Sarah Keyeski
Sarah Keyeski | |
|---|---|
| Member-elect of the Wisconsin Senate from the 14th district | |
| Assuming office January 6, 2025 | |
| Succeeding | Joan Ballweg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sarah Braun October 1970 (age 54) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Rodney Keyeski |
| Children | 6 |
| Residence | Lodi, Wisconsin |
| Education | |
| Profession | Mental health counselor |
| Website | Campaign website |
Sarah Keyeski (née Braun; born October 1970) is an American mental health counselor and Democratic politician from Columbia County, Wisconsin. She is a member-elect of the Wisconsin Senate, and will represent Wisconsin's 14th Senate district in the 107th Wisconsin Legislature (2025–2026).
Biography
[edit]Sarah Keyeski was born Sarah Braun. She was raised on her family's farm near Cashton, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school, she earned her bachelor's degree from Luther College in Iowa. She went on to obtain her master's degree from Northwestern University in Illinois, and was then certified as a Licensed Professional Counselor.[1]
She returned to Wisconsin and worked as a mental health counselor in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, for more than a decade. In 2017, she moved to a home just outside the city of Lodi, Wisconsin, in Columbia County, where she opened a private counseling practice the following year.[1]
Seeing the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, Keyeski founded the non-profit "Lift Lodi" to engage members of the community in volunteer opportunities to beautify the city and surroundings.[1]
Keyeski decided to make her first bid for public office in 2024,[1] after the Wisconsin Legislature adopted a dramatic redistricting plan which significantly affected her area of the state. Keyeski declared a run for Wisconsin Senate in the redrawn 14th Senate district. The redistricting had drawn 14th district state senator Joan Ballweg out of the district, but Ballweg declared her intention to relocate to maintain residency and run for re-election. Keyeski was unopposed in the Democratic primary. In the general election, the 14th Senate district was one of the most competitive races in the state.[2] Keyeski prevailed with about 51% of the vote.[3][4]
Personal life and family
[edit]Sarah Braun took the last name Keyeski when she married Rodney Keyeski. They have six children together and reside in the town of Lodi, Wisconsin.[1]
Electoral history
[edit]Wisconsin Senate (2024)
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 5, 2024[5] | |||||
| Democratic | Sarah Keyeski | 52,483 | 51.09% | +16.01pp | |
| Republican | Joan Ballweg (incumbent) | 50,132 | 48.81% | −16.06pp | |
| Scattering | 101 | 0.10% | |||
| Plurality | 2,334 | 2.27% | -27.53pp | ||
| Total votes | 102,733 | 100.0% | +7.70% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | |||||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "My Story". Sarah Keyeski for 14th Senate District. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ Tornabene, Juliana (November 5, 2024). "Keyeski projected to win State Senate District 14 race". WMTV. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ "2024 Wisconsin General Elections Results - State Senate District 14". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- ^ "Wisconsin SSDC: Keyeski declares victory in the 14th Senate district". Wisconsin State Senate Democratic Committee (Press release). November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2024 – via Wispolitics.com.
- ^ County by County Report - 2024 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 27, 2024. p. 7. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
External links
[edit]- 1970 births
- Living people
- People from Monroe County, Wisconsin
- People from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
- People from Lodi, Wisconsin
- Luther College (Iowa) alumni
- Northwestern University alumni
- Mental health professionals
- Democratic Party Wisconsin state senators
- 21st-century American women politicians
- 21st-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature