Sheldon Allen Wasserman (born August 5, 1961) is an American physician and Democratic politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served 14 years as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 22nd Assembly district from 1995 to 2009. He is now a member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, representing Milwaukee's east side and lakefront since 2016.
Biography Sheldon Wasserman was born in August 1961, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was raised and educated in Milwaukee, graduating from John Marshall High School in 1979. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, earning his bachelor's degree in 1983. He immediately continued his education at the Medical College of Wisconsin, completing his doctorate in 1987. He moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he performed his medical residency in obstetrics and gynaecology at Bethesda Oak Hospital.
After completing his residency, Wasserman returned to Milwaukee and was employed as an obstetrician at Northpoint Medical Clinic.
Political career In 1994, Wasserman made his first run for elected office, running for Wisconsin State Assembly. He ran as a Democrat, challenging first term incumbent Republican Polly W. Beal in the 22nd Assembly district. The 22nd district at the time comprised a small part of the northeast part of the city of Milwaukee and all of Milwaukee's northern lakeshore suburbs in northeast Milwaukee County. Nationally, the 1994 election was a Republican wave; Wasserman prevailed in his race by just 488 votes and was the only Democrat to unseat an incumbent Republican in Wisconsin that year.
Wasserman was re-elected six times, serving in the Assembly through 2008.
In 2008, rather than running for re-election, Wasserman ran for Wisconsin Senate, challenging incumbent Republican state senator Alberta Darling in the 8th Senate district. The 8th Senate district then comprised the northern quarter of Milwaukee County along with parts of southern Ozaukee County, northeast Waukesha County, and southeast Washington County. 2008 was a Democratic wave election, but Wasserman fell short in his race, finishing 1,007 votes behind Darling.
After leaving office in 2009, Wasserman was appointed to the state Medical Examining Board by governor Jim Doyle. Three years later, he was elected chairman of the board.
In 2016, after eight years out of politics, Wasserman announced he would run for office again. He ran for the open 3rd district seat on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, and was elected without opposition. He is now in his fifth term.
Personal life and family Sheldon Wasserman is the eldest of three children of Yale and Merle ( Weiss) Wasserman. His father, Yale, worked as a dental surgeon.
Sheldon Wasserman married Wendy Jill Wolfman of Milwaukee in 1987. They met in Milwaukee but at the time were both living and working in Cincinnati; she was a speech pathologist at the Cincinnati Public Schools. They have three adult children and reside in Milwaukee.
Electoral history Wisconsin Assembly (1994–2006) YearElectionDateElectedDefeatedTotalPlurality1994GeneralDemocratic 11,140 51.12%Rep. 10,652 48.88% 21,792 4881996GeneralDemocratic 15,314 57.06%Rep. 11,526 42.94% 26,840 3,7881998GeneralDemocratic 15,562 71.08%Rep. 6,332 28.92% 21,894 9,2302000GeneralDemocratic 18,266 63.42%Rep. 10,510 36.49% 28,800 7,7562002GeneralDemocratic 16,822 98.56% --unopposed-- 17,068 2004GeneralDemocratic 21,750 65.36%Rep. 11,495 34.54% 33,278 10,2552006GeneralDemocratic 20,571 98.70% --unopposed-- 20,843
Wisconsin Senate (2008) YearElectionDateElectedDefeatedTotalPlurality2008GeneralRepublican 50,125 50.46%Dem. 49,118 49.45% 99,328 1,007
References
External links Campaign website Official (Assembly) website (Archived December 13, 2007)
Follow the Money - Sheldon Wasserman 2008 2006 2004 2002 2000 1998 campaign contributions