Tom Tiffany

Early life and education

Tiffany was born in Wabasha, Minnesota, and grew up on a dairy farm near Elmwood, Pierce County, Wisconsin, with five brothers and two sisters. He graduated from Elmwood High School in 1976 and earned his B.S. in agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls in 1980.

Early political career

Tiffany managed the petroleum division of a farm cooperative in Plainview, Minnesota, before moving to Minocqua, Wisconsin, to manage Zenker Oil Company's petroleum distribution in 1988. He and his wife, Chris, have operated an excursion business on the Willow Flowage since 1991.

Tiffany served as the Town Supervisor of Little Rice, Wisconsin, from 2009 to 2013, and is an appointed member of the Oneida County Economic Development Corporation. In 2004 and 2008, he ran to represent the 12th district in the Wisconsin State Senate, first against Senator Roger Breske, and then Jim Holperin, losing both times in close elections. In 2010, he ran for the Wisconsin State Assembly after incumbent Donald Friske retired. Tiffany won the primary and defeated Democratic nominee Jay Schmelling, 58.09% to 41.81%.

In 2012, Tiffany chose not to seek reelection to the Assembly and instead to run again for the Senate after Holperin announced he would not run for reelection. He defeated Democrat Susan Sommer, 56% to 40%, in the general election.

U.S. House of Representatives

Tenure

Incumbent Representative Sean Duffy resigned on September 23, 2019, after his youngest daughter was diagnosed with a heart condition. Tiffany announced that he would run in a special election to succeed him. He won the February 18 Republican primary and defeated Wausau attorney Tricia Zunker in the May 12 special election. Tiffany defeated Zunker in a rematch in the November 3 general election with 60.7% of the vote.

Tiffany was sworn in on May 19, 2020.

In December 2020, Tiffany was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.

Tiffany was among the 120 House members, all Republicans, who objected to counting Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election. Representative Scott L. Fitzgerald joined Tiffany in this objection.

In June 2021, Tiffany was one of 14 House Republicans to vote against legislation to establish June 19, or Juneteenth, as a federal holiday. The next day, Tiffany was one of 49 House Republicans who voted to repeal the AUMF against Iraq.

Throughout his tenure, Tiffany has expressed support for recognition of Taiwan as a state. In 2023, Tiffany authored an op-ed in the Washington Times, stating that "the United States should lead by example and end this tired charade." Since being elected to the House, Tiffany has introduced legislation in every session to establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In 2024, Tiffany introduced legislation expressing support for Taiwan's full participation at the World Health Organization, as well as legislation restricting the Department of State from using funds to enforce restrictions on "high-level communications" with Taiwanese officials. Both pieces of legislation were passed by Congress.

In 2023, Tiffany was among 47 Republicans to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.

Tiffany was among 71 Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.

On March 19, 2024, Tiffany voted against a house resolution condemning Russia's abductions of Ukrainian children during the Russo-Ukrainian War. He was one of nine Republicans to do so.

Following months of speculation, Tiffany announced a campaign for governor of Wisconsin in 2026 on September 23, 2025.

Committee assignments

• Committee on the Judiciary
• Committee on Natural Resources

Caucus memberships

• Republican Study Committee****
• Congressional Dairy Farmer Caucus
• Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus
• Freedom Caucus''' '''
• Congressional Taiwan Caucus
• Congressional Western Caucus

Personal life

Tiffany and his wife, Christine, have three children.

Tiffany is Protestant.

Electoral history

Wisconsin Senate (2004, 2008)

| |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = | |votes = 14,740 | |party = Democratic Party (United States) | |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = | |votes = 6,168 | |votes = 88,444 | |party = Democratic Party (United States) | |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = | |votes = 41,530 | |votes = 128,770

Wisconsin Assembly (2010)

| |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = | |votes = 5,815 | |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = Democratic Party (United States) | |party = | |votes = 3,315 | |votes = 20,366

Wisconsin Senate (2012, 2016)

| |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = Democratic Party (United States) | |party = Independent | |party = | |votes = 14,367 | |votes = 90,994

U.S. House of Representatives (2020–present)

| |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = | |votes = 76,100 | |party = Republican Party (United States) | |party = Democratic Party (United States) | |votes = 27,664 | |votes = 191,520

References

References

1. "Senator Thomas Tiffany".
2. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. (2019). "Wisconsin Blue Book 2019-2010". State of Wisconsin.
3. (September 23, 2025). "U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany enters the 2026 race for Wisconsin governor, 3rd Republican in the field". [[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]].
4. (2026-01-28). "Trump endorses Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin's open race for governor".
5. "Biography".
6. (March 29, 2012). "Tom Tiffany will seek northern Senate post". Antigo Daily Journal.
7. Kirkby, Sean. (November 7, 2012). "Republicans Take State Senate". [[The Badger Herald]].
8. Schulte, Laura. (February 18, 2020). "Tricia Zunker and Tom Tiffany advance to May special election for Wisconsin 7th Congressional District". [[Wausau Daily Herald]].
9. (May 19, 2020). "Tom Tiffany sworn in to U.S. House of Representatives". WSAW.
10. (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president".
11. Liptak, Adam. (2020-12-11). "Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election". The New York Times.
12. (2020-12-11). "Order in Pending Case". [[Supreme Court of the United States]].
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14. Chang, Alvin. (January 7, 2021). "The long list of Republicans who voted to reject election results". The Guardian.
15. Bauer, Scott. (January 7, 2021). "GOP Reps. Tiffany, Fitzgerald object to certifying Biden win". Associated Press.
16. (June 16, 2021). "Congress passes bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday". CNN.
17. (17 June 2021). "House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization".
18. "Final vote results for roll call 172".
19. (21 December 2023). "2023-1221: U.S. Must End Its "One China" Policy: Rep. Tom Tiffany; Taiwan Retains No.1 in Asia on Freedom Index; U.S. Arms Sales to Taiwan".
20. "H. CON. RES.". United States House of Representatives.
21. "H. CON. RES. 21". United States House of Representatives.
22. "H. CON. RES.". United States House of Representatives.
23. (14 September 2024). "US House passes Taiwan WHO participation bill".
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26. (March 8, 2023). "House Votes Down Bill Directing Removal of Troops From Syria".
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32. "Caucus Memberships". Congressional Western Caucus.
33. (2023-01-03). "Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress". [[Pew Research Center]].
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41. (May 12, 2020). "7th Congressional District: Republican Tom Tiffany wins seat held by former Rep. Sean Duffy, beating out Tricia Zunker". [[Wausau Daily Herald]].
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43. (November 30, 2022). "Canvass Results for 2022 General Election". [[Wisconsin Elections Commission]].
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