Robert Wilhelm (politician)

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Robert Wilhelm

|image = Robert L. Wilhelm - 2nd District - Ohio House of Representatives 109th General Assembly - DPLA - 5586be78567b1fe89fca76f0a79cfcb8 (page 11) (cropped).jpg

|image name =

|office = Member of the Ohio House of Representatives

|constituency = 2nd district

|term_start = January 3, 1967

|term_end = December 31, 1972

|preceded = District created

|succeeded = John Wargo

|constituency1 = Van Wert County

|term_start1 = January 5, 1965

|term_end1 = December 31, 1966

|preceded1 = Martin Feigert

|succeeded1 = District abolished

|party = Republican

|birth_date = {{birth date|1925|11|5}}

|birth_place = Wabash, Indiana

|death_date = {{death date and age|1991|4|19|1925|11|5}}

|death_place = Columbus, Ohio

|}}

Robert L. Wilhelm (1925–1991) was a Republican politician who served in the Ohio General Assembly. A former employee of both Kroger and the United Telephone Company, Wilhelm initially ran to represent Van Wert County in the Ohio House of Representatives in 1964, and won a seat.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JNpOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TgEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7383,1495854&dq=robert+wilhelm+ohio&hl=en Area Congress races draw interest] When the Voting Rights Act of 1965 initiated legislative districts in 1966, Wilhelm won reelected to represent the newly drawn Second District.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lyZPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bgEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7331,2654974&dq=robert+wilhelm+ohio&hl=en Incumbents meet defeat] He ran unopposed for a third term in 1968,[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-dUOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MUgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7178,2383199&dq=robert+wilhelm+ohio&hl=en Incumbents win unopposed] and won a fourth term in 1970.

In 1972, redistricting put Wilhelm in the same district as Representative Fred Hadley. With neither of them wanting to move or retire, they went on to face each other in the primary election for the Republican nomination.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sJBPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_FEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3441,560536&dq=rep+robert+wilhelm+ohio&hl=en In 'battle' for 79th House District] In the end, Hadley defeated Wilhelm, successfully ending his time in the legislature.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3s5OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7wEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7277,2450084&dq=rep+robert+wilhelm+ohio&hl=en Tax supporter wins 79th House District]

Following his defeat, Wilhelm served in the private sector, and publicly as a member of the Ohio state lottery commission. He died in 1991.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mNQpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JQMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4022,5050309&dq=robert+wilhelm+ohio&hl=en Judy Jones appointed to air quality panel]"Robert Wilhelm", Kokomo Tribune, Monday, April 22, 1991, Kokomo, Indiana, United States Of America