Shae A. Sortwell (born August 3, 1985) is an American truck driver and Republican politician from Green Bay, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 2nd Assembly district since 2019. He previously served on the Green Bay city council and the town board of Gibson, Wisconsin.
Shae Sortwell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 2nd district | |
| Assumed office January 7, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | André Jacque |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 3, 1985[1] Saratoga Springs, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Krista R. Van Haren (m. 2007) |
| Children | 6 |
| Residence | Gibson, Wisconsin |
| Education | University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (BA) United States Army CBRN School (Cert.) |
| Website | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army U.S. Army Reserve |
| Years of service | 2009–2018 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit | Chemical Corps |
Early life and education
editShae Sortwell was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, in 1985. At age 15, he moved with his family to the town of Gibson, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school, he went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, graduating in 2006 with degrees in public administration and political science.[2] While in college, Sortwell was a member of student government and founded an prolife student organization.[3]
Political career
editAfter earning his bachelor's degree, he enlisted in the United States Army Reserve and served nine years with the Chemical Corps, rising to the rank of sergeant before his honorable discharge in 2018.[4] During those years, he also became active in local politics, winning election to the Green Bay city council, and then going to work as a legislative aide to state representative Chad Weininger.[3]
In 2014, Sortwell made his first bid for state office, running as an independent candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly in the 90th Assembly district. Sortwell came in a distant third, behind Republican Eric Wimberger and Democratic incumbent Eric Genrich, who won the election.[5][6]
In 2016, Sortwell pushed an online petition asking Green Bay mayor Jim Schmitt to resign over criminal campaign finance violations.[7] By that time, however, Sortwell had moved back to the town of Gibson. He was elected to the board of supervisors of Gibson in 2017.[4]
Wisconsin State Assembly
editIn 2018, after incumbent Andre Jacque announced he would not run for reelection, Sortwell declared his candidacy for Assembly in the 2nd Assembly district.[8] He defeated Dean Raasch in an August primary for the Republican nomination[9] and won the November election over Democrat Mark Grams, garnering 55 percent of the vote.[10]
After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election and Donald Trump refused to concede, Sortwell raised concerns of fraud in the election and urged Congress to delay certification of the election results.[11]
In 2021, he compared a children's museum in central Wisconsin to Nazi Germany because it continued to require unvaccinated people to wear masks by writing "The Gestapo wants to see your papers, please" on Facebook regarding the museum's decision, drawing ire.[12]
Personal life
editDuring Sortwell's childhood, his father was a submariner in the United States Navy.[3]
In 2007, Sortwell married Krista Van Haren.[13] They have six children together.[3]
A controversy emerged in 2021 around an alleged incident from 2013 that Sortwell had abused one of his children after the child was found to have bruises. The investigation conducted by "four police officers, two social workers, a child forensic officer—a trained agent who interviews child victims of physical and sexual abuse—a child advocacy staff member and a nurse practitioner," resulted in law enforcement referring the incident to the district attorney as per department guidelines which almost always will make a referral and let the DA's office decide on the case.[14] However, Deputy District Attorney Dana J. Johnson decided not to pursue charges, citing "the defense of the parent using reasonable force to discipline the child." Sortwell told officers he and his wife disciplined their child with an object when he was being "defiant" because they are commanded to in the Bible.[15]
Electoral history
editWisconsin Assembly, 90th district (2014)
edit| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | General[5] | Nov. 4 | Eric Genrich (inc) | Democratic | 7,953 | 54.94% | Eric Wimberger | Rep. | 5,342 | 36.90% | 14,477 | 2,611 |
| Shae Sortwell | Ind. | 1,164 | 8.04% | |||||||||
Wisconsin Assembly, 2nd district (2018–present)
edit| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Primary[16] | Aug. 14 | Shae Sortwell | Republican | 2,708 | 54.88% | Dean Raasch | Rep. | 2,221 | 45.01% | 4,934 | 487 |
| General[17] | Nov. 6 | Shae Sortwell | Republican | 15,014 | 54.82% | Mark Grams | Dem. | 10,118 | 36.94% | 27,389 | 4,896 | |
| Jeff Dahlke | Ind. | 1,494 | 5.45% | |||||||||
| Kevin A. Bauer | Lib. | 745 | 2.72% | |||||||||
| 2020 | General[18] | Nov. 3 | Shae Sortwell (inc) | Republican | 22,244 | 63.11% | Mark Kiley | Dem. | 12,970 | 36.80% | 35,248 | 9,274 |
| 2022 | General[19] | Nov. 8 | Shae Sortwell (inc) | Republican | 16,112 | 59.18% | Renee Gasch | Dem. | 11,093 | 40.74% | 27,226 | 5,019 |
References
edit- ^ "Representative Shae A. Sortwell". Wisconsin State Legislature. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
- ^ "UW-Green Bay alumnus is candidate in the District 2 state assembly race". University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ a b c d "About Shae". Rep. Shae Sortwell. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
- ^ a b "2nd Assembly District: Q&A with Republican Shae Sortwell of Two Rivers". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ a b Canvass Results for 2014 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. November 4, 2014. p. 29. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ^ WisconsinEye (10 September 2014). "Shae Sortwell (I) for 90th Assembly District" – via YouTube.
- ^ Krumholz, Ben. "Online petition forms calling for Mayor Schmitt to resign". WLUK-TV. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ Schafer, Alisa M. "Wisconsin election: District 2 state assembly race features four candidates". The Herald Times Reporter. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ Anderson, Jonathan. "Wisconsin primary: Shae Sortwell prevails in the Republican race in the state's 2nd Assembly District". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ "Election Results". www.wisconsinvote.org. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ Epstein, Reid J. (2021-06-29). "Wisconsin G.O.P. Wrestles With Just How Much to Indulge Trump". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- ^ "Twitter: A letter from a Wisconsinite to State Rep. Shae Sortwell after he compared a children's museum to Nazi Germany because it still is requiring masks be worn by those over age 5 who aren't vaccinated against COVID-19". Twitter. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Marriage Licenses". Green Bay Press-Gazette. January 5, 2008. p. 4. Retrieved March 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Green Bay police referred Rep. Shae Sortwell for child abuse in 2013". Green Bay Press Gazette. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ "Before he was a Wisconsin lawmaker, Shae Sortwell was investigated for child abuse. Here's what we know about it". Green Bay Press Gazette. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2018 Partisan Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 14, 2018. p. 31. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2018 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 6, 2018. p. 10. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 8. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 9. Retrieved March 16, 2024.