Jerry L. O'Connor | |
|---|---|
| Member of theWisconsin State Assembly | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Brooks |
| Constituency | 60th district |
| In office January 3, 2023 – January 6, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Jeremy Thiesfeldt |
| Succeeded by | Lee Snodgrass |
| Constituency | 52nd district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1953-09-14)September 14, 1953 (age 72) Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2 (with Amy) 3 stepchildren |
| Residence(s) | Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Minnesota Bible College University of Wisconsin–Madison |
| Occupation | Banker (retired), politician |
Jerry L. O'Connor (born September 14, 1953) is an AmericanRepublican politician and retired banker fromFond du Lac, Wisconsin. He is a member of theWisconsin State Assembly, representingWisconsin's 60th Assembly district since2025; he previously represented the52nd Assembly district from 2023 to 2025. He was the president and C.E.O. of the National Exchange Bank & Trust ofWaupun, Wisconsin, from 1998 until his retirement in 2020.
Jerry O'Connor was born in southwest Wisconsin and moved toLomira, Wisconsin, during high school. After graduating from high school, he attendedMinnesota Bible College and went on to earn his master's degree from the Graduate School of Banking at theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison.[1]
He subsequently moved toFond du Lac, Wisconsin, which has been his primary residence ever since. He had a 40 year career in banking, and was most recently the president and C.E.O. of the National Exchange Bank & Trust ofWaupun, Wisconsin, retiring in 2020. During his career, he was also chairman of the Community Bankers of Wisconsin and was co-chair of the board of the Wisconsin Bankers Association.[2][3]
In December 2021, incumbent Wisconsin state representativeJeremy Thiesfeldt announced he would not seek a sixth term in the Assembly.[4] The following Spring, O'Connor announced that he would run for the Republican nomination to succeed Thiesfeldt in the52nd Assembly district. The district covers most of central Fond du Lac County and is safely Republican, and ultimately saw three other candidates enter the race for the Republican nomination. O'Connor prevailed by a wide margin in the primary, taking 55% in the four-person contest.[5] He went on to win thegeneral election with 62% of the vote.[6]
He took office in January 2023.
Jerry O'Connor has six brothers. He has been married twice. He married his high school sweetheart, Amy Lansdowne, on August 26, 1972, inMadison, Wisconsin. They had two daughters together and were married for nearly 43 years before she died of cancer in 2015. He subsequently married Luanne Bohlman-Romuald, a widow and mother of three adult children. Jerry and Luanne reside in the town ofFond du Lac, just outside the city of Fond du Lac.[1]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican Primary, August 9, 2022[5] | |||||
| Republican | Jerry L. O'Connor | 4,342 | 55.92% | ||
| Republican | Donald R. Hannemann | 1,292 | 16.64% | ||
| Republican | Lawrence Foster | 1,192 | 15.35% | ||
| Republican | Robert P. Thresher | 929 | 11.97% | ||
| Scattering | 9 | 0.12% | |||
| Total votes | 7,764 | 100.0% | |||
| General Election, November 8, 2022[6] | |||||
| Republican | Jerry L. O'Connor | 15,055 | 62.26% | +0.29% | |
| Democratic | Joe Lavrenz | 9,108 | 37.67% | −0.35% | |
| Scattering | 16 | 0.07% | |||
| Plurality | 5,947 | 24.60% | +0.64% | ||
| Total votes | 24,179 | 100.0% | -21.25% | ||
| Republicanhold | |||||
| Wisconsin State Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theWisconsin State Assemblyfrom the52nd district January 3, 2023 – January 6, 2025 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theWisconsin State Assemblyfrom the60th district January 6, 2025 – present | Incumbent |