Petri re-elected to seat in Congress
Wednesday, November 5, 2008 12:51 PM CST
Republican Rep. Tom Petri of Fond du Lac was easily elected to his 16th term in the U.S. House of Representatives by defeating Roger Kittelson, a dairy marketing specialist in Lomira, in Tuesday's election.
The final vote total showed Petri with 221,812 or 67.8 percent of the total, to 126,059, or 32.2 percent for Kittelson.
Petri was strong throughout the district in Tuesday's election. He carried every town, village and city in the areas he represents in Dodge and Jefferson counties, and also won in each of the other counties in which he has representation.
Although Petri has served 30 years in the House of Representatives, he ranks only third in seniority in the Wisconsin delegation. The senior member is Rep. Dave Obey who was elected in 1969, followed by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. who was elected a few months earlier than Petri in 1979.
Petri's district includes parts of Dodge and Jefferson counties as well as all or part of Adams, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Manitowoc, Marquette, Outagamie, Sheboygan, Waushara and Winnebago counties.
Petri was traveling to Washington, D.C., this morning and was unavailable.
In his campaign, Petri said he believes the government should promote conservation, develop alternative energy sources and increase domestic oil production in a responsible manner. He has supported legislation streamlining the refinery permitting process and to open lands in the Outer Continental Shelf to domestic oil exploration. He also supported efforts to reduce the number of mandated “boutique fuels” such as one required in some parts of Wisconsin but which drive up prices.
He also co-sponsored bills aimed at creating greater competition in the insurance market and opposed adding mandates to insurance coverage which tend to drive up premiums for insurance.
The congressman has also been a strong supporter of legislation providing appropriate benefits for veterans and to improve the care and service for them.
In this past session of Congress Petri served on the Education and Labor Committee and its subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness; Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and its subcommittees on Highways and Transit, on Aviation, and on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.
He is a graduate of Goodrich High School in Fond du Lac and received undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard University. He also served in the Peace Corps and was a White House aide prior to being elected to the House of Representatives.
Petri and his wife, Anne Neal Petri, have one daughter, Alexandra.
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