Daniel E Kapanke is an American businessman and politician who was a former Republican member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 32nd District from 2005 until losing his seat to Jennifer Shilling in the 2011 Wisconsin Senate recall elections.
13 Facts About Dan Kapanke
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Dan Kapanke graduated from Luther High School in Onalaska in 1965.
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Dan Kapanke served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and in the Wisconsin National Guard.
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Dan Kapanke is the founding owner of the La Crosse Loggers Northwoods League baseball team and was a district sales manager at Kaltenberg Seed Farms for 30 years.
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Dan Kapanke won election to the Wisconsin State Senate twice, first in 2004 against LaCrosse County Board Supervisor Brad Pfaff, and again in 2008 against La Crosse County Supervisor Tara Johnson.
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Dan Kapanke served as chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Higher Education, and was a member of the committees on Energy, Biotechnology, and Consumer Protection, on Financial Institutions and Rural Issues, and on Workforce Development, Small Business, and Tourism.
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Dan Kapanke was co-chair of the Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems.
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Dan Kapanke had been criticized for ethics violations, including using $32,000 from a lobbyist-funded charity to pay off personal debt, and violating the state's open records law, causing taxpayers to pay $38,000 in legal bills.
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Dan Kapanke was subject to an active recall effort to remove him from his seat in the Wisconsin Senate, as part of the 2011 Wisconsin protests.
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On March 2,2011, the "Committee to Recall Dan Kapanke" officially registered with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board.
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In October 2009, Dan Kapanke was added to the National Republican Congressional Committee's Young Guns Program as an "On the Radar" candidate.
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In September 2010, Dan Kapanke defeated Bruce Evers in the 3rd congressional district Republican Primary election.
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Dan Kapanke then lost the general election to incumbent Congressman Ron Kind, taking 46 percent of the vote to Kind's 50 percent.