Scott Wilk
{{short description|American politician}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Scott Wilk
|image = Scott Wilk, 2022.jpg
|office = Minority Leader of the California Senate
|term_start = January 20, 2021
|term_end = December 5, 2022
|predecessor = Shannon Grove
|successor = Brian Jones
|state_senate2 = California
|district2 = 21st
|term_start2 = December 5, 2016
|term_end2 = November 30, 2024
|predecessor2 = Sharon Runner
|successor2 = Monique Limón (redistricting)
|state_assembly3 = California
|district3 = 38th
|term_start3 = December 3, 2012
|term_end3 = November 30, 2016
|predecessor3 = Cameron Smyth
|successor3 = Dante Acosta
|birth_name = Scott Thomas Wilk
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|3|16}}
|birth_place = Lancaster, California, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|spouse = {{marriage|Vanessa Safoyan|1985}}
|children = 2
|education = California State University, Bakersfield (BA)
}}
Scott Thomas Wilk Sr. (born March 16, 1959) is an American politician who served as the California State Senate minority leader from January 20, 2021 until December 5, 2022.{{cite news |last1=Jennewein |first1=Chris |title=Brian Jones Elected State Senate Minority Leader, Increasing San Diego Area’s Clout |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2022/12/05/brian-jones-elected-state-senate-minority-leader-increasing-san-diego-areas-clout/ |access-date=February 25, 2023 |work=Times of San Diego |date=December 5, 2022}} He is a Republican who previously represented the 21st district, encompassing Antelope Valley, Victor Valley, and most of the Santa Clarita Valley. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served two terms in the California State Assembly. He was also a College of the Canyons Trustee.
Background
Wilk earned his B.A. in political science from California State University, Bakersfield. He has served on the board of directors of the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Committee. He is a member of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce and a past member of the Granada Hills Rotary Club.
Wilk was appointed to the Santa Clarita College District Board of Trustees on August 23, 2006. He was re-elected in November 2007 and November 2011. He also worked as a small business owner, ran a communications firm, and was a former legislative staffer.{{cite web |url=http://www.signalscv.com/archives/54256/ |title=COC incumbents beat challengers |website=www.signalscv.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219230908/http://www.signalscv.com/archives/54256/ |archive-date=2014-12-19}}
Career
= California State Assembly =
Wilk was elected to represent the 38th Assembly District on November 5, 2012. He received 56.9% of the vote. Wilk was re-elected in 2014, receiving 66.3% of the vote. While in the Assembly, Wilk served on the following committees: Budget Committee (Sub 4 - State Administration), the Governmental Organization Committee, and the Joint Committee on Arts.
While in the Assembly, Wilk was the principal co-author of the California Film and Television Job Retention and Promotion Act{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}}. He also co-authored a $420 million tax incentive that helped land a $60 billion aerospace contract expected to create 6,500 new jobs in the High Desert{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}}. In 2014, Scott was selected by the non-partisan, non-profit State Legislative Leaders Foundation to attend the Emerging Leaders Program held at the University of Virginia{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}}.
