Tammy Baldwin

Tammy Baldwin
Born	Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin 11 2, 1962
Birthplace	Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, lawyer
Known for	First openly LGBTQ person elected to the U.S. Senate; first woman elected to Congress from Wisconsin
Education	University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D.)
Website	[https://www.baldwin.senate.gov Official site]

Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin (born February 11, 1962) is an American politician and lawyer who has served as a United States senator from Wisconsin since January 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Baldwin has built a political career spanning four decades, beginning with her election to the Dane County Board of Supervisors in 1986 at the age of twenty-four. She went on to serve three terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly representing the 78th district from 1993 to 1999, followed by seven terms in the United States House of Representatives representing Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district from 1999 to 2013. Baldwin made history as the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the United States Senate in 2012, and was also the first woman elected to Congress from Wisconsin when she won her U.S. House seat in 1998. She has served as secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus since 2017 and has been the dean of Wisconsin's congressional delegation since 2023. Baldwin was reelected to the Senate in 2018 and again in 2024, and continues to represent Wisconsin as of 2026, where she holds positions on key appropriations and legislative committees.

Early Life

Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin was born on February 11, 1962, in Madison, Wisconsin. She was raised primarily by her maternal grandparents, as her mother, a University of Wisconsin student at the time of Baldwin's birth, was not in a position to raise her. Baldwin grew up in Madison, which would remain her home base throughout her political career.

Baldwin's early life was shaped by personal experiences that would later influence her political priorities. As a child, she was seriously ill and her grandparents' insurance company refused to cover her medical treatment due to a pre-existing condition. This experience left a lasting impression on Baldwin and became a formative influence on her later advocacy for healthcare reform and expanded access to health insurance.

Growing up in Madison, Baldwin was exposed to the city's progressive political culture. Dane County, which encompasses Madison, has long been one of the most politically liberal areas in Wisconsin, home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a tradition of progressive activism dating back to the La Follette era of Wisconsin politics. This environment influenced Baldwin's political development and her eventual entry into public service at a young age.

Baldwin has spoken publicly about her identity as an openly lesbian woman and the role her personal experiences played in motivating her public service. She has described herself as a "proud progressive," linking her political philosophy to her upbringing and the values instilled by her grandparents in Madison.

Education

Baldwin attended Smith College, a private women's liberal arts college in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she earned her undergraduate degree. She then returned to Wisconsin to attend the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she obtained her Juris Doctor degree. Following her law school graduation, Baldwin practiced law privately in Madison before transitioning to a career in politics. Her legal training provided a foundation for her subsequent legislative work at the county, state, and federal levels.

Career

Dane County Board of Supervisors (1986–1993)

Baldwin's political career began in 1986, when she was elected to the Dane County Board of Supervisors representing the 8th district at the age of twenty-four. She succeeded Lynn Haanen in the position. Baldwin served on the county board for nearly seven years, from April 15, 1986, to January 3, 1993. During her tenure on the county board, she gained experience in local governance and constituent services that would serve as preparation for her later career in state and federal office. She was succeeded on the county board by Scott McCormick when she moved on to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Wisconsin State Assembly (1993–1999)

In 1992, Baldwin won election to the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 78th Assembly district, succeeding David Clarenbach. She took office on January 3, 1993, becoming the first openly lesbian woman elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly. Baldwin served three terms in the Assembly, winning reelection in 1994 and 1996.

During her time in the state legislature, Baldwin focused on issues including healthcare access, civil rights, and education. Her tenure in the Assembly coincided with a period of significant political activity in Wisconsin, and her service there established her reputation as a progressive lawmaker. She was succeeded in the 78th Assembly district by Mark Pocan, who would later also follow her path to the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives (1999–2013)

In 1998, Baldwin ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, succeeding Republican Scott Klug, who did not seek reelection. Baldwin won the open-seat race, making her the first woman elected to Congress from Wisconsin and the first openly lesbian non-incumbent woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Baldwin served seven consecutive terms in the House, representing the 2nd district from January 3, 1999, to January 3, 2013. The district, centered on Madison and Dane County, was a natural political base for Baldwin given her deep roots in the area. She won reelection in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010.

During her House tenure, Baldwin compiled a progressive voting record. The National Journal documented her voting patterns, which placed her among the more liberal members of the House. Her legislative priorities in the House included healthcare reform, LGBT rights, and consumer protection. Baldwin was a consistent advocate for the Affordable Care Act and healthcare access, drawing on her childhood experience of being denied insurance coverage due to a pre-existing condition.

Baldwin spoke at the 2012 Democratic National Convention while campaigning for her U.S. Senate seat, using the national platform to articulate her progressive vision and her candidacy for the upper chamber.

When Baldwin departed the House to enter the Senate in 2013, she was succeeded in the 2nd congressional district by Mark Pocan, who had also previously succeeded her in the Wisconsin State Assembly's 78th district.

U.S. Senate (2013–present)

2012 Election

In 2012, Baldwin ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Herb Kohl. The open-seat race drew national attention, in part because of the historic nature of Baldwin's candidacy. She campaigned as a progressive who would fight for Wisconsin's middle class, healthcare access, and manufacturing jobs.

The Capital Times editorial board endorsed Baldwin during the campaign, praising what it described as her "integrity and independence" as a legislator. The Capital Times also noted the historic significance of her candidacy, observing that if elected she would become the first openly gay U.S. senator in American history.

Baldwin won the 2012 general election, defeating Republican candidate Tommy Thompson, the former governor of Wisconsin. Her victory made her the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the United States Senate, as well as the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Wisconsin.

Senate Tenure

Baldwin took office on January 3, 2013, succeeding Herb Kohl as the junior senator from Wisconsin, serving alongside Republican senator Ron Johnson. In 2017, she was selected to serve as secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus, a leadership position within the Democratic conference, succeeding Patty Murray in the role under the leadership of Chuck Schumer.

Baldwin has focused her Senate career on several policy areas, including healthcare, manufacturing, trade policy, education funding, and veterans' affairs. She has been a consistent advocate for the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid and has worked to protect these programs from proposed cuts. In early 2026, Baldwin selected Kim Fredrick, a constituent from Mindoro, Wisconsin, whose family relies on Medicaid, as her guest for the State of the Union address, highlighting her continued focus on healthcare access and the potential impact of proposed Medicaid reductions on Wisconsin families.

Baldwin has also been active on issues related to education. As the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, she has scrutinized the actions of the Trump administration regarding the United States Department of Education. In February 2026, Baldwin led a call for a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into the administration's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, expressing concern about the impact on students and schools in Wisconsin and across the country.

On fiscal and appropriations matters, Baldwin secured over $60 million in direct support for Wisconsin in a government funding bill in early 2026, which she said would protect public education, cancer research, and opioid and addiction services from proposed cuts by the Trump administration.

Baldwin has also weighed in on voting rights legislation. In February 2026, she spoke out against a Republican-backed bill to restrict voting, stating that she was "suspicious" of laws that make it harder for citizens to vote.

On matters of trade policy and tariffs, Baldwin released a statement in February 2026 responding to a Supreme Court ruling striking down sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. She has also called on Republican colleagues to engage with Democrats on Department of Homeland Security funding, reflecting her approach to bipartisan engagement on security and spending matters.

2018 Reelection

Baldwin won reelection to the Senate in 2018, securing a second term representing Wisconsin. The 2018 race took place during a midterm election cycle that saw significant Democratic gains nationally in the House of Representatives, though the Senate landscape was more competitive.

2024 Reelection

Baldwin won a third Senate term in the 2024 election, continuing her representation of Wisconsin in the upper chamber. Her 2024 victory extended her Senate tenure and maintained her position as one of the most prominent progressive voices in the Democratic caucus.

Dean of Wisconsin Delegation

Since 2023, Baldwin has served as the dean of the Wisconsin congressional delegation, a role typically held by the longest-serving member of a state's delegation in Congress. She assumed the position following the retirement of Representative Ron Kind, who had served in the House since 1997.

Personal Life

Tammy Baldwin is openly lesbian and has been public about her sexual orientation throughout her political career. She is the first openly LGBTQ person to be elected to the United States Senate. Baldwin has resided in Madison, Wisconsin, throughout her adult life, maintaining deep ties to the community where she was raised by her maternal grandparents.

Baldwin has spoken publicly about how her childhood experience with healthcare — being denied coverage by an insurance company due to a pre-existing condition — shaped her political priorities and her commitment to healthcare reform. She has described this experience as a defining moment that motivated her entry into public life and her sustained focus on expanding access to affordable healthcare.

Recognition

Baldwin's election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1998 made her the first woman and first openly lesbian woman elected to Congress from Wisconsin. Her 2012 election to the Senate was a nationally significant milestone, as she became the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the United States Senate. These firsts have been documented and noted by numerous media outlets and political organizations.

Her career in public office has spanned nearly four decades, from her 1986 election to the Dane County Board of Supervisors through her 2024 reelection to the Senate. Throughout this period, Baldwin has been recognized for her progressive voting record and her advocacy on healthcare, education, LGBT rights, and manufacturing policy.

Within the Senate, Baldwin's selection as secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus in 2017 reflected her standing within the party's leadership structure. Her appointment as Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies placed her in a position of influence over federal spending priorities in areas central to her legislative focus.

Legacy

Tammy Baldwin's career in American politics is marked by a series of historic firsts. Her 1993 election to the Wisconsin State Assembly made her the first openly lesbian woman to serve in that body. Her 1998 election to the U.S. House made her the first woman elected to Congress from Wisconsin. And her 2012 election to the U.S. Senate made her the first openly LGBTQ person to serve in the upper chamber of the U.S. Congress. These milestones represented significant moments in the broader history of LGBTQ representation in American government.

Beyond these firsts, Baldwin's nearly four-decade career in elected office — from county supervisor to state legislator to U.S. representative to U.S. senator — represents one of the longer continuous careers in public service among contemporary Wisconsin politicians. Her ability to win elections at every level of government, including statewide races in Wisconsin — a politically competitive state — has demonstrated durable electoral support across multiple decades and political environments.

Baldwin's sustained focus on healthcare policy, rooted in her personal experience with insurance denial as a child, has been a consistent thread throughout her career. Her advocacy for the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid protections has positioned her as a prominent voice on healthcare issues within the Democratic caucus.

Her career path from the Wisconsin State Assembly to the U.S. House to the U.S. Senate was notably followed in part by Mark Pocan, who succeeded her in both the 78th Assembly district and Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, suggesting that Baldwin helped establish a progressive political pipeline in the Madison area.