Kitty Rhoades

Kitty Rhoades
Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services
In office
February 22, 2013 – June 18, 2016
GovernorScott Walker
Preceded byDennis Smith
Succeeded byLinda Seemeyer
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 30th district
In office
January 4, 1999 – January 3, 2011
Preceded bySheila Harsdorf
Succeeded byDean Knudson
Personal details
Born
Kitty Richie

April 7, 1951
Hudson, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedJune 18, 2016 (aged 64)
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–River Falls (BA)
Illinois State University (MEd)

Kitty Rhoades (née Richie) (April 7, 1951 – June 18, 2016) was an American politician. She served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, where she represented the 30th district, before serving as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Early life and education

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Born in Hudson, Wisconsin, Rhoades received a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and a master's degree in education from Illinois State University.

Career

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Rhoades worked as an educator, small business owner, and consultant. In 1998, she was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican.[1]

In the 1990s, Rhoades proposed the term Winnesota to describe Wisconsin's St. Croix and Pierce Counties, which border Minnesota and are within the U.S. Census Bureau's Minneapolis-Saint Paul Metropolitan Area. According to Rhoades, "I still call my area Winnesota. We are in Wisconsin, but it sure is hard to remember it."[2]

Rhoades retired from the state Assembly in 2010,[3] and took a position with the administration of then-Governor Scott Walker in 2011 as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health Services.[4] In February 2013, following the resignation of Dennis Smith, she was appointed Secretary.[5][6]

Death

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Rhoades died on June 18, 2016, in Madison, Wisconsin from pneumonia.[7][8]

Electoral history

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Wisconsin State Assembly (1998–2008)

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1998 Primary[9] Sep. 8 Kitty Rhoades Republican 2,788 68.25% Jay Griggs Rep. 1,297 31.75% 4,085 1,491
General[10] Nov. 3 Kitty Rhoades Republican 9,755 57.29% James R. Johnson Dem. 7,272 42.71% 17,027 2,483
2000 General[11] Nov. 7 Kitty Rhoades (inc) Republican 17,303 62.76% Laurie J. Lundgaard Dem. 10,247 37.17% 27,568 7,056
2002 General[12] Nov. 5 Kitty Rhoades (inc) Republican 12,563 69.01% Bob Feickert Dem. 5,635 30.95% 18,205 6,928
2004 General[13] Nov. 2 Kitty Rhoades (inc) Republican 20,540 61.09% Tom Parent Dem. 13,071 38.87% 33,624 7,469
2006 General[14] Nov. 7 Kitty Rhoades (inc) Republican 12,790 57.40% Dan Gorman Dem. 9,479 42.54% 22,282 3,311
2008 Primary[15] Sep. 9 Kitty Rhoades (inc) Republican 2,432 86.70% Bob Hughes Rep. 372 13.26% 2,805 2,060
General[16] Nov. 4 Kitty Rhoades (inc) Republican 19,729 54.74% Sarah A. Bruch Dem. 16,278 45.17% 36,041 3,451

References

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  1. ^ Wisconsin Blue Book 2007-2008, Biographical Sketch of Kitty Rhoades, p. 39.
  2. ^ Bill Glauber (February 18, 2006). "Welcome to Minnesota: Twin Cities workers find comforts of home in St. Croix, Wisconsin's fastest-growing county". The Milwaukee Journal. Archived from the original on August 14, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
  3. ^ Rhoades Retires From Wisconsin Assembly Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Health Services Announces New Leadership Team". Archived from the original on 2012-02-12. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  5. ^ Andy Rathburn, "Gov. Walker appoints Kitty Rhoades to top Wisconsin health post". St. Paul Pioneer Press. February 22, 2013.
  6. ^ "Kitty Rhoades appointed secretary of the Department of Health Services". RiverTowns. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  7. ^ Wisconsin health services secretary Kitty Rhoades dies at 65
  8. ^ Kitty (Richie) Rhoades-obituary
  9. ^ Barish, Lawrence S.; Meloy, Patricia E., eds. (1999). "Elections". District Vote for Representatives to the Assembly - Primary elections, 1997 - 1998-Continued (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 880. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  10. ^ Barish, Lawrence S.; Meloy, Patricia E., eds. (1999). "Elections". District Vote for Representatives to the Assembly - Special and General Elections, 1998 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 882. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  11. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2000 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. May 10, 2001. p. 20. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  12. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/05/2002 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 2, 2002. p. 21. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  13. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2004 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2004. p. 20. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  14. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2006 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 5, 2006. p. 21. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  15. ^ Results of Fall Primary Election - 09/09/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. September 29, 2008. p. 40. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  16. ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/04/2008 (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 19. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
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