Tom Barrett

Mayor Barrett led Milwaukee in its successful bid to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Barrett graduated from Marquette University High School, and went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1976; and his Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1980. He helped put himself through college and law school by working on the Harley-Davidson assembly line. After law school, Barrett served as a law clerk for Judge Robert W. Warren on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin from 1980 to 1982. He later entered into private practice and served as a bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

In 2013, he was one of nine mayors who established July 15 as Social Media Giving Day, encouraging citizens to support charities via social media.

A Marquette Law School Poll released on May 30 (mirroring other polling outlets) had Barrett trailing Walker 52-45% among likely voters. The results represent a six-point increase for Walker over Barrett since Marquette's earlier poll in late April. The poll's margin of error for likely voters was plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. Odysseas, a contributor to the progressive blog Daily Kos, had questioned if the Marquette University Law school poll oversampled "right wingers." For example, a poll by Public Policy Polling conducted May 11–13 gave Republicans a 7% edge over Democrats in terms of likely voters, unlikely given Wisconsin voter registration patterns. However, in retrospect the Marquette poll accurately reflected the Wisconsin electorate's vote. However, the same poll showed President Obama holding a lead over Mitt Romney 51-43. On May 21, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel endorsed Scott Walker over Barrett arguing "[there is] no reason to remove Walker from office." The Journal-Sentinel had previously endorsed Walker over Barrett in 2010. Walker defeated Barrett in the June 5 recall election by garnering 53.2%-46.3%, a greater victory margin than the 2010 election. Walker thus became the first Governor in US history to survive a recall election.

After the contentious collective bargaining dispute, Walker's disapproval ratings varied between 50–51%, while his approval ratings varied between 47–49% in 2011. In a survey of 768 Wisconsin voters conducted between February 24–27, 2011, during the 2011 Wisconsin budget protests, a poll by Public Policy Polling found that 52% of respondents said they would vote for Barrett if the election had been held then, while 45% said they would vote for Walker. Wisconsin law made Walker eligible for recall beginning January 3, 2012, and the Wisconsin Democratic Party had called it a "priority" to remove him from office, although the signatures on the petitions were not verified.

Barrett ended months of speculation by officially announcing on March 30, 2012, that he would enter the race for governor. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Wisconsin Education Association Council, which already supported another Democrat who had announced, had met with Barrett in late December 2011 and tried unsuccessfully to keep him from entering the race. On May 8, Barrett won the Democratic primary for the recall election.

Barrett ran for Governor of Wisconsin in 2010, losing in the general election to Republican Scott Walker. After a recall election, Barrett again ran for governor in 2012 and was defeated by Walker.

On February 25, 2009, Barrett gave his State of the City Address. Where he praised the city's past achievements and outlined his plan to increase green jobs, economic development and workforce training in the coming year. Barrett called on the citizens of Milwaukee to remain optimistic during the international economic downturn; "I am fully confident that Milwaukee will withstand the current economic downturn," Barrett said. "We will make smart investments, continue to build strong partnerships, provide training to our workforce and improve our public schools. We will emerge as a stronger and more competitive city."

Barrett met with Vice President of the United States Joe Biden and testified before the United States House Transportation Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment when he traveled to Washington, D.C. on March 18, 2009. Barrett attended a White House Recovery and Reinvestment Act Implementation Conference hosted by Biden. The conference addressed questions from state, county, and local government officials on how to effectively oversee the spending of Recovery Act funds.

In August 2009, Doyle announced his decision to not seek reelection to a third term in 2010, leading many to believe Barrett would run for governor. On August 25, a group named "Wisconsin for Tom Barrett" formed, encouraging Barrett to run. On October 26, a website, TomForGovernor.com, was launched after Barbara Lawton, the Lieutenant Governor, backed out. A story in The Politico reported that President Barack Obama's political director Patrick Gaspard met with Barrett on November 4, 2009, amid speculation that the White House wanted him to run for Governor of Wisconsin.

Barrett ended months of speculation by officially announcing on November 15, 2009, that he would enter the race for governor. Barrett's campaign raised more than $750,000 in its first seven weeks. In an e-mail thanking supporters, Barrett said his campaign had more than $1.5 million in the bank, a significant start given that he did not declare candidacy for the Democratic primary until November 15, 2009. Barrett ultimately lost the election to Scott Walker.

Barrett was the subject of national news headlines when he was attacked outside the Wisconsin State Fair on August 15, 2009, by a man wielding a pipe. Barrett and some family members were leaving the fair when he responded to a woman's cries for help. They encountered a man and a woman in a heated confrontation and, while the mayor called police, the man, 20-year-old Anthony J. Peters, attacked him with a pipe. Barrett was hospitalized after the incident and again later for reconstructive surgery for his hand. Governor Jim Doyle visited Barrett in the hospital the next morning and said he "found him to be in good spirits and looking good considering what happened... The Mayor's heroic actions clearly saved a woman and others from harm", Doyle said in a statement. Peters was arrested the next day. Both President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden telephoned Barrett in the hospital to inquire as to his condition; Obama told Barrett that he went above the call of duty and said he was proud of Barrett's actions. Barrett's injuries included broken teeth, a permanently damaged hand, and blows to the head where he was struck with the pipe. Peters plead guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in prison and a further 10 years of supervision.

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and Mayor Tom Barrett, joined by Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin Elizabeth Burmaster, announced a broad effort improve the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). The announcement followed the completion of a comprehensive independent review of the finances and non-instructional operations of MPS commissioned by the Governor and Mayor in October 2008.

In 2004, Barrett ran successfully for Mayor of Milwaukee, defeating incumbent Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt, who took office following the resignation of John Norquist. Barrett was re-elected in 2008 with 79% of the vote, the largest percentage a Mayoral candidate had received in 40 years. In 2012 he was subsequently re-elected against challenger Edward McDonald with over 70% of the vote. In 2016, Barrett was re-elected with 70% of the vote over conservative 8th District Alderman Robert Donovan. In 2020, Barrett was reelected to a fifth term.

After the 2000 census determined that Wisconsin would lose a congressional seat, redistricting combined Barrett's district with fellow Democrat Jerry Kleczka's 4th district. The new district covered all of Milwaukee and was geographically more Barrett's district than Kleczka's. However, rather than run in a primary against his colleague, Barrett decided to run for governor in 2002. In a heated Democratic primary, Barrett came in a close second to then-Attorney General Jim Doyle, who went on to win the general election.

Barrett sponsored 37 bills and co-sponsored 1345 bills between January 5, 1993 and October 10, 2002. Barrett was a delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention from Wisconsin.

In 1992, after Congressman Jim Moody announced his intention to run for the United States Senate, Barrett successfully ran to succeed him. Barrett was reelected four more times to represent Wisconsin's 5th congressional district, which covered downtown and north Milwaukee.

Barrett made his first run for office at the age of 28 for the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1982, but was unsuccessful. He ran again in 1984, this time successfully, and served two terms before making a successful run for the Wisconsin State Senate in a December 1989 special election. He continued to serve in the State Senate until moving to higher office in 1993.

Thomas Mark Barrett (born December 8, 1953) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who has served as the 44th Mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin since 2004. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 2003, and the Wisconsin State Senate from 1989 to 1993. He previously served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1984 until 1989.

Barrett is the oldest son of Gertrude Virginia and Thomas J. Barrett, both of Irish descent. His father was a World War II veteran who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944 for 30 missions over Germany as a navigator. His mother was a war widow when she met his father at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They married and moved to Milwaukee, where Barrett was born. He grew up on the city's west side.