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Robert Brooks (born July 13, 1965) is an American businessman and Republican politician from Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 59th Assembly district since 2025; he previously represented the 60th Assembly district from 2015 to 2025. Earlier in his career, he served on the board of supervisors of Ozaukee County, and was chairman of the board of supervisors from 2004 to 2013.

Biography

Born in Rockford, Illinois, Brooks moved with his parents to Wisconsin and graduated from Parkview High School in Orfordville, Wisconsin. He went on to attend the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, but did not graduate. He went to work in the real estate business, and owned a number of restaurants, taverns, and rental properties. Since 1996, he has managed his real estate through Brooks Investment Group LLC.

Political career

From 2002 through 2014, Brooks was an elected member of the Ozaukee County Board of Supervisors; he was chairman from 2004 through 2013. While serving on the county board, he was a commissioner on the South Eastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and was a member of the board of directors of the Wisconsin Mutual Insurance Company.

In 2014, incumbent State Representative Duey Stroebel announced he would run for United States House of Representatives rather than seek another term in the Assembly. Brooks jumped into the race for the open seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly. In the Republican primary, he defeated Jean Opitz, the wife of former State Representative David W. Opitz. He was unopposed in the general election, and went on to begin his term in January 2015. He went on to win reelection in 2016 by a wide margin, with only an independent opponent.

In the 2017–2018 session of the Assembly, Brooks was elected by his caucus as the assistant majority leader. However, he ran into problems in 2018 when the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Brooks had made "sexual comments to two female state lawmakers and a racial remark to a Latina legislator". Brooks attributed the comments to the influence of alcohol, apologized, and resigned his leadership position in the assembly. Republican Governor Scott Walker, in the middle of his own reelection campaign, called for Brooks to resign from the Assembly. Despite the pressure from inside his own party, Brooks resisted calls to resign and was reelected in the 2018 general election.

He faced his first primary challenge as an incumbent in 2020, but Brooks prevailed again, taking 75% of the Republican primary vote. He was again unopposed in the 2020 general election.

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly, 60th district (2014–2022)

Wisconsin Assembly, 59th district (2024–present)

References

1. "Get to know Representative Brooks". State Representative Robert Brooks. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
2. "Assembly District 60 - Rob Brooks". Republican Assembly Campaign Committee. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
3. "Biography". State Representative Robert Brooks. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
4. "WI Uncontested". WKOW. November 4, 2014. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
5. Marley, Patrick; Beck, Molly; Bice, Daniel (September 26, 2018). "Wisconsin Assembly Republican leader apologizes for making racial, sexual comments to female lawmakers". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
6. Bauer, Scott (September 26, 2018). "Saukville republican resigns leadership position, not office after racist, sexual comments". WISN-TV. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
7. Johnson, Shawn (September 26, 2018). "Walker Calls On Rep. Rob Brooks To Resign Following Report Of Racial, Sexual Remarks". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
8. Governor Walker (September 26, 2018). "Representative Brooks' comments are offensive and disrespectful. They have no place in our society and are inconsistent with the high standards that must be held by those in public office. He should resign from office, period" (Tweet). Retrieved January 20, 2021 – via Twitter.
9. ^ Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. February 22, 2019. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 7, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
10. ^ Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 15, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
11. Canvass Results for 2014 Fall Partisan Primary - 8/12/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. August 29, 2014. p. 39. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
12. Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. November 26, 2014. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 13, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
13. Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 7, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
14. Canvass Results for 2020 Partisan Primary - 8/11/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2020. p. 38. Retrieved January 20, 2021.

External links

• Profile at Vote Smart
• Robert Brooks at Ballotpedia
• Robert Brooks Archived 2018-09-27 at the Wayback Machine at WisconsinVote.org

• 1965 births
• Living people
• Politicians from Rockford, Illinois
• People from Saukville, Wisconsin
• University of Wisconsin–La Crosse alumni
• Businesspeople from Wisconsin
• County supervisors in Wisconsin
• Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• 21st-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature