Evan Goyke
Evan Goyke | |
|---|---|
| City Attorney of Milwaukee | |
| Assumed office April 16, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Tearman Spencer |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 18th district | |
| In office January 7, 2013 – January 6, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Tamara Grigsby |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Arney |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 24, 1982 Neenah, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Parent |
|
| Residence | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Alma mater | St. John's University (BA) Marquette University (JD) |
| Profession | Lawyer, politician |
| Website | Official website |
Evan Goyke (born November 24, 1982) is an American lawyer, academic, and Democratic politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is the city attorney of Milwaukee, since April 2024, and previously represented western Milwaukee for six terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, from 2013 to 2025.
His father, Gary Goyke, was a member of the Wisconsin Senate in the 1970s and 1980s.
Early life and education
[edit]Goyke was born in Neenah, Wisconsin, the son of former state senator Gary Goyke. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from St. John's University and a Juris Doctor from the Marquette University Law School.
Career
[edit]After graduating from law school, Goyke worked as an attorney in the Milwaukee office of the State Public Defender. He also became an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Marquette University Law School, where he has worked on the Milwaukee Street Law Project, in which Marquette second- and third-year law students participate in a weekly seminar; go on to teach an "introduction to law" course at local high schools; and finally conduct a citywide mock trial competition.[1]
When incumbent Grigsby was forced to decline re-nomination in the wake of her cancer problems, this heavily-Democratic district saw an eight-way primary election. Goyke faced a seven opponents in the crowded Democratic primary field. His opponents included Jarett Fields, an employee of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and brother of Democratic incumbent Jason Fields of the neighboring 11th District.[2] With 1,637 votes out of 4,399 (more than twice that of Fields, his nearest competitor), he achieved a plurality of 37.2%.[3] In the November general election, he faced only Libertarian Melba Morris-Page, winning with 16,245 to Morris-Page's 2,133.[4] Goyke went on to win re-election five times in this Assembly district.
In the 2024 Spring election, Goyke was elected city attorney of Milwaukee with 63% of the vote. He defeated incumbent Tearman Spencer, whose one term as city attorney was plagued by scandal and controversy. Goyke took office April 16; he has announced that he will not run for re-election to the State Assembly but will serve out the remainder of the 2023–2024 term.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "Evan Goyke biography". Marquette University Law School. Archived from the original on September 4, 2011. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
- ^ Bauter, Alison (August 14, 2012). "Goyke takes Rep. Tamara Grigsby's open Assembly seat in eight-way primary". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ Wisconsin Department of Elections - Official Primary Results
- ^ "Nov. 6 general election results: Assembly Dist. 18" JSonline November 7, 2012
- ^ "Evan Goyke elected Milwaukee city attorney, finishing Assembly term". WITI (TV). April 5, 2024. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
External links
[edit]- College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University alumni
- Marquette University faculty
- Marquette University Law School alumni
- Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
- Politicians from Milwaukee
- Public defenders
- Wisconsin lawyers
- 1982 births
- Living people
- Lawyers from Milwaukee
- 21st-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature