Scott Thomas Wilk Sr. (born March 16, 1959) is an American politician who has served as the California State Senate minority leader since January 20, 2021. He is 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 ...

representing the 21st district, encompassing

Antelope Valley The Antelope Valley is located in northern Los Angeles County, California, and the southeast portion of Kern County, California, and constitutes the western tip of the Mojave Desert. It is situated between the Tehachapi, Sierra Pelona, and t ...

Victor Valley The Victor Valley is a valley in the Mojave Desert and subregion of the Inland Empire, in San Bernardino County in Southern California. It is located east of the Mojave's Antelope Valley, north of the Cajon Pass and the San Bernardino Valley, ...

, and most of the

Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) is part of the upper watershed of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. The valley was part of the Rancho San Francisco Mexican land grant. Located in Los Angeles County, its main population center is th ...

. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served two terms in the California State Assembly. He was also a

College of the Canyons College of the Canyons (COC) is a public community college in Santa Clarita, California. It comprises the Santa Clarita Community College District. The college is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and has campus loca ...

Trustee.

Background

Wilk earned his B.A. in

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

from

California State University, Bakersfield California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB, Cal State Bakersfield, or CSU Bakersfield) is a public university in Bakersfield, California. It was established in 1965 as Kern State College and officially in 1968 as California State College Bake ...

. He has served on the board of directors of the

Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital (commonly referred to as Henry Mayo Hospital) is a 357-bed not-for-profit community hospital and trauma center in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California. It was founded in 1975. Named after businessman Henry Mayo Newhal ...

Foundation and the

Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Committee. He is a member of the

Simi Valley Simi Valley (; Chumash: ''Shimiyi'') is a city in the valley of the same name in the southeast region of Ventura County, California, United States. Simi Valley is from Downtown Los Angeles, making it part of the Greater Los Angeles Area. The ...

Chamber of Commerce and a past member of the Granada Hills Rotary Club. Wilk was appointed to the Santa Clarita College District Board of Trustees on August 23, 2006. He was re-elected in November 2007 and November 2011. He also worked as a small business owner, ran a communications firm, and was a former legislative staffer.

Prior elected office

Wilk was elected to represent the 38th Assembly District on November 5, 2012. He received 56.9% of the vote. Wilk was re-elected in 2014, receiving 66.3% of the vote. While in the Assembly, Wilk served on the following committees: Budget Committee (Sub 4 - State Administration), the Governmental Organization Committee, and the Joint Committee on Arts. While in the Assembly, Wilk was the principal co-author of the California Film and Television Job Retention and Promotion Act. He also co-authored a $420 million tax incentive that helped land a $60 billion aerospace contract expected to create 6,500 new jobs in the High Desert. In 2014, Scott was selected by the non-partisan, non-profit State Legislative Leaders Foundation to attend the Emerging Leaders Program held at the University of Virginia.

2014 California State Assembly

2012 California State Assembly

Committee membership

Wilk is a member of the committees in Governmental Organization and Transportation.

State Senate minority leader

On January 20, 2021; Wilk was elected as the Senate Republican Leader.

Endorsements

Unlike many Republicans, Wilk has garnered endorsements from organized labor. He has received endorsements from AFSCME Local 3299 (American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees), the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR), California Professional Firefighters, California ProLife Council, Gun Owners of California, National Rifle Association, PawPAC - California's Political Action Committee for Animals, and Peace Officers Research Association of California. In 2020, Wilk was endorsed by

The Santa Clarita Valley Signal The Santa Clarita Valley Signal is a newspaper in Santa Clarita, California. It was founded in 1919 as a weekly, the '' Newhall Signal.'' From c. 1979 to 2016, the ''Signal'' was owned by Savannah, Georgia-based Morris Multimedia, who sold it to ...

, a news media organization owned by Richard Budman and his wife, Chris. In 2019, ''The Signal'' listed Wilk at no. 2 on its list of Santa Clarita Valley's most influential people.

Personal life

Wilk and his wife, Vanessa, reside in Santa Clarita with their two dogs. They have two adult children, Scott, Jr. and Alison. Wilk's wife, Vanessa, is a district director for California State Assembly member Tom Lackey. She is also the chair of the City of Santa Clarita's Arts Commission and a member of the board of directors of the Santa Clarita Valley Committee on Aging.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilk, Scott 1959 births 21st-century American politicians Republican Party California state senators California State University, Bakersfield alumni Living people Republican Party members of the California State Assembly People from Santa Clarita, California