Debra Kolste

Debra Kolste was born in the small city of O'Neill, Nebraska. She was co-valedictorian on her graduation from Kimball County High School.{{cite web|url= https://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/44/kolste/meet-deb/ |title= Meet Deb |website= State Representative Debra Kolste |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }} She went on to study at the University of Nebraska and received her bachelor's degree in medical technology in 1975.

She and her husband, Rex, a medical doctor, moved to Colby, Kansas, where they started a medical clinic.{{cite news|url= https://www.gazettextra.com/obituaries/dr-rex-j-kolste/article_7c762728-45b2-55b4-a60f-8284eb95641d.html |title= Dr. Rex J. Kolste |newspaper= Janesville Gazette |date= April 24, 2020 |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }} In 1984, they purchased a grain farm in Colby, which Kolste still owns and operates. In 1994, they sold their clinic in Colby and moved to Janesville, Wisconsin, where they both were employed by Mercy Health. Since then, Kolste has been employed as a medical technologist in the Mercy Health system.

In Janesville, Kolste quickly became involved in local school affairs as her children matriculated through the Janesville public schools. She joined the parent–teacher association and, in 2000, she was elected to the local School Board. She served three three-year terms on the board, leaving office in 2009; she was president of the board for the 2007–2008 session.{{cite report|url= https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2019_2020 |title= Wisconsin Blue Book 2019-2020 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 2019 |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |isbn= 978-1-7333817-0-3 |chapter-url= https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2019_2020/040_state_legislators.pdf |chapter= State Legislature |pages=66–67 |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }}

In 2012, Kolste announced she would be a candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly in the Janesville-based 44th assembly district. She hoped to challenge incumbent first-term Republican state representative Joe Knilans in the general election. First, however, she had to surmount the crowded Democratic primary field, which included city councilmember Sam Liebert, school board member Kevin Murray, and former city councilmember Yuri Rashkin.{{cite news|url= https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/candidate-profiles-state-assembly-district-44-democratic-primary/article_9c1e18f0-dfb5-11e1-a964-001a4bcf887a.html |title= Candidate profiles: State Assembly District 44 Democratic primary |newspaper= Wisconsin State Journal |date= August 6, 2012 |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }} In the August primary, she prevailed with 42% of the vote.{{cite report|url= https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/Percentage%20Results_8.14.12%20primary.pdf |title= Canvass Results for 2012 Partisan Primary - 8/14/2012 |publisher= Wisconsin Government Accountability Board |date= August 28, 2012 |page= 37 |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }} The general election dealt with the issues of a mining bill, which may have had an impact on the Janesville economy, and the state's implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act.{{cite news|url= https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/candidate-profiles-state-assembly-district-44/article_632320b6-18c4-11e2-8a65-001a4bcf887a.html |title= Candidate profiles: State Assembly District 44 |newspaper= Wisconsin State Journal |date= October 18, 2012 |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }} Kolste went on to win a substantial victory over Knilans in the general election, with 61% of the vote.{{cite report|url= https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/Amended%20Percentage%20Results-11.6.12%20President.pdf |title= Canvass Results for 2012 Presidential and General Election - 11/6/2012 |publisher= Wisconsin Government Accountability Board |date= December 26, 2012 |page= 19 |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }} Kolste won reelection in 2014 and was unopposed in 2016 and 2018.{{cite report |url= https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/Summary%20Results-2018%20Gen%20Election_0.pdf |title= Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 |publisher= Wisconsin Elections Commission |date= February 22, 2019 |page= 20 |accessdate= December 23, 2020 |archive-date= February 7, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200207221049/https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/Summary%20Results-2018%20Gen%20Election_0.pdf |url-status= dead }}

