Sheldon Wasserman

Sheldon Wasserman
M.D.
Member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from the 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 2016
Preceded byGerry P. Broderick
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 22nd district
In office
January 2, 1995 – January 5, 2009
Preceded byPolly W. Beal
Succeeded bySandy Pasch
Personal details
Born (1961-08-05) August 5, 1961 (age 63)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Wendy Jill Wolfman
​
(m. 1987)​
Children3
Residence(s)Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (B.S.)
Medical College of Wisconsin (M.D.)
ProfessionPhysician, obstetrician
WebsiteCampaign website
Official website

Sheldon Allen Wasserman (born August 5, 1961) is an American physician and Democratic politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served 14 years as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 22nd Assembly district from 1995 to 2009. He is now a member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, representing Milwaukee's east side and lakefront since 2016.

Biography

Sheldon Wasserman was born in August 1961, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was raised and educated in Milwaukee, graduating from John Marshall High School in 1979. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, earning his bachelor's degree in 1983.[1] He immediately continued his education at the Medical College of Wisconsin, completing his doctorate in 1987. He moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he performed his medical residency in obstetrics and gynaecology at Bethesda Oak Hospital.[1]

After completing his residency, Wasserman returned to Milwaukee and was employed as an obstetrician at Northpoint Medical Clinic.

Political career

In 1994, Wasserman made his first run for elected office, running for Wisconsin State Assembly. He ran as a Democrat, challenging first term incumbent Republican Polly W. Beal in the 22nd Assembly district. The 22nd district at the time comprised a small part of the northeast part of the city of Milwaukee and all of Milwaukee's northern lakeshore suburbs in northeast Milwaukee County. Nationally, the 1994 election was a Republican wave; Wasserman prevailed in his race by just 488 votes[2] and was the only Democrat to unseat an incumbent Republican in Wisconsin that year.[3]

Wasserman was re-elected six times, serving in the Assembly through 2008.

In 2008, rather than running for re-election, Wasserman ran for Wisconsin Senate, challenging incumbent Republican state senator Alberta Darling in the 8th Senate district. The 8th Senate district then comprised the northern quarter of Milwaukee County along with parts of southern Ozaukee County, northeast Waukesha County, and southeast Washington County.[4] 2008 was a Democratic wave election, but Wasserman fell short in his race, finishing 1,007 votes behind Darling.[5][6]

After leaving office in 2009, Wasserman was appointed to the state Medical Examining Board by governor Jim Doyle.[7] Three years later, he was elected chairman of the board.

In 2016, after eight years out of politics, Wasserman announced he would run for office again. He ran for the open 3rd district seat on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, and was elected without opposition. He is now in his fifth term.[8]

Personal life and family

Sheldon Wasserman is the eldest of three children of Yale and Merle (née Weiss) Wasserman.[9] His father, Yale, worked as a dental surgeon.[10]

Sheldon Wasserman married Wendy Jill Wolfman of Milwaukee in 1987. They met in Milwaukee but at the time were both living and working in Cincinnati; she was a speech pathologist at the Cincinnati Public Schools.[9] They have three adult children and reside in Milwaukee.[1]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1994–2006)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1994 General[2] Nov. 8 Sheldon A. Wasserman Democratic 11,140 51.12% Polly W. Beal (inc) Rep. 10,652 48.88% 21,792 488
1996 General[11] Nov. 5 Sheldon A. Wasserman (inc) Democratic 15,314 57.06% Polly W. Beal Rep. 11,526 42.94% 26,840 3,788
1998 General[12] Nov. 3 Sheldon A. Wasserman (inc) Democratic 15,562 71.08% David Tatarowicz Rep. 6,332 28.92% 21,894 9,230
2000 General[13] Nov. 7 Sheldon A. Wasserman (inc) Democratic 18,266 63.42% Kevin Gerard Rep. 10,510 36.49% 28,800 7,756
2002 General[14] Nov. 5 Sheldon A. Wasserman (inc) Democratic 16,822 98.56% --unopposed-- 17,068
2004 General[15] Nov. 2 Sheldon A. Wasserman (inc) Democratic 21,750 65.36% R. Jay Hintze Rep. 11,495 34.54% 33,278 10,255
2006 General[16] Nov. 7 Sheldon A. Wasserman (inc) Democratic 20,571 98.70% --unopposed-- 20,843

Wisconsin Senate (2008)

Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
2008 General[5] Nov. 4 Alberta Darling (inc) Republican 50,125 50.46% Sheldon A. Wasserman Dem. 49,118 49.45% 99,328 1,007

References

  1. ^ a b c "Wasserman, Sheldon A. 1961". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Barish, Lawrence S.; Meloy, Patricia E., eds. (1995). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1995–1996 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 903, 921. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  3. ^ "State Legislature in hands of GOP". The West Bend Daily News. November 9, 1994. p. 2. Retrieved December 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2007). "Biographies". State of Wisconsin 2007–2008 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Results of Fall General Election - 11/04/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 6. Retrieved December 19, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  6. ^ Borowski, Greg J. (October 14, 2008). "Candidates vie over best fit for 8th District". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 25, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  7. ^ Bauer, Scott (April 24, 2009). "Senate confirms three to boards despite protest". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 5. Retrieved December 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Sheldon A. Wasserman". Milwaukee County. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Wendy Wolfman-Sheldon Wasserman". Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. July 24, 1987. p. 13. Retrieved December 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Dr. Yale Wasserman". Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. December 9, 1988. p. 10. Retrieved December 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Barish, Lawrence S.; Meloy, Patricia E., eds. (1997). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1997–1998 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 899, 903. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  12. ^ Barish, Lawrence S.; Meloy, Patricia E., eds. (1999). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1999–2000 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 879, 882. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  13. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2000 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. May 10, 2001. p. 17. Retrieved December 19, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  14. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/05/2002 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 2, 2002. p. 18. Retrieved December 19, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  15. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2004 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2004. p. 18. Retrieved December 19, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  16. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2006 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 11, 2006. p. 19. Retrieved December 19, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 22nd district
January 2, 1995 – January 5, 2009 		Succeeded by