Background
Cowles, Robert L