“Fine. I’ll do that, too.”
Elected Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin in 2010, Rebecca Kleefisch immediately began outreach to draw small businesses into the state to revitalize a depressed Wisconsin economy.
In 2010, Wisconsin faced an enormous budget deficit. Working with Governor Scott Walker in 2011, Rebecca lobbied for the “Wisconsin Budget Repair bill.” The legislation included an overhaul of the public employees’ collective bargaining system, which infuriated and mobilized public employee unions. Unions initiated a recall election against Walker-Kleefisch in 2012.
Amid the contentious state budget battle that made national headlines for weeks, fifteen Democratic legislators fled to Illinois for over a month in an attempt to deprive the state legislature of a quorum needed to consider legislation.
In recognition of her determination and perseverance, Rebecca was presented CBLPI’s Woman of Exceptional Courage award at our 2013 Western Women’s Summit in Santa Barbara CA. In the video clip below, Rebecca recalls — with delightful good humor — the battles and the motivations behind her decision to run for office in the first place.
In the end, the Wisconsin reform legislation package was passed by the legislature, signed into law, and upheld by the state’s high court. The union-backed recall election of Walker-Kleefisch failed in 2012 and the team was reelected to a second term in 2014.
The full video of her remarks can be viewed here.