Mark Neumann

Not to be confused with Mark Neuman.
Mark Neumann
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 1st district
In office
January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by Peter Barca
Succeeded by Paul Ryan
Personal details
Born Mark William Neumann
(1954-02-27) February 27, 1954
East Troy, Wisconsin, U.S.
Nationality American
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Sue Neumann
Children Tricia, Andrew, Matthew
Residence Nashotah, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma mater University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Occupation Home builder
Religion Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod[1]

Mark William Neumann (born February 27, 1954) is a businessman and politician. He represented Wisconsin's 1st congressional district from 1995 to 1999. In 2010, Neumann lost a bid to become the Republican nominee for Governor of Wisconsin. Neumann was a candidate for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin to succeed Herb Kohl who was retiring.[2] He came in third place during the 2012 Republican primary election on August 14, 2012.

Early life, education, and early career

Neumann was born in East Troy, Wisconsin, one of five siblings. His parents were Stella and Kurt Neumann. His father was an electrical engineer for General Motors and his mother was an executive assistant. Neumann graduated from East Troy High School in 1972. After high school, he briefly attended General Motors Institute (now Kettering University).[3] In 1973, Neumann married Sue Link, his high school sweetheart, whom he met in Sunday school in the 4th grade. That same year, Neumann enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he graduated with honors in 1975, earning a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. After graduating from Whitewater, Neumann moved to River Falls, Wisconsin, where he taught mathematics at River Falls High School while attending the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, earning a Masters of Science in Supervision and Instructional Leadership. Neumann did additional post-graduate work at the University of Wisconsin.[4]

After college, Neumann relocated to Milton, Wisconsin, where he began his career teaching Mathematics at Milton High School and Milton College, before the campus closed in 1982.[5][6] Neumann is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.[1] He started his first company in 1986 in his basement, building homes in the Milton and Janesville, WI. By 1991, Neumann's company was listed as one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine.[6]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

1992

Neumann decided to run for the House of Representatives as a Republican in 1992. He faced Congressman Les Aspin and lost 58% to 41%, while spending $700,000.

1992 Wisconsin 1st Congressional District Election [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Les Aspin (incumbent) 147,495 58%
Republican Mark Neumann 104,352 41%
1993 special election

Shortly after defeating Neumann, Aspin was appointed U.S. Secretary of Defense by President Bill Clinton in 1993.[8] Just months after being defeated by over 17%, Neumann entered the special election to fill the seat vacated by Aspin. Neumann lost narrowly to his opponent, Peter Barca by only 675 votes; 49.3% to Barca's 49.9%.[9]

1993 Wisconsin 1st Congressional District Special Election [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Peter Barca 55,605 50%
Republican Mark Neumann 54,930 49%
1994

After losing in both 1992 and 1993, Neumann once again entered the race for Wisconsin’s First Congressional District. After losing to Peter Barca by 675 votes in the previous year, Neumann defeated Barca by 1,120 votes, becoming the first Republican to hold that seat since 1971. Neumann's victory was one of 52 Republican pick-up seats during the Republican Revolution.

1994 Wisconsin 1st Congressional District Election [11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mark Neumann 83,937 49%
Democratic Peter Barca (incumbent) 82,817 49%
Libertarian Edward Kozak 3,085 2%
1996

Neumann won re-election by 4,260 votes in a close 1996 race against Lydia Spottswood.

1996 Wisconsin 1st Congressional District Election [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mark Neumann (Incumbent) 118,408 51%
Democratic Lydia Spottswood 114,148 49%

Tenure

Neumann was sworn into the 104th United States Congress on January 3, 1995, when the Republican Party gained control of both houses for the first time since the 1950s. Neumann was assigned to the Appropriations committee, being the only freshman appointed to the committee that year. While on the committee, Neumann wrote his own version of the budget, which would produce a balanced budget by 1999. Neumann voted present in the election for Speaker of the House in 1997, instead of voting for Newt Gingrich.[13]

In September 1995, Neumann failed to pass an amendment requiring congressional approval of troop deployment to Bosnia. Then, on September 29, he voted to defeat the $243 billion military appropriation, along with other freshman Members, because it didn't contain his own amendment.[14] As punishment for his vote, Bob Livingston removed him from the committee.[14] This was brief, and Neumann was eventually reassigned to the committee.[15] Neumann has been critical of LGBT rights in the past. In 1996, he commented to the New York Times that "if I was elected God for a day, homosexuality wouldn't be permitted, but nobody's electing me God".[16][17]

Committee assignments

Congressman Neumann served on the following committees and subcommittees:[18]

1998 U.S. Senate election

In September 1997, Neumann announced his candidacy for the United States Senate against Russell Feingold. Both candidates had similar views on the budget surplus, although Neumann was for banning partial-birth abortion while Feingold was against a ban. Both candidates limited themselves to $3.8 million in campaign spending ($1 for every citizen of Wisconsin), although outside groups spent more than $2 million on Neumann; Feingold refused to have outside groups spend on his behalf.[19][20] Feingold defeated Neumann by a 3% margin in the election, 51% - 48%. Neumann had a 68,000-vote deficit in Milwaukee County.[21]