In February 2020, Kolste announced she would retire from the Assembly at the end of the 2019–2020 term.{{cite news|url= https://www.gazettextra.com/news/government/kolste-discusses-dropping-the-representative-from-her-name/article_f0fe08fc-ed7a-58e3-90d8-4689a141d6b2.html |title= Kolste discusses dropping the 'Representative' from her name |newspaper= Janesville Gazette |date= February 21, 2020 |first= Frank |last= Schultz |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }}{{cite news|url= https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/state-rep-debra-kolste-announces-retirement-after-terms/article_ee81565c-cdb4-5d32-b7c0-57e2e87cb9aa.html |title= State Rep. Debra Kolste announces retirement after 3 terms |author= Associated Press |newspaper= Wisconsin State Journal |date= February 20, 2020 |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }} Kolste endorsed her friend, Sue Conley, to replace her in the Assembly, and Conley was elected later that year.{{cite news|url= https://www.gazettextra.com/news/government/sue-conley-running-for-rep-kolstes-seat/article_278d8126-2678-5bf9-ac34-e9782e5f03b7.html |title= Sue Conley running for Rep. Kolste's seat |newspaper= Janesville Gazette |date= February 21, 2020 |first= Frank |last= Schultz |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }}{{cite news|url= https://www.gazettextra.com/news/politics/fall_2020_general_election/conley-wins-44th-state-assembly-seat/article_0787340e-ad8e-5b42-b562-cfd90810b9e1.html |title= Conley wins 44th state Assembly seat |newspaper= Janesville Gazette |date= November 3, 2020 |first= Ashley |last= McCallum |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }} Tragically, Kolste's husband, Rex, died unexpectedly two months after she announced her retirement.{{cite news|url= https://www.gazettextra.com/news/local/janesville-loses-a-quiet-man-of-medicine-whose-acts-spoke-loudly/article_03c12e9d-323e-5f21-a2e5-b3e113727236.html |title= Janesville loses a quiet man of medicine whose acts spoke loudly |newspaper= Janesville Gazette |date= April 24, 2020 |first= Frank |last= Schultz |accessdate= December 23, 2020 }}

Debra Ann Babl took the name Kolste when she married Dr. Rex J. Kolste, who she met while they were both undergraduate students at the University of Nebraska. Dr. Kolste, at age 66, died of a heart attack in April 2020. Rex had suffered his first heart attack at age 50, in 2004, after which they began recreational biking and practiced yoga. From her marriage with Dr. Kolste, Deb has three adult children, Drew, Ali, and Tori, and three grandchildren. She resides in Janesville, Wisconsin.

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Assembly, 44th District Election, 2012}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic Primary, August 14, 2012

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Debra Kolste

|votes = 1,926

|percentage = 42.09%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Kevin M. Murray

|votes = 1,610

|percentage = 35.18%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Yuri Rashkin

|votes = 705

|percentage = 15.41%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Sam Liebert

|votes = 335

|percentage = 7.32%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 316

|percentage = 6.91%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 4,576

|percentage = 100.0%

|change =

}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 6, 2012

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Debra Kolste

|votes = 16,983

|percentage = 61.54%

|change = +13.09%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Joe Knilans (incumbent)

|votes = 10,571

|percentage = 38.30%

|change = -13.20%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party =

|candidate = Scattering

|votes = 43

|percentage = 0.16%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 6,412

|percentage = 30.63%

|change = +20.18%

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 27,597

|percentage = 100.0%

|change = +63.66%

}}

{{Election box gain with party link

|winner= Democratic Party (United States)

|loser = Republican Party (United States)

|swing = 26.29%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Assembly, 44th District Election, 2014{{cite report |url= https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/11.4.14%20Summary%20Results-all%20offices.pdf |title= Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 |publisher= Wisconsin Government Accountability Board |date= November 26, 2014 |page= 19 |accessdate= December 23, 2020 |archive-date= December 13, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211213194318/https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/11.4.14%20Summary%20Results-all%20offices.pdf |url-status= dead }}}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 4, 2014

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Debra Kolste (incumbent)

|votes = 13,354

|percentage = 67.95%

|change = +6.41%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jacob Dorsey

|votes = 6,298

|percentage = 32.05%

|change = -6.26%

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 7,056

|percentage = 35.90%

|change = +12.67%

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 19,652

|percentage = 100.0%

|change = -28.79%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

|winner= Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

• {{CongLinks |votesmart= 140587 }}
• {{Ballotpedia|Debra_Kolste}}
• [https://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/44/kolste Official website]
• [https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2019/legislators/assembly/1838 Representative Debra Kolste] at Wisconsin Legislature
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20181104044114/http://debkolste.com/ Assembly campaign website (Archived - November 4, 2018)]
• [https://maps.legis.wisconsin.gov/?asm=44 44th Assembly District map (2011–2021)]

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-wi-hs}}

{{s-bef|before = Joe Knilans }}

{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 44th district}} |years= January 7, 2013{{spaced ndash}}January 4, 2021}}

{{s-aft|after = Sue Conley }}

{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kolste, Debra}}

Category:1953 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from O'Neill, Nebraska

Category:Politicians from Janesville, Wisconsin

Category:University of Nebraska alumni

Category:Businesspeople from Wisconsin

Category:School board members in Wisconsin

Category:Women state legislators in Wisconsin

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Category:21st-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature