Michael Huebsch

Michael D. "Mike" Huebsch (born July 19, 1964) is an American Republican politician from La Crosse County, Wisconsin. He was the 76th speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, serving a total of 16 years in the Assembly (1995–2011). He later served as the 15th secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration in the cabinet of Governor Scott Walker.

Biography

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Huebsch graduated from Onalaska High School and attended Oral Roberts University. He served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1995 through 2011. From 2007 to 2009, he served as Speaker of the Assembly. Huebsch, his wife, and family live in West Salem, Wisconsin.

While in the State Assembly, he and fellow Republican representative and future governor Scott Walker were involved in the Jamyi Witch hiring controversy in 2001–02, in which they attempted to terminate the employment of state employee Jamyi Witch because of her beliefs as a Wiccan. Huebsch said that "Taxpayers shouldn't be forced to accept this hocus-pocus," proposing to delete the state appropriation which funded Witch's position. Huebsch and Walker were ultimately unsuccessful in terminating Witch's employment.

In early 2015, Huebsch was appointed to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. He served until his resignation in February 2020.