= California State Senate =
In California State Senate, Wilk is the vice-chair of the Governmental Organization committee.{{cite web |title=Senate Leader Atkins Announces Committee Membership for the 2023-2024 Legislative Session |url=https://sd39.senate.ca.gov/news/20230105-senate-leader-atkins-announces-committee-membership-2023-2024-legislative-session |access-date=February 25, 2023 |date=January 5, 2023}} On January 20, 2021, Wilk was elected as the Senate Republican Leader.{{cite news |title=Scott Wilk of Santa Clarita selected as state Senate Republican leader |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2021/01/21/scott-wilk-of-santa-clarita-selected-as-state-senate-republican-leader/ |access-date=February 25, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Daily News |agency=City News Service |date=January 21, 2021}}
Elections
=2014 California State Assembly =
{{see also|California State Assembly elections, 2014}}
{{Election box open primary begin no change
| title = California's 38th State Assembly district election, 2014
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Scott Wilk (incumbent)
| votes = 32,550
| percentage = 66.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Jorge Salomon Fuentes
| votes = 16,082
| percentage = 33.1
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 48,632
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Scott Wilk (incumbent)
| votes = 63,249
| percentage = 66.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Jorge Salomon Fuentes
| votes = 32,095
| percentage = 33.7
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 95,344
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = California Republican Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
=2012 California State Assembly =
{{see also|California State Assembly elections, 2012}}
{{Election box open primary begin no change
| title = California State Assembly election, 2012
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Scott Wilk
| votes = 20,230
| percentage = 32.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Edward Headington
| votes = 19,608
| percentage = 31.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Patricia McKeon
| votes = 14,025
| percentage = 22.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Paul B. Strickland
| votes = 9,182
| percentage = 14.6
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 63,045
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Scott Wilk
| votes = 100,069
| percentage = 56.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Edward Headington
| votes = 75,864
| percentage = 43.1
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 175,933
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = California Republican Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
Endorsements
Unlike many Republicans, Wilk has garnered endorsements from organized labor.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2021/01/20/wilk-replaces-grove-as-california-senate-gop-leader-1357484|title=Wilk replaces Grove as California Senate GOP leader|last=White|first=Jeremy B.|date=January 20, 2021|access-date=February 27, 2021|website=Politico}} He has received an endorsement from AFSCME Local 3299 (American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees) and from other organizations such as the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR), California Professional Firefighters, California ProLife Council, Gun Owners of California, National Rifle Association, PawPAC - California's Political Action Committee for Animals, and Peace Officers Research Association of California.{{Cite web|date=2014-07-25|title=Endorse Scott Wilk for State Senate|url=https://wilkforca.com/endorsements/|access-date=2020-10-16|website=Scott Wilk For State Senate|language=en-US}}
In 2020, Wilk was endorsed by The Santa Clarita Valley Signal, a news media organization owned by Richard Budman and his wife, Chris.{{Cite web|last=Signal Editorial Board|date=September 19, 2020|title=Our View {{!}} Our Endorsements for Legislature|url=https://signalscv.com/2020/09/our-view-our-endorsements-for-legislature/|access-date=October 23, 2020|website=The Santa Clara Valley Signal}} In 2021, '[https://signalscv.com/2021/11/the-signal-holds-51-luncheon-acknowledges-most-influential-in-scv/ 'The Signal'' listed Wilk at Number 1 on its list of Santa Clarita Valley's most influential people.]
Personal life
Wilk and his wife, Vanessa, reside in Santa Clarita with their two dogs.{{Cite web|date=2014-07-25|title=About|url=https://wilkforca.com/about/|access-date=2020-10-22|website=Scott Wilk For State Senate|language=en-US}} They have two adult children, Scott, Jr. and Alison.
Wilk's wife, Vanessa, is a district director for California State Assembly member Tom Lackey. She is also the chair of the City of Santa Clarita's Arts Commission{{Cite web|title=Arts Commission|url=https://www.santa-clarita.com/city-hall/commission-information/arts-commission|access-date=October 22, 2020|website=City of Santa Clarita}} and a member of the board of directors of the Santa Clarita Valley Committee on Aging.{{Cite web|title=Board of Directors|url=https://myscvcoa.org/home/scv-committee-aging/|website=Santa Clarita Valley Committee on Aging and SCV Senior Center}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://district21.cssrc.us/}}
- {{CongLinks | congbio = | votesmart = 138539 | fec = | congress = }}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-ca-sen}}
{{s-bef|before=Shannon Grove}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the California Senate|years=2021–2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Brian Jones}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilk, Scott}}
Category:California State University, Bakersfield alumni
Category:People from Santa Clarita, California
Category:Republican Party California state senators
Category:Republican Party members of the California State Assembly
Category:21st-century members of the California State Legislature