Dan Knodl

Dan Knodl
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 8th district
In office May 3, 2023 – January 6, 2025
Preceded by	Alberta Darling
Succeeded by	Jodi Habush Sinykin
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 24th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 6, 2025
Preceded by	Paul Melotik
In office January 5, 2009 – May 3, 2023
Preceded by	Suzanne Jeskewitz
Succeeded by	Paul Melotik
Personal details
Born	(1958-12-14) December 14, 1958 (age 66) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Diana Maria Bertieri ​ ​ (div. 2003)​
Residence(s)	Germantown, Wisconsin, U.S.

Daniel Raymond Knodl (born December 14, 1958) is an American Republican politician from Washington County, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 24th Assembly district since January 2025. Knodl previously represented this district from January 2009 until May 2023, when he was elected to the Wisconsin Senate in a 2023 special election to represent the 8th State Senate district.

Early life and education

Born in Milwaukee, Knodl was raised in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, and graduated from Menomonee Falls East High School in 1977. He briefly attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Career

Knodl was first elected to the Washington County board of supervisors in 2006. Two years later, he won his first term in the Wisconsin State Assembly, running in the 24th Assembly district.[1] He went on to win re-election seven times in this district.

On January 5, 2021, Knodl and 14 other Wisconsin lawmakers signed a letter to Vice President Mike Pence asking him to delay certification of the 2020 United States presidential election. In the letter, they claimed that "The 2020 election witnessed an unprecedented and admitted defiance of state law and procedural irregularities raising questions about the validity of hundreds of thousands of ballots."[2]

On December 2, 2022, Knodl announced that he was running in the special election for the 8th state senate district after incumbent Alberta Darling resigned.[3] On February 21, 2023, Knodl beat Janel Brandtjen and Van Mobley in the Republican primary race. He defeated Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin on April 4.[4] Knodl was sworn in as a state senator on May 3, 2023.[5]

A year after his election, however, the 2024 redistricting act re-drew the 8th Senate district so that Knodl and fellow senator Duey Stroebel were contained in one district. He announced he would not seek re-election to the Senate, and instead opted to run for his old seat in the 24th Assembly district.[6]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (2008–2022)

Year	Election	Date	Elected				Defeated				Total	Plurality
2008	Primary[7]	Sep. 9	Dan Knodl	Republican	2,706	37.41%	Jason LaSage	Rep.	2,312	31.96%	7,234	394
							Randall Ryan Melchert	Rep.	1,995	27.58%
							Michael Moscicke	Rep.	215	2.97%
	General[8]	Nov. 4	Dan Knodl	Republican	20,510	61.88%	Charlene S. Brady	Dem.	12,561	37.90%	33,145	7,949
2010	General[9]	Nov. 2	Dan Knodl (inc)	Republican	20,488	74.74%	Dustin James Klein	Dem.	6,910	25.21%	27,414	13,578
2012	General[10]	Nov. 6	Dan Knodl (inc)	Republican	20,932	62.37%	Shan Haqqi	Dem.	12,594	37.53%	33,559	8,338
2014	General[11]	Nov. 4	Dan Knodl (inc)	Republican	21,818	97.06%	--Unopposed--				22,479	21,157
2016	General[12]	Nov. 8	Dan Knodl (inc)	Republican	24,047	96.48%					24,925	23,169
2018	General[13]	Nov. 6	Dan Knodl (inc)	Republican	17,650	53.64%	Emily Siegrist	Dem.	15,244	46.33%	32,906	2,406
2020	General[14]	Nov. 3	Dan Knodl (inc)	Republican	20,075	51.45%	Emily Siegrist	Dem.	18,924	48.50%	39,019	1,151
2022	General[15]	Nov. 8	Dan Knodl (inc)	Republican	19,397	61.14%	Bob Tatterson	Dem.	12,311	38.81%	31,725	7,086

Wisconsin Senate (2023)

Year	Election	Date	Elected				Defeated				Total	Plurality
2023 (special)	Primary[16]	Feb. 21	Dan Knodl	Republican	13,996	56.82%	Janel Brandtjen	Rep.	6,870	27.89%	24,634	7,126
							Van Mobley	Rep.	3,743	15.19%
	Special[17]	Apr. 4	Dan Knodl	Republican	38,492	50.81%	Jodi Habush Sinykin	Dem.	37,200	49.11%	75,751	1,292

Wisconsin Assembly (2024)

Year	Election	Date	Elected				Defeated				Total	Plurality
2024	Primary[18]	Aug. 13	Dan Knodl	Republican	6,870	64.90%	Janel Brandtjen	Rep.	3,692	34.88%	10,585	3,178
	General[19]	Nov. 5	Dan Knodl	Republican	23,858	59.94%	William Walter	Dem.	15,887	39.91%	39,806	7,971

References

1. Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn (eds.). "Biographies" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 2009–2010 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-9752820-3-8. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
2. Beck, Molly (February 7, 2023). "Anti-Trump Republican group launches ad campaign targeting election denier Janel Brandtjen in state Senate race". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
3. Spears, Baylor (2 December 2022). "Republican Rep. Knodl Announces Run To Replace Retiring Sen. Darling". wisconsinexaminer.com. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
4. "Trump-backed state lawmaker loses Wisconsin primary". AP NEWS. 2023-02-21. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
5. McKillen, Thomas J. (May 4, 2023). "Knodl sworn in to 8th District Senate seat". DiscoverHometown.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
6. "Knodl campaign: Announces run for 24th Assembly District". WisPolitics.com. February 29, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
7. Results of Fall Primary Election - 09/09/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. September 29, 2008. p. 36. Retrieved November 16, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
8. Results of Fall General Election - 11/04/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 17. Retrieved November 16, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
9. Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2010 (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 1, 2010. pp. 14–15. Retrieved November 16, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
10. Canvass Results for 2012 Presidential and General Election - 11/6/2012 (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 26, 2012. p. 15. Retrieved November 16, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
11. Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. November 26, 2014. p. 14. Retrieved November 16, 2024 – via Wisconsin Elections Commission.
12. Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. p. 14. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
13. Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. February 22, 2019. p. 15. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
14. Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 13. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
15. Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 14. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
16. Canvass Results for 2023 Spring Primary - 2/21/2023 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. March 6, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
17. County by County Report - 2023 Spring Election - State Senator District 8 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. April 18, 2023. p. 1. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
18. County by County Report - 2024 Partisan Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2024. p. 123. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
19. County by County Report - 2024 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 27, 2024. p. 24. Retrieved December 1, 2024.

Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Suzanne Jeskewitz	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 24th district January 5, 2009 – May 3, 2023	Succeeded by Paul Melotik
Preceded by Paul Melotik	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 24th district January 6, 2025 – present	Incumbent
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by Alberta Darling	Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 8th district May 3, 2023 – January 6, 2025	Succeeded by Jodi Habush Sinykin