Ryan M. Clancy (born 1977) is an American teacher, business owner, and politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 19th Assembly district since January 2023. He was a member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from 2020 to 2024. He is a member of the Democratic Party ticket and the Democratic Socialists of America.
Ryan Clancy | |
---|---|
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 19th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Jonathan Brostoff |
Member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from the 4th district | |
In office April 2020 – April 2024 | |
Preceded by | Marina Dimitrijevic |
Succeeded by | Jack Eckblad |
Personal details | |
Born | 1977 (age 46–47) Glendale, Wisconsin, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Other political affiliations | Democratic Socialists of America |
Spouse | Becky |
Children | 5 |
Residence | Bay View, Milwaukee |
Education | Beloit College (BA) California State University, Dominguez Hills (MA) |
Occupation | Educator, business owner |
Website | Campaign website |
Early life and career
editRyan Clancy graduated from Nicolet High School in Glendale, Wisconsin, in 1995.[citation needed] While in high school, he organized a student-run alternative newspaper which ran afoul of the school administration and nearly got him expelled. His case came to the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented his interests and saved him from expulsion. He was also then awarded Young Civil Libertarian of the Year.[1] [better source needed]
He earned his bachelor's degree in English from Beloit College, and joined the Peace Corps. He was sent to work as an English teacher in a remote rural area of the Philippines. After his term in the Peace Corps, he returned to Milwaukee County. In 2003, he traveled to Iraq to protest the impending invasion. After returning from Iraq, the federal Office of Foreign Assets Control issued him a $10,000 fine, but he was again defended by the ACLU.[2] While on trial for his trip to Iraq, he worked on peace and reconciliation with groups of American and Iraqi youth.[1][better source needed] He subsequently earned his master's degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and did field work in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.[3]
During these years, he also taught as a substitute teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools and became an organizer with the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association. In 2014, he and his wife started Bounce Milwaukee, a community recreational complex and restaurant. Through this business ownership, he was a founder of the Progressive Restaurant and Activists of Wisconsin Network, which advocates for higher wages and better working conditions in the food service industry.[1] [better source needed]
He continued to volunteer with activist causes through these years, participating in the Dakota Access Pipeline protests in North Dakota and several immigrant rights protests in Racine and Milwaukee, and was active in the Black Lives Matter protests—after which he filed a lawsuit against the city and county of Milwaukee for violating his rights.[4] He has also been a long-time volunteer for disaster-relief organizations, traveling widely.[3]
Political career
editAfter a vacancy occurred in his county board district, Clancy started a campaign for Milwaukee County board of supervisors in 2020. He narrowly defeated his opponent in the Spring general election, and became the first socialist on the county board since 1956.[4][5] He was re-elected in 2022.
Shortly after the 2022 Spring election, incumbent state representative Jonathan Brostoff announced he would run for Milwaukee city council rather than seeking re-election to the State Assembly.[6] A few weeks later, Clancy announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the heavily Democratic district, which spans nearly all of Milwaukee's lakefront.[7] Surprisingly, no other candidates entered the race, and Clancy was unopposed in the primary and general election. He took office in the Assembly in January 2023.[8]
Personal life and family
editRyan Clancy lives with his wife Becky and their five children in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee. They were co-owners of the Bounce Milwaukee complex until they were forced to permanently shut down in 2023.[1][9]
Electoral history
editMilwaukee county board (2020, 2022)
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan Primary, February 18, 2020 (top two)[10] | |||||
Nonpartisan | Andrea Rodriguez | 1,866 | 47.61% | ||
Nonpartisan | Ryan Clancy | 1,603 | 40.90% | ||
Nonpartisan | Paul Rasky | 420 | 10.72% | ||
Scattering | 30 | 0.77% | |||
Total votes | 3,919 | 100.0% | |||
General Election, April 7, 2020[5] | |||||
Nonpartisan | Ryan Clancy | 2,798 | 50.30% | ||
Nonpartisan | Andrea Rodriguez | 2,750 | 49.43% | ||
Scattering | 15 | 0.27% | |||
Plurality | 48 | 0.86% | |||
Total votes | 5,563 | 100.0% | +117.22% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Election, April 5, 2022[11] | |||||
Nonpartisan | Ryan Clancy (incumbent) | 8,250 | 97.81% | ||
Scattering | 185 | 2.19% | |||
Total votes | 8,435 | 100.0% | +51.63% |
Wisconsin Assembly (2022)
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Election, November 8, 2022[8] | |||||
Democratic | Ryan Clancy | 24,193 | 98.26% | ||
Scattering | 429 | 1.74% | |||
Total votes | 24,622 | 100.0% | -29.93% | ||
Democratic hold |
References
edit- ^ a b c d "About Ryan". Ryan Clancy for Assembly. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ "Peace Activist Slapped with $10,000 Fine and Threat of Jail". American Civil Liberties Union (Press release). August 23, 2004. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ a b "Ryan Clancy - 4th District Supervisor". Milwaukee County. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ a b Byers, PrincessSafiya (September 21, 2021). "'We don't have a generation to wait': Ryan Clancy brings activism to Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors". Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ a b 2020 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Vote (PDF) (Report). Milwaukee County Clerk. April 21, 2020. p. 31. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ Jannene, Jeramey (April 19, 2022). "Rep. Brostoff Will Run For Aldermanic Seat". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ Jannene, Jeramey (May 2, 2022). "Ryan Clancy Launches Campaign For State Assembly". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ a b Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 13. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ Bentley, Drake (July 6, 2023). "Bounce Milwaukee will close August 31, as lease negotiations turn sour". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ 2020 Spring Primary (PDF) (Report). Milwaukee County Clerk. February 27, 2020. p. 3. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ 2022 Spring Election (PDF) (Report). Milwaukee County Clerk. April 15, 2022. p. 1. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
External links
edit- Campaign website
- Official (county) website
- Bounce Milwaukee
- Ryan Clancy at Ballotpedia
- Ryan Clancy at Wisconsin Vote