| Office | Speaker pro tempore of the Wisconsin Assembly |
|---|---|
| Term start | January 3, 2023 |
| Predecessor | Tyler August |
| Office 1 | Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly |
| Term start 1 | January 6, 2025 |
| Predecessor 1 | Lee Snodgrass |
| Constituency 1 | 57th district |
| Term start 2 | January 4, 2007 |
| Term end 2 | January 6, 2025 |
| Predecessor 2 | Jean Hundertmark |
| Successor 2 | Karen DeSanto |
| Constituency 2 | 40th district |
| Birth date | December 14, 1964 (age 61) |
| Birth place | Waupaca, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Education | University of New Mexico (BS) |
| Website | State Assembly website |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Service years | 1983–1994 (active) 1994–2008 (reserve) |
| Unit | United States Navy Reserve |
| Battles | Gulf War |
Kevin David Petersen (born December 14, 1964) is an American small business owner and Republican politician from Waupaca County, Wisconsin. He is the speaker pro tempore of the Wisconsin State Assembly, since 2023, and has served in the Assembly since 2007. He represents Wisconsin's 57th Assembly district since 2025 and previously represented the 40th Assembly district from 2007 to 2025.
Biography
Petersen was born in Waupaca, Wisconsin, and graduated from Waupaca High School in 1983. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy in submarine service from 1983 to 1994. Petersen received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico in 1989. After leaving the U.S. Navy in 1994, Petersen remained with the U.S. Navy Reserve until 2008.[1]
Petersen served as a Town of Dayton supervisor from 2001 to 2007. He won a three-way primary in 2006[2] to become the Republican candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly in the 40th district and went on to narrowly defeat Democrat Dan Naylor in the general election.[3] He is currently in his 8th term and has served as Assistant Majority Leader since 2021.[1]
Petersen announced in March 2026 that he would not run for re-election in the 2026 election.[4]
References
- ^ "Representative Kevin Petersen". Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ Results of Fall Primary Election - 09/12/2006. Wisconsin State Elections Board. October 17, 2006. p. 45. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2006. Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 5, 2006. p. 25. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ "Thanks Rep. Kevin Petersen for his years of service to Wisconsin". Office of Representative Tyler August. March 19, 2026. Retrieved March 19, 2026. – via Wispolitics.com