Walter Kunicki
{{Short description|American politician (born 1958)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image =
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Walter J. Kunicki
|honorific-suffix =
|caption =
|order = 71st
|title = Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
| term_start = January 7, 1991
| term_end = January 3, 1995
| predecessor = Thomas A. Loftus
| successor = David Prosser Jr.
|office1 = Minority Leader of the Wisconsin Assembly
| term_start1 = January 3, 1995
| term_end1 = May 26, 1998
| predecessor1 = David Prosser Jr.
| successor1 = Shirley Krug
|office2 = Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
|constituency2 = 8th Assembly district
| term_start2 = January 4, 1993
| term_end2 = January 1, 1999
| predecessor2 = Peter Bock
| successor2 = Pedro Colón
|constituency3 = 9th Assembly district
| term_start3 = January 3, 1985
| term_end3 = January 4, 1993
| predecessor3 = Thomas W. Meaux
| successor3 = Tim Carpenter
|constituency4 = 15th Assembly district
| term_start4 = January 3, 1983
| term_end4 = January 3, 1985
| predecessor4 = Lois Plous
| successor4 = Shirley Krug
|constituency5 = 27th Assembly district
| term_start5 = January 5, 1981
| term_end5 = January 3, 1983
| predecessor5 = Joseph Czerwinski
| successor5 = Charles W. Coleman
|party = Democratic
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|06|09}}
|birth_place = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|alma_mater = University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (B.S., 1980)
|profession = Lobbyist
|spouse =
|children =
|residence =
}}
Walter J. Kunicki (born June 9, 1958) is an American lobbyist and former politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as the 71st speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, from 1991 to 1995. A Democrat, he represented south-central Milwaukee for 18 years in the Assembly. Since leaving office, he has lobbied on behalf of Wisconsin Gas LLC and WEC Energy Group, where he is now senior vice president for state public affairs.
Biography
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Kunicki graduated from Milwaukee Technical High School and received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 1980.{{cite report|url = http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1997 |title= State of Wisconsin 1997-1998 Blue Book |year= 1997 |editor-last= Barish |editor-first= Lawrence S. |publisher= State of Wisconsin |location= Madison, Wisconsin |author=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter= Biographies and photos: Members of the State Legislature |pages=21, 27 |accessdate= May 26, 2020 }}
That same year, he was elected to his first term in the Wisconsin State Assembly. He narrowly won the Democratic nomination for the seat, topping a crowded seven-candidate primary contest. He went on to win re-election 8 times, even as the district was redrawn in 1982, 1984, and 1992. In 1991, after the expiration of the term of Speaker Thomas A. Loftus, who had chosen to run for Governor of Wisconsin in 1990 rather than seek re-election to the Assembly, the members elected Kunicki as the new speaker. He continued as speaker until the Republicans took the majority in the 1994 election, and then became the Democrats' leader in the minority. He did not run for re-election in 1998.{{Cite web |url= https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS9519 |title=Kunicki, Walter J. 1958 |website= Wisconsin Historical Society |accessdate= May 26, 2020 }}
Since leaving office, Kunicki has worked as a vice president at Wisconsin Energy Corporation, and has worked as a registered lobbyist for them in the Wisconsin Legislature.{{cite news|url= http://archive.jsonline.com/news/opinion/waltcol20-ag8dq76-187539501.html/ |department= Opinion |title= The Capitol's revolving door |newspaper= Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |last= Walters| first= Steven |date=January 18, 2013 |accessdate= May 26, 2020 }} Kunicki is a member of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation and the National Speakers Conference.{{cite web|url= http://www.wecenergygroup.com/about/management_team/bios/kunicki_bio.htm |title = Walter J. Kunicki - Senior Vice President – State Public Affairs |website=WEC Energy Group |date= |accessdate= May 26, 2020 }}
Personal life and family
Earlier in his career, Kunicki was an occupational health nurse and remained a member of the Wisconsin Nurses Association through his time as a legislator. He is married.
Kunicki's son, Kyle, ran unsuccessfully for the open 40th Assembly district in 2024.{{Cite news |last=Claflin |first=Hallie |date=July 23, 2024 |title=Which Democrat will win rural votes for an open Assembly seat? |url=https://wisconsinwatch.org/2024/07/wisconsin-democrat-assembly-district-baraboo-portage-cook-desanto-kunicki/ |access-date=October 3, 2024 |work=Wisconsin Watch}}
Electoral history
=Wisconsin Assembly 27th District (1980)=
{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Assembly, 27th District Election, 1980{{cite report| url=http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1981 |title= The state of Wisconsin 1981-1982 Blue Book |year= 1981 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |location=Madison, Wisconsin |author=Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |editor-last1= Theobald |editor-first1= H. Rupert |editor-last2= Robbins |editor-first2= Patricia V. |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 894, 915 |accessdate= May 26, 2020}}}}
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic Primary, September 9, 1980
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Walter Kunicki
|votes = 662
|percentage =21.44%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Narciso L. Aleman
|votes = 592
|percentage = 19.18%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Daryl Laatsch
|votes = 567
|percentage = 18.37%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Sam L. Orlich
|votes = 409
|percentage = 13.25%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Harvey J. Cooper
|votes = 353
|percentage = 11.44%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = John A. Tadych
|votes = 341
|percentage = 11.05%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Barbara Svetlik
|votes = 163
|percentage = 5.28%
|change =
}}
{{Election box plurality
|votes = 70
|percentage = 2.27%
|change =
}}
{{Election box total
|votes = 3,087
|percentage = 100.0%
|change =
}}
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 4, 1980
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Walter Kunicki
|votes = 7,645
|percentage = 75.82%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Roger Sullivan
|votes = 2,438
|percentage = 24.18%
|change =
}}
{{Election box plurality
|votes = 5,207
|percentage = 51.64%
|change =
}}
{{Election box total
|votes = 10,083
|percentage = 100.0%
|change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing |
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{CongLinks| votesmart= 3514 }}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-wi-hs}}
{{s-bef|before = Joseph Czerwinski}}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nobreak|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 27th district}}|years=January 5, 1981{{spaced ndash}}January 3, 1983}}
{{s-aft|after = Charles W. Coleman}}
{{s-bef|before = Lois Plous}}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nobreak|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 15th district}}|years=January 3, 1983{{spaced ndash}}January 3, 1985}}
{{s-aft|after = Shirley Krug}}
{{s-bef|before = Thomas W. Meaux}}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nobreak|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 9th district}}|years=January 3, 1985{{spaced ndash}}January 4, 1993}}
{{s-aft|after = Tim Carpenter}}
{{s-bef|before = Peter Bock}}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nobreak|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 8th district}}|years=January 4, 1993{{spaced ndash}}January 1, 1999}}
{{s-aft|after = Pedro Colón}}
{{s-bef|before = Thomas A. Loftus}}
{{s-ttl|title = Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly|years=January 7, 1991{{spaced ndash}}January 3, 1995}}
{{s-aft|after = David Prosser Jr. }}
{{s-bef|before = David Prosser Jr. }}
{{s-ttl|title = Minority Leader of the Wisconsin Assembly|years=January 3, 1995{{spaced ndash}}May 26, 1998}}
{{s-aft|after = Shirley Krug }}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kunicki, Walter J.}}
Category:Politicians from Milwaukee
Category:University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee alumni
Category:Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Category:Speakers of the Wisconsin State Assembly