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{{Short description|21st century American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Dana Wachs
|image = Dana Wachs photo headshot.jpg
|state_assembly = Wisconsin
|district = [[Wisconsin's 91st Assembly district|91st]]
| term_start = January 7, 2013
| term_end = January 7, 2019
| predecessor = [[Chris Danou]]
| successor = [[Jodi Emerson]]
|party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]▼
|birth_name = Dana John Wachs
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|8|25}}
|birth_place = [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin]], U.S.
|death_date = ▼
|
▲|party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|education = [[Marquette University]] {{small|([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])}}<br>[[Valparaiso University]] {{small|([[Juris Doctor|JD]])}}▼
| {{marriage|Tina L. Stewart||1997|end=div}}
▲|spouse = Beverly Wickstrom
| {{marriage|Beverly Wickstrom|2000}}
}}
|children = ''3 with Tina Stewart''
▲|education = [[Marquette University]]
|profession = Lawyer
|website =
}}
'''Dana John Wachs''' (born August 25, 1957) is an [[Americans|American]] lawyer and [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] politician from [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin]]. He was a member of the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]] for six years, representing [[Wisconsin's 91st Assembly district]] from 2013 to 2019. He was also a member of the [[University of Wisconsin Board of Regents]] from 2022 until 2024. He previously served on the Eau Claire City Council. He was an unsuccessful candidate for [[Governor of Wisconsin]] in the [[2018 Wisconsin gubernatorial election|2018]] Democratic primary.
== Early life and legal career ==
Born in [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin]] to Lucille (a teacher) and Ray Wachs (former [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin|Eau Claire]] City Attorney and City Manager)
Wachs has practiced law in Eau Claire for 30 years. He has achieved the highest rating, AV, by [[Martindale-Hubbell]] for legal ability and ethical standards. He has been named a Wisconsin Super Lawyer. He has also been recognized as one of the top lawyers in Wisconsin by [[Milwaukee Magazine]] and was named to the National “Top 100 Lawyers” list by the National Trial Lawyers Organization. Wachs is a member of the Wisconsin State Bar Association, the [[American Association for Justice]], the Wisconsin Association for Justice, the [[American Bar Association]] and the National Trial Lawyer Organization. Wachs practices at
As an attorney, Wachs has negotiated $6 million, $2.9 million, and $1 million settlements in separate medical malpractice cases. He also successfully argued before the [[Wisconsin Supreme Court]] for an expansion of medical malpractice law.
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== Wisconsin State Assembly ==
In November 2012, Wachs was elected unopposed to the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]] as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]. He was re-elected unopposed in 2014.<ref>
During his first term in the Wisconsin State Assembly, Rep. Wachs served on the Assembly Committees on Colleges and Universities, Constitution and Ethics, Criminal Justice, Judiciary, and Workforce Development. He was also the Vice-Chair of the Legislative Council Study Committee on the Transfer of Structured Settlement Payments.
In 2013, Wachs introduced Assembly Bill Assembly Bill 51, the "Revolving Door" bill. This proposal would have prohibited any former legislator from working as a lobbyist for 24 months after they leave office.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2013/related/proposals/ab51|title=Wisconsin Legislature: AB51: Bill Text|website=docs.legis.wisconsin.gov}}</ref> In 2014, he introduced Assembly Joint Resolution 80, which would have called for a statewide advisory referendum on whether or not Wisconsin should adopt a nonpartisan system of redistricting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2013/related/proposals/ajr80|title=Wisconsin Legislature: AJR80: Joint Resolution Text|website=docs.legis.wisconsin.gov}}</ref>
For the 2015 legislative session, Rep. Wachs
== Run for Governor ==
Wachs was one of ten declared candidates for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Wisconsin in 2018, but was the second to drop out, leaving the race in June and endorsing [[Tony Evers]] for the nomination.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2017/08/07/dana-wachs-challenge-gov-scott-walker/541219001/|title=Dana Wachs to challenge Gov. Scott Walker|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/22/dana-wachs-becomes-second-democrat-leave-governors-race-week/725100002/|title=Dana Wachs becomes second Democrat this week to leave governor's race|work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|access-date=2018-06-24|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.weau.com/content/news/Rep-Dana-Wachs-drops-out-of-governor-race-486262451.html|title=Rep. Dana Wachs drops out of race, endorses candidate Tony Evers|last=Horne|first=Jessica Bringe K.C. Brown, Jesse|access-date=2018-06-24|language=en}}</ref>
== University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents ==
In 2022 Governor Evers appointed Wachs to the [[University of Wisconsin System]] Board of Regents.<ref>Redman, H., ''[https://wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/evers-appoints-three-new-members-of-uw-system-board-of-regents/ Evers appoints three new members of UW System Board of Regents]'', Wisconsin Examiner (May 4, 2022)</ref>
In March 2024, on the last day of floor activity in the state Senate for the [[106th Wisconsin Legislature]], the Senate voted to reject Wachs' appointment to the board of regents. Senate Republicans explained their vote, saying that it was retaliation for Wachs voting against the funding deal offered by the Legislature in 2023, which required the University to gut DEI programs.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.leadertelegram.com/news/daily-updates/wachs-disappointed-in-dismissal-from-board-of-regents/article_d00a2010-e155-11ee-8c79-ef899d0e0f74.html |title= Wachs 'disappointed' in dismissal from Board of Regents |first= Chris |last= Vetter |newspaper= [[Eau Claire Leader-Telegram]] |date= March 13, 2024 |accessdate= March 17, 2024 }}</ref>
Wachs' removal was part of a historically unique situation in Wisconsin, in which Senate Republicans have wielded their confirmation power in an increasingly partisan and punitive manner against the two-term Democratic governor, Tony Evers. Since Evers took office, in January 2019, the Senate has rejected 21 of his appointments. In the prior 40 years, the Senate rejected only 4 gubernatorial appointees.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/12/wisconsin-senate-rejects-8-appointees-including-2-uw-regents/72942298007/ |title= Senate fires 8 Democratic appointees, including 2 UW Regents |first1= Kelly |last1= Meyerhofer |first2= Jessie |last2= Opoien |newspaper= [[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]] |date= March 12, 2024 |accessdate= March 16, 2024 }}</ref>
== Personal ==
Wachs has three adult children with his first wife, Tina. He is currently married to Beverly Wickstrom.
==References==
{{reflist
== External links ==
*[http://www.danawachs.com Campaign Website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160730202358/http://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/wachs/Pages/default.aspx Representative Dana Wachs] at the [[Wisconsin State Legislature]]
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20160730202358/http://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/wachs/Pages/default.aspx constituency site]
* {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wachs, Dana}}
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[[Category:Politicians from Eau Claire, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Marquette University alumni]]
[[Category:Valparaiso University School of Law alumni]]
[[Category:Wisconsin lawyers]]
[[Category:Wisconsin Democrats]]▼
[[Category:Wisconsin city council members]]
[[Category:
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:21st-century American
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