2011 Recall Election Finance Profile - Sheila Harsdorf

Senator Harsdorf was first elected to the Assembly in 1992, retired from the Assembly in 1998, and first elected to the Senate in 2000.

Senator Harsdorf was one of nine senators facing recall elections in 2011 spurred by the passage of Governor Scott Walker's plan to curtail public employee collective bargaining rights. She had no primary opposition and faced Democratic opposition in the August recall election.

American Federation for Children Action Fund IE Committee Inc. ($1,015), NFIB Safe Trust ($285), NRA Political Victory Fund ($12,362), Volunteers for Agriculture ($23,648) and Wisconsin Right to Life PAC ($482) made independent expenditures favoring Senator Harsdorf.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin Inc. ($4,935), DLCC Wisconsin PAC ($2), Greater Wisconsin Political Independent Expenditure Fund ($115,448), Irreverent Contingent ($1,150), PCCC Recall Committee ($479), PFFW Defense Fund ($407), Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin Political Fund ($14,153), Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin Inc. ($10,000), We Are Wisconsin PAC ($1,968,441), WEAC PAC ($60,026), Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters IE Committee ($16,400) and Wisconsin WOMEN VOTE! ($155,464) made independent expenditures supporting her opponent.

One group, Campaign to Defeat Barack Obama PAC (estimated $2,083), made independent expenditures in support of Senator Harsdorf but did not register with the state's Government Accountability Board or file any other legally mandated documentation.

American Federation for Children, Citizens for a Strong America, Club for Growth Wisconsin and Jobs First Coalition spent undisclosed sums on "issue ads" in support of Senator Harsdorf. Greater Wisconsin Committee and Progressive Change Campaign Committee & Democracy for America spent undisclosed sums on "issue ads" in opposition.

2011-2012: Agriculture, Forestry and Higher Education; Finance; State and Fedeal Relations and Information Technology (Chair); Joint Finance; Joint Information Policy and Technology (Co-chair); Special Committee on Nanotechnology (Chair).

2009-2010: Agriculture and Higher Education; Commerce, Utilities, Energy and Rail; Joint Legislative Council.

*All figures represent candidate income before any returns.