Jenifer Quimby’s political career started with a sit-in at her high school. After she wasn’t pleased with the results of a conflict between the guidance counselor and the principal, Quimby got her entire school to begin a sit-in. The school board noticed, and her movement impacted future decisions.
Quimby, who is currently the mayor of Waterloo, is running as a Republican to represent the 46th district in Wisconsin in the Assembly. This district includes the cities of Fort Atkinson, Lake Mills and Waterloo, plus the villages of Cambridge, Deerfield and Rockdale, and part of Cottage Grove and McFarland.
Even after her high school sit-in, Quimby wasn’t planning to be a politician. But in 2008, her friend asked her to join the Waterloo city council. One of her first moves was pushing for a permanent parks position in Waterloo, which she quickly established.
Quimby also joined the school board in 2011, where she served, along with the city council, until 2019 when she was elected as mayor. During this time, she was also a small business owner in Waterloo, with her own photography business until 2021.
Quimby also wasn’t planning to run for Assembly this term. She ran three years ago, when there were eight candidates on the ballot. Quimby said she liked the representative of her district, Barbara Dittrich, so until the district lines changed, running again wasn’t a consideration.
Nevertheless, the Wisconsin Republican Assembly Campaign Committee, along with some of her friends, encouraged Quimby to run earlier this year. She was hesitant, but after persistent calls from RACC throughout April and May, Quimby agreed to run if they would support her.
Quimby said she wants to find a way to help the communities she is a part of, and be a part of the solution. And there are several issues in particular that she is passionate about.
For Quimby, providing resources to rural Wisconsin, especially to fire departments, emergency services, highway projects and rural schools is important. She also supports tax cuts particularly for middle tax families in order to address rising costs due to inflation.
Quimby believes she is qualified for the position. As a mayor, she said she has been very accessible because she holds office hours. She also named her experience on the school board, city council and as a small business owner as reasons she would succeed on the state Assembly.
And Quimby emphasized that she isn’t interested in polarizing politics.
“I want to work with everybody,” Quimby said.
Quimby made it clear that she would continue to serve as the mayor of Waterloo should she be elected to the Assembly.
Jenifer Quimby will be facing Democratic candidate Joan Fitzgerald. Because each candidate is running unopposed in their party, there will be no primary election for the seat on August 13. Instead, this race will go straight to election day on November 5.
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