Wisconsin U.S. Senate Election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Russ Feingold 890,059 51
Republican Mark Neumann 852,272 48
U.S. Taxpayers Robert R. Raymond 7,942 0
Libertarian Tom Ender 5,591 0
Independent Eugene A. Hem 4,266 0
Write-In Votes 706 0
Majority 37,787 2
Turnout 1,760,836
  Democratic hold

Post-congressional career

Neumann stayed out of the 2004 Senate campaign, instead supporting former Lt. Governor Margaret Farrow, who did not run. Despite speculation that Neumann might run against Senator Herb Kohl or Governor Jim Doyle, he did not choose to seek elective office during the 2006 election cycle. He had considered a run for Governor, but did not enter the race in deference to Scott Walker, who withdrew in favor of former Congressman Mark Green.

2010 gubernatorial election

Neumann told the Wisconsin State Journal on April 23, 2009 that he intended to run for governor in 2010,[22] and on July 1, 2009, Neumann officially declared his candidacy.[23] In 2010 Neumann stated his opposition to same-sex marriage, and claimed that he wanted to focus on jobs and economic development.[24] Neumann was defeated 59% to 39% in the September 14, 2010 primary by opponent Scott Walker. Walker was ultimately elected Governor in the general election.

2012 U.S. Senate election

In August 2011, Neumann announced his candidacy for the Senate seat of retiring senator Herb Kohl.[25] On October 6, 2011, it was announced that he had raised $300,000 during the first month of the campaign.[26] After receiving endorsements from conservative groups such as the Club for Growth and Americans For Prosperity, Neumann split the Tea Party vote with millionaire businessman Eric Hovde. Neumann came in third place, taking 23% of the vote.

References

  1. 1 2 "Congressman confesses Christian convictions". Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. January 1995. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
  2. ↑ Republican Neumann announces Senate run WBAY-TV August 29, 2011. Accessed August 29, 2011
  3. ↑ "Candidate Profile from Congressional Quarterly". Cnn.tv. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  4. ↑ "Congressional Biography of Mark Neumann". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  5. ↑ "Milton College Preservation Society". Miltoncollege.org. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  6. 1 2 biography at official website at the Wayback Machine (archived July 15, 2010)
  7. ↑ "1992 Election Results: Wisconsin' 1st Congressional District" (PDF). Wisconsin Blue Book 1993-1994. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  8. ↑ "Les Aspin Congressional Biography". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  9. ↑ Gonzales, Nathan L.; Kurtz, Josh (March 31, 2009). "Off-Year Specials Often Provide No Tea Leaves". Roll Call. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  10. ↑ "1993 Special Election Results: Wisconsin' 1st Congressional District" (PDF). Wisconsin Blue Book 1993-1994. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  11. ↑ "1994 Election Results: Wisconsin' 1st Congressional District" (PDF). Wisconsin Blue Book. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  12. ↑ "1996 Election Results: Wisconsin' 1st Congressional District" (PDF). Wisconsin Blue Book. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  13. ↑ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1997/roll003.xml#P
  14. 1 2 Carney, Timothy (2011-04-03) GOP anti-appropriators break up the spending party, Washington Examiner
  15. ↑ Gray, Jerry (October 21, 1995). "Freshman Challenge G.O.P. Elders". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  16. ↑ Bice, Daniel (May 9, 2010). "Neumann avoids giving a straight answer on gay issues". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  17. ↑ Goldberg, Jeffrey (November 3, 1996). "Adventures of a Republican Revolutionary". The New York Times.
  18. ↑ "Wisconsin Blue Book" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  19. ↑ "Online NewsHour: Political Wrap: Feingold vs. Neumann". PBS. October 30, 1998. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  20. ↑ "INFOBEAT> News – Morning Coffee Edition". Scout.wisc.edu. November 4, 1998. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  21. ↑ GOP edges into Democratic region at the Wayback Machine (archived August 15, 2003) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. August 3, 2003.
  22. ↑ Neumann To Run at the Wayback Machine (archived April 26, 2009) Wisconsin State Journal. April 24, 2009.
  23. ↑ Steve Schultze, "Neumann to make GOP gubernatorial bid official." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, June 30, 2009.
  24. ↑ Catanese, David (August 30, 2011). "Neumann: Gay lifestyle "unacceptable"". Politico. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  25. ↑ Walker, Don (August 29, 2011). "Neumann says he'll run for Kohl's U.S. Senate seat". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  26. ↑ "DC Wrap: Neumann raises $300,000 in one month". WisPolitics. October 6, 2011. Retrieved 2012-06-09.

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Peter W. Barca		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 1st congressional district
1995–1999 		Succeeded by
Paul Ryan
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