Tyler August (born January 26, 1983) is an American politician and legislator. He is the Speaker pro tempore of the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

, since 2013. A

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, he was first elected to the Assembly in 2010, representing eastern Walworth County.

Early life and education

Born in

Walworth County, Wisconsin Walworth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 106,478. Its county seat is Elkhorn. The county was created in 1836 from Wisconsin Territory and organized in 1839. It is named for Re ...

, August graduated from

Big Foot High School Big Foot High School (BFHS) is a comprehensive four-year public high school located in Wisconsin's South Central Walworth County, Wisconsin, Walworth County in the Village of Walworth, Wisconsin, Walworth. A union high school, BFHS operates as a ...

, in

Walworth, Wisconsin Walworth is a village in Walworth County, Wisconsin, Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,759 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The village is located within the Walworth (town), Wisconsin, Town of Walwort ...

, in 2001. He attended the

University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (UW–Eau Claire, UWEC or simply Eau Claire) is a public university in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System and offers bachelor's and master's degrees. UW–Eau Claire ...

and the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

, but did not obtain a degree. He completed a leadership program at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

Darden School of Business The Darden School of Business is the graduate business school of the University of Virginia, a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Darden School offers MBA, PhD, and Executive Education programs. The school was founded ...

in 2012.

Career

August first became active in state government by working on the staff of state representative Thomas Lothian, his predecessor in the Assembly, and is now a full-time legislator. He has been active with the

Republican Party of Wisconsin The Republican Party of Wisconsin is a right-wing political party in Wisconsin and is the Wisconsin affiliate of the United States Republican Party (GOP). The state party chair is Paul Farrow. The state party is divided into 72 county parties f ...

, serving on the executive board of the state party, as well as serving as Chair for the Republican Party in Walworth County and in

Wisconsin's 1st congressional district Wisconsin's 1st congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in southeastern Wisconsin, covering Kenosha County, Racine County, and most of Walworth County, as well as portions of Rock County ...

. He is also a lifetime member of the

National Rifle Association The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent Gun politics in the United States, gun rights ...

2010 election

August was first elected to the Assembly in 2010, where his main challenge was the hotly contested six-way Republican primary. On the night of the primary, Adam Gibbs, the 24-year-old son of former

Wisconsin circuit court The Wisconsin circuit courts are the general trial courts in the state of Wisconsin. There are currently 69 circuits in the state, divided into 10 judicial administrative districts. Circuit court judges hear and decide both civil and criminal case ...

judge Michael Gibbs, was declared the winner by a mere four votes. After a dramatic recount, August was ultimately ruled to be the winner by a margin of three votes. August subsequently won the general election with 58% of the vote.

Speaker pro tem

In 2013, when Republican Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder resigned his seat in the Assembly to accept an appointment from Governor Scott Walker, the Republican conference selected Bill Kramer, the Speaker pro tempore, to replace him. They then elected Tyler August, at the time in just his second term, to become the new Speaker pro tempore. He was subsequently re-elected by the conference at the start of the next three legislative sessions. In the current term, August serves on the Committees on Assembly Organization, Government Accountability and Oversight, Insurance, Rules, and Law Revision. He is co-chair of the Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions, and also serves on the Joint Legislative Council and the Speaker's Task Force on Adoption. In November 2020, August was re-elected to his role as Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore. In June 2022, Governor

Tony Evers Anthony Steven Evers (born November 5, 1951) is an American educator and politician serving as the 46th governor of Wisconsin since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as Wisconsin's Superintendent of Public Instruction from 200 ...

called for a Special Session to defend reproductive rights in Wisconsin to introduce and pass AB 713 and AB 106, which would have protected the right for women to have a say over their bodies. Despite the fact that there is a bipartisan support for legal access to abortion from both Wisconsin Democrats and Republicans, August and other Republicans in the Legislature gaveled in and gaveled out at the special session without protecting women's rights and leaving 1.3 million Wisconsin women of reproductive age without rights to their own bodies.

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (2010)

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", Republican Primary, September 14, 2010 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 2, 2010

Wisconsin Assembly (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018)

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 6, 2012 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 4, 2014 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 8, 2016 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 6, 2018

References

External links

Representative Tyler August - Speaker Pro Tempore
at

Wisconsin Legislature The Wisconsin Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house, Wisconsin State Senate, and the lower Wisconsin State Assembly, both of which have had Republican ...

Tyler August for State Assembly
''(Campaign website)'' * * , - {{DEFAULTSORT:August, Tyler 1983 births 21st-century American politicians Living people Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly People from Walworth County, Wisconsin People from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire alumni University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni