Randy Udell | |
|---|---|
| Treasurer of theDemocratic Party of Wisconsin | |
| Assumed office June 6, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Michael Childers |
| Member of theWisconsin State Assembly from the47th district | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Jimmy Anderson |
| Member of theBoard of Supervisors ofDane County, Wisconsin,from the 33rd district | |
| Assumed office April 16, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Dana Pellebon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1961-05-30)May 30, 1961 (age 64) Beloit, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Spouse | Bradley Braaten |
| Residence | Fitchburg, Wisconsin |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin–Whitewater (BS) |
| Occupation | Politician, legislator, telecommunications engineer |
| Website | Official website Campaign website |
Randy Alan Udell (born May 30, 1961) is anAmerican telecommunications engineer andDemocratic politician fromFitchburg, Wisconsin. He is a member of theWisconsin State Assembly, representingWisconsin's 47th Assembly district since 2025. He is also the current treasurer of theDemocratic Party of Wisconsin, and has represented the Fitchburg area as a member of the Dane County Board of Supervisors since April 16, 2024.[1][2]
Udell was born inBeloit, Wisconsin, on May 30, 1961. He attendedCraig High School inJanesville, Wisconsin, graduating in 1979.[3] Following this, he began attending theUniversity of Wisconsin–Whitewater. While at UW–Whitewater, he was involved in student government, serving as astudent senator, as well as in party politics, working for Democratic RepresentativeLes Aspin and chairing the campusYoung Democrats organization.[4] Udell graduated from the university in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in political science.[3]
After graduating from UW–Whitewater, Udell worked for Maryland Attorney GeneralStephen Sachs from 1984–1987.[3] Shortly his work with the Maryland attorney general he briefly worked as a special agent with theFederal Bureau of Investigation, then began a thirty-years long career atAT&T as a finance agent and telecommunications engineer.[3] In 1998, Udell returned to Wisconsin, settling down in Fitchburg, later serving as the chair and treasurer of the 2nd Congressional District Democratic Party of Wisconsin.[4][2]
In 2015, Udell was elected treasurer of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, being re-elected in 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025.[3][5]
Udell was first elected to the Fitchburg city council in 2020 to the 4th district, and was re-elected in 2022. In 2023 Udell ran for Fitchburg mayor, but was defeated by Julia Arata-Fratta by four points.[6]
In December 2023 Udell announced a run for Dane County Board of Supervisors, and was subsequently elected to the 33rd district in the 2024 Spring election.[7]
Following SenatorMelissa Agard's retirement, 47th district representativeJimmy Anderson announced a bid to replace her, leaving the district open.[8] Shortly afterwards, Fitchburg alderman Joe Maldonado and Udell both announced bids to replace him.[9] During the primary Udell campaigned on expanding broadband access to rural areas, while also emphasizing his experience in finance and budgeting as chair of the Fitchburg city council's finance committee and as Treasurer of the state Democratic Party.[10]
In the primary election, Udell went on to defeat Maldonado by a slim 2 percent margin.[11] As no Republican filed to run for the seat, Udell was unopposed for election and took office at the start of the107th Wisconsin Legislature, on January 6, 2025.
Udell and his husband, Brad, live in Fitchburg with their rescue dog Cooper.[2]
| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Primary[12] | Feb. 18 | Randy Udell | Nonpartisan | 507 | 44.95% | Scott D. Lehmann | Non. | 353 | 31.29% | 1,128 | 154 |
| Marc A. Jones | Non. | 262 | 23.23% | |||||||||
| General[13] | Apr. 7 | Randy Udell | Nonpartisan | 1,417 | 55.20% | Scott D. Lehmann | Non. | 1,143 | 44.53% | 2,567 | 274 | |
| 2022 | General[14] | Apr. 5 | Randy Udell (inc) | Nonpartisan | 785 | 97.88% | --unopposed-- | 802 | 768 | |||
| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | General[15] | Apr. 4 | Julia Arata-Fratta | Nonpartisan | 5,687 | 51.76% | Randy Udell | Non. | 5,255 | 47.83% | 10,986 | 432 |
| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | General[16] | Apr. 2 | Randy Udell | Nonpartisan | 2,937 | 98.82% | --unopposed-- | 2,972 | 2,902 | |||
| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Primary[17] | Aug. 13 | Randy Udell | Democratic | 6,699 | 50.95% | Joe Maldonado | Dem. | 6,438 | 48.97% | 13,148 | 261 |
| General[18] | Nov. 5 | Randy Udell | Democratic | 29,040 | 98.18% | --unopposed-- | 29,579 | 28,501 | ||||
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Michael Childers | Treasurer of theDemocratic Party of Wisconsin June 6, 2015 – present | Incumbent |
| Wisconsin State Assembly | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theWisconsin State Assemblyfrom the47th district January 6, 2025 – present | Incumbent |