John Antaramian

John Antaramian was born and raised and has lived most of his life in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He graduated from George Nelson Tremper High School and went on to attend Kenosha's University of Wisconsin–Parkside, where he earned his bachelor's degree in economics and business management in 1977.{{cite web|url= https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS4900 |title= Antaramian, John M. 1954 |website= Wisconsin Historical Society |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }}

After graduating from college, Antaramian became an assistant manager at a Kenosha Walgreens drug store. At age 25, in 1980, he made his first run for Wisconsin State Assembly, launching a primary challenge against five-term incumbent state representative Eugene Dorff in the 65th Assembly district.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-antaramian-assembly/138286597/ |title= Antaramian is running |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= April 29, 1980 |page= 9 |accessdate= January 9, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} Antaramian ran a spirited campaign, attacking Dorff for becoming inaccessible to his constituents and not taking a significant part in the business of the Assembly. The primary results were surprisingly tight, with Antaramian falling just 196 votes short.{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WSZOQ2EA4U3UJ8F |title= The State of Wisconsin 1981–1982 Blue Book |year= 1981 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last1= Theobald |editor-first1= Rupert H. |editor-last2= Robbins |editor-first2= Patricia V. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |page= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AWSZOQ2EA4U3UJ8F/full/AVYBAH33SXKR6S8Z 895] |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }} Antaramian said he was satisfied that he had sent a message to Dorff, and promised he would run again in 1982.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-dorff-antaramian-election/138287154/ |title= Dorff margin tight |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= September 10, 1980 |first= Dave |last= Engels |page= 1 |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }}

In January 1982, Dorff removed the possibility for a rematch by announcing that he would not run for another term.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-dorff-retiring-from-assembl/58374336/ |title= Dorff won't seek another term |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= January 8, 1982 |first= Barbara |last= Henkel |page= 1 |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} Three candidates entered the contest for the Democratic nomination to succeed Dorff in what was then the 23rd Assembly district (due to a court-ordered redistricting plan that had been implemented that spring), but one candidate dropped out before the election. Antaramian based his primary campaign on juvenile law reforms, saying that juveniles accused of severe crimes should face adult court and exceptions from the limits on penalties for juvenile offenders. He also advocated for increasing financial penalties for parents of juveniles who engage in certain crimes, and wanted Wisconsin's drinking age raised to 19.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-antaramian-for-assembly/138288375/ |title= Antaramian to run for Assembly seat |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= May 4, 1982 |page= 6 |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} His principal opponent in the race was former county board chairman Ronald C. Frederick. Antaramian prevailed with 55% of the vote. He was unopposed in the general election and assumed office in January 1983.{{cite report|url=https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/ZJZ7PTZ7WFUWF8X |title= State of Wisconsin 1983–1984 Blue Book |year= 1983 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last1= Theobald |editor-first1= H. Rupert |editor-last2= Robbins |editor-first2= Patricia V. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AZJZ7PTZ7WFUWF8X/full/AGFN4SD4WY6X3M8J 889], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AZJZ7PTZ7WFUWF8X/full/AJECSVZ223PM4X8N 910] |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }}

After another redistricting in 1983, Antaramian was back in the 65th Assembly district, where he was easily elected to four more terms in the Assembly, in 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1990.{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/TH64IFYQF6YFR8L |title= State of Wisconsin 1985–1986 Blue Book |year= 1985 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last1= Theobald |editor-first1= H. Rupert |editor-last2= Robbins |editor-first2= Patricia V. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ATH64IFYQF6YFR8L/full/AE3CAKNHGWAUCQ8O 908], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ATH64IFYQF6YFR8L/full/AM4K4K4NCQDQBS8V 926] |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }}{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/KW3XV2DGSUDCO8L |title= State of Wisconsin 1987–1988 Blue Book |year= 1987 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last1= Theobald |editor-first1= H. Rupert |editor-last2= Barish|editor-first2= Lawrence S. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AKW3XV2DGSUDCO8L/full/AB47B3COT4NF2X8I 889], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AKW3XV2DGSUDCO8L/full/ALCYHXIDN77CU483 908] |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }}{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/GWSZSEDPAWDVC84 |title= State of Wisconsin 1989–1990 Blue Book |year= 1989 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last2= Theobald |editor-first2= H. Rupert |editor-last1= Barish|editor-first1= Lawrence S. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AGWSZSEDPAWDVC84/full/AU6AKVCYJULLH686 911], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AGWSZSEDPAWDVC84/full/AQSCLBCLEPWLKU8L 926] |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }}{{cite report|url= https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/LVXTGFG6N2TVJ8P |title= State of Wisconsin 1991–1992 Blue Book |year= 1991 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last2= Theobald |editor-first2= H. Rupert |editor-last1= Barish|editor-first1= Lawrence S. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ALVXTGFG6N2TVJ8P/full/AYNPDWD4GLW4H682 900], [https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/ALVXTGFG6N2TVJ8P/full/ATFIYLIYS7OGKV9E 916] |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }} For several consecutive sessions, Antaramian pushed for a state health insurance program to cover the estimated 500,000 Wisconsinites who then were lacking insurance coverage, seeking to expand on the WISCONCARE plan passed in 1985.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-antaramian-health-plan/138289329/ |title= Plan would help uninsured |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= February 5, 1987 |page= 9 |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} Though he didn't succeed, a version of this program (BadgerCare) was made possible in the 1990s due to the passage of the federal Children's Health Insurance Program. During the 1991–1992 term, Antaramian was assigned to the powerful budget-writing Joint Finance Committee.

