. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2006 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 11, 2006. p. 34. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  27. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/04/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 32. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
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Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 70th district
January 6, 2003 – January 5, 2015 		Succeeded by
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