What you need to know about Sara Rodriguez, the lieutenant governor nominee running with incumbent Tony Evers
Sara Rodriguez, an Assembly representative in the state Legislature, captured the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor after romping to victory in the Democratic primary.
Rodriguez will be campaigning alongside incumbent Gov. Tony Evers to fend off a challenge from construction executive Tim Michels this fall.
Here is a look at Rodriguez, a Democrat from Brookfield, as voters head into the general election.
Rodriguez flipped a GOP-held district in 2020
Rodriguez was first elected to the Legislature in 2020, flipping a Republican-held district in the suburbs of Milwaukee and narrowly defeating four-term Republican incumbent Rob Hutton by just over 700 votes.
Rodriguez has a background in health care
Before entering electoral politics, Rodriguez worked in the health care sector as a registered nurse and held a variety of positions including the principal of a health care consulting firm, the vice president of clinical services at Honeywell Life Care Solutions and a Centers for Disease Control epidemic intelligence officer.
Rodriguez was born and raised in Waukesha County
Rodriguez, 47, is from Brookfield where she attended high school and now lives with her husband and two children. She graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University and earned a master’s in nursing from Johns Hopkins University.
What are Rodriguez’s notable recent political positions?
Rodriguez is a relative newcomer to the Legislature but has sponsored legislation to require cloth face coverings in certain settings, implement ranked choice voting in Wisconsin, facilitate automatic voter registration and establish a student loan repayment program.
Rodriguez has also been a vocal advocate for expanding access to abortion and campaigned on addressing health care staffing shortages in Wisconsin.
Why Rodriguez ran for lieutenant governor and what her party says about her
When she announced her candidacy, Rodriguez said: "I can be a really good partner to Gov. Evers in something as large and as complicated as the Wisconsin state government, but most importantly, public health is my passion."
Rodriguez said that as lieutenant governor she would bring experience as a nurse and public health professional, "working in diverse communities to make sure that we can create environments where people can succeed."
Democratic Party spokeswoman Hannah Menchhoff said: “As a nurse and as a public health professional, Rep. Rodriguez brings valuable experience to the statewide election. When we talk about doing the right thing for Wisconsinites, it’s people like Rep. Rodriguez who have dedicated themselves to making Wisconsin a better place to live and work.
"By flipping a Republican-held seat in 2020, she has also proven her ability to connect with voters and win tough races. We are excited to have Rep. Rodriguez on the ticket and know her campaign will only make the ticket even stronger," she added.
How popular is Rodriguez?
Rodriguez was elected to the Legislature two years ago by a slim margin but won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor in a 245,000-vote landslide.
How to contact Rodriguez
Rodriguez can be reached at her Madison office by calling 608-267-9836 or emailing rep.SRodriguez@legis.wisconsin.gov.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about Sara Rodriguez, Democrat running with Tony Evers