In the fall of 1991, Antaramian announced he would run for mayor in 1992, challenging incumbent mayor Patrick Moran. In announcing his campaign, he also laid out three pillars to his platform: implementation of zero-based budgeting for the city, allocation of additional land and funding to industrial development for business and job growth, and expansion of community policing.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-news-antaramian-for-mayor/138290646/ |title= Antaramian begins mayoral campaign |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= September 8, 1991 |page= 9 |first= Dennis A. |last= Shook |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} The race ultimately drew several other candidates; the incumbent mayor, Moran, withdrew from the race in January, citing family health problems.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-moran-withdraws-from-mayora/138290758/ |title= Moran off the ballot |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= January 8, 1992 |page= 1 |first= Joe |last= DiGiovanni |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} Antaramian came in first in the nonpartisan primary, taking 59% of the vote.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oshkosh-northwestern-nonpartisan-pri/138290852/ |title= Norquist collects 50% |newspaper= Oshkosh Northwestern |date= February 19, 1992 |page= 11 |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} He defeated city councilmember Keith Bosman in the April general election.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-antaramian-elected-kenosha/58346665/ |title= Antaramian in a landslide |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= April 8, 1992 |page= 1 |first= Joe |last= DiGiovanni |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }}{{cite news|url=https://journaltimes.com/news/antaramian-new-mayor-of-kenosha/article_42495802-6b10-566c-8a44-630ed8758d91.html |title= Antaramian new mayor of Kenosha |newspaper= Racine Journal Times |date= April 8, 1992 |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }} He went on to win re-election in 1996, 2000, and 2004, leaving office in 2008.

After leaving the mayor's office, he started a consulting business. He was also a visiting professor at Carthage College.http://www.wibuilder.com/wb-august-2008/peer-review.html{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In 2015, Mayor Keith Bosman announced he would not run for a third term.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-bosman-not-running/138283327/ |title= Kenosha mayor won't seek re-election in 2016 |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= June 9, 2015 |page= 1 |first= Bill |last= Guida |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} Antaramian immediately confirmed that he was considering running for mayor again.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-antaramian-coming-back/138283770/ |title= Antaramian, Zerban mulling runs for mayor |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= June 9, 2015 |page= 1 |first= Deneen |last= Smith |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} After Antaramian formally entered the race, only one other candidate chose to run—first-term city councilmember Bob Johnson.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-bob-johnson-running-for-may/138284305/ |title= Alderman declares run for mayor |newspaper= Kenosha News |first= Bill |last= Guida |date= November 3, 2015 |page= 1 |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} After a brief but bitter campaign, Antaramian easily prevailed in the Spring 2016 election, receiving 63% of the vote.{{cite report|url= https://www.kenoshacounty.org/1729/Election-Results-for-452016 |title= Kenosha County Election Results - Spring General Election |date= April 6, 2016 |publisher= Kenosha County Clerk |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }}{{Cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/kenosha-news-mayoral-forum/138285123/ |title= Mayoral candidates square off |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= March 4, 2016 |first= Bill |last= Guida |page= 1 |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }}

Antaramian suffered a heart attack at his home on May 27, 2019. He was able to receive medical attention and had a heart catheterization procedure; he ultimately made a successful recovery.{{cite news|url= https://www.fox6now.com/news/kenosha-mayor-john-antaramian-suffers-heart-attack |title= Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian suffers heart attack |date= May 28, 2019 |work= WITI (TV) |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }} Despite the health scare, Antaramian showed no hesitation about running for another term as mayor, announcing that fall that he would stand for election to a sixth term in 2020.{{cite news|url= http://magazine.happeningsmag.com/?p=2651 |title= Exclusive interview with Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian |date= September 7, 2019 |first= Donald |last= Stancato |work= The Smart Reader |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }}

He faced no opposition in the 2020 Spring election, which was complicated by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin.{{Cite report|url=https://www.kenoshacounty.org/2059/Election-Results-for-472020 |title=Kenosha County Election Results - 2020 Spring Election & Presidential Preference |publisher= Kenosha County Clerk |date= April 14, 2020 |access-date= January 7, 2024 }} Antaramian advocated for the entire election to be conducted via mail-in ballot, to encourage social distancing, but ultimately the city did still open ten in-person polling places on election day.{{cite news|url= https://news.wttw.com/2020/04/07/kenosha-mayor-john-antaramian-wisconsin-election-virus-impact |title= Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian on Wisconsin Election, Virus Impact |first= Quinn |last= Myers |date= April 7, 2020 |work= WTTW |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }}

Following the unrest after the shooting of Jacob Blake in August 2020, Antaramian requested the presence of the Wisconsin National Guard in Kenosha.{{Cite news|last1=Peiser|first1=Jaclyn|last2=Berman|first2=Mark|last3=Guarino|first3=Mark|last4=Firozi|first4=Paulina|last5=Witte|first5=Griff|title=After video shows Wisconsin police shooting a Black man multiple times, National Guard is called to Kenosha|language=en-US|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/08/23/kenosha-police-shooting-video-wisconsin/|access-date=2020-08-27|issn=0190-8286}} Hundreds of protesters later forced Antaramian to relocate his press conference on the shooting from a local park to the city's public safety building, where the protestors were contained by police with pepper spray after tearing the building's front entrance door from its hinges.{{Cite web|last1=Webber|first1=Tammy|first2=Morry|last2=Gash|agency=Associated Press|date=2020-08-25|title=Wisconsin National Guard called out after police shoot Black man|url=https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/08/24/wisconsin-national-guard-called-out-after-police-shoot-black-man/|access-date=2020-08-27|website=Military Times|language=en-US}}

In an interview days after the shooting, Antaramian said visits to Kenosha by President Donald Trump or then-candidate Joe Biden would be "too soon," saying that "...the President is always welcome, but at this time, it's just the wrong time." Trump would visit on September 1, and Biden on September 3.{{Cite news|title=Kenosha Mayor Does Not Want President Trump To Visit 'At This Point In Time'|language=en|work=NPR.org|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/08/30/907600155/mayor-of-kenosha-wisconsin-gives-update-on-citys-unrest|access-date=2022-01-25}}{{Cite web|title=Trump's Kenosha visit produces outrage for some in the city, and calm for others|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/trump-s-kenosha-visit-sparks-outrage-sense-safety-across-city-n1239043|access-date=2022-01-25|website=NBC News|language=en}}{{Cite news|title=Biden Visits Kenosha, Wis., Meets Community Members And Jacob Blake's Family|language=en|work=NPR.org|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/09/03/909312761/biden-visits-kenosha-wis-meets-community-members-and-jacob-blakes-family|access-date=2022-01-25}}{{Cite news|title=Kenosha mayor: Too soon for Biden and Trump to be visiting|work=CNN|url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/08/31/kenosha-mayor-john-antaramian-biden-trump-visit-too-soon-ebof-sot-vpx.cnn|access-date=25 January 2022}}

The Fall general election in 2020 was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, for which there was not yet a vaccine at that time. Antaramian remained an advocate for vote-by-mail and other early voting options which allowed voters to avoid congregating in person at polling places. In October 2020, Antaramian participated in a challenge with the mayors of Wisconsin's five largest cities (Racine's Cory Mason, Milwaukee's Tom Barrett, Green Bay's Eric Genrich, and Madison's Satya Rhodes-Conway) to see which city would have the highest rate of absentee and early voting.{{Cite web|last=Hess|first=Corri|title=Mayors of 5 Largest Cities Issue Voting Challenge|url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/10/27/mayors-of-5-largest-cities-issue-voting-challenge/|access-date=2022-01-25|website=Urban Milwaukee|language=en}} U.S. President Donald Trump attacked the increase of absentee voting, alleging that it was a source of voter fraud; those attacks only increased after Trump lost the 2020 United States presidential election. Wisconsin, in particular, was a target of these accusations.

Responding to Trump's continuing complaints, his Republican allies in the Wisconsin Legislature appointed former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Michael Gableman to investigate those fraud allegations. The investigation lasted just over a year, and saw Gableman attempt to subpoena Antaramian and the other mayors. Gableman's investigation quickly devolved into a series of accusations and conspiracy theories. Gableman implied that the election process had been corrupted by the cities receiving election support funding from the non-profit Center for Tech and Civic Life. Antaramian described the investigation as a waste of time and money.{{Cite news|url= https://www.wgtd.org/news/kenosha-mayor-responds-election-probe-subpoena |title= Kenosha Mayor Responds to Election Probe Subpoena |date= October 6, 2021 |work= WGTD |language=en |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }} Ultimately, Gableman was fired by Republican Assembly speaker Robin Vos in August 2022.{{Cite news |url=https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/speaker-robin-vos-fires-michael-gableman-marking-end-to-2020-election-review/article_b8825858-dfdc-5348-b432-ce362e4bf8d4.html |last=Schmidt |first=Mitchell |date=August 12, 2022 |title=Speaker Robin Vos fires Michael Gableman, marking end to 2020 election review |work=Wisconsin State Journal |access-date=August 12, 2022}}

In May 2023, Antaramian announced that he would not run for a seventh term in 2024.{{cite news|url= https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-mayor-john-antaramian-will-not-seek-re-election-when-term-ends-in-spring-2024/article_1e07fd1e-fb29-11ed-afcc-4772fb4ecb11.html |title= Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian will not seek re-election when term ends in spring 2024 |first= Daniel |last= Gaitan |date= May 25, 2023 |newspaper= Kenosha News |accessdate= January 7, 2024 }} After the primary, he endorsed longtime city councilmember David Bogdala, who went on to win the election to succeed him.{{cite news|url= https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/government-politics/antaramian-endorses-bogdala-for-kenosha-mayor/article_a33a05ce-e0f0-11ee-9aa8-f78abe1a572e.html |title= Antaramian endorses Bogdala for next mayor of Kenosha |first= Terry |last= Flores |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= March 13, 2024 |accessdate= April 6, 2024 }}

John Antaramian is one of four children born to Martin B. Antaramian and his wife Noreen ({{nee}} Semerdjian). Both parents were first generation Americans, the children of Armenian immigrants from what was then the Ottoman Empire. Martin Antaramian was a successful lawyer in Kenosha for 43 years, in partnership with his brother, Richard, who was also a municipal judge. He was also prominent in the state bar association, in state Freemasonry, and in the local veteran community.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-news-martin-antaramian-obit/126906364/ |title= Martin B. Antaramian |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= March 10, 1996 |page= 10 |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }}

On January 16, 1982, John Antaramian married Linda Catherine Wesnick at St. Hagop Armenian Apostolic Church in Racine, Wisconsin.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-news-sunday-news-kenosha-wiscon/54221346/ |title= Antaramian-Wesnick |newspaper= Kenosha News |date= January 24, 1982 |page= 19 |accessdate= January 7, 2024 |via= Newspapers.com }} John and his wife still reside in Kenosha. They have two adult children.

• List of mayors of Kenosha, Wisconsin

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20200921180302/https://www.citizensforantaramian.com/ Campaign website (Archived Sep. 21, 2020)]

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{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
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{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 65th district|years=1985–1993}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Kenosha, Wisconsin|years=1992–2008}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Kenosha, Wisconsin|years=2016–present}}

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Category:1954 births

Category:Living people

Category:University of Wisconsin–Parkside alumni

Category:Mayors of Kenosha, Wisconsin

Category:Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Category:American people of Armenian descent

Category:Carthage College faculty

Category:Businesspeople from Wisconsin

Category:Ethnic Armenian politicians

Category:Armenian Apostolic Christians

Category:21st-century Wisconsin politicians

Category:21st-century mayors of places in Wisconsin

Category:20th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature