Newsmakers: Senator Jim Holperin (D-Conover) Exit Interview
Democratic Sen. Jim Holperin is a historical figure, since he is believed to be the only state legislator in American history to have survived two recall attempts — as a state Assembly member in 1990 and a state senator in 2011. In an Newsmakers exit interview in his office on April 11, Holperin contrasted the reasons for those recalls and said he treated them both as "just another election." Holperin explained why he is not seeking re-election in the 12th Senate District, He also said, if he and other 13 Senate Democrats who left the state in February 2011 to try to block unfair changes to collective bargaining laws had known they couldn’t return for three weeks, they may have made "another decision." A former state tourism secretary, Holperin said two industries — tourism and forestry – dominate northern Wisconsin’s economy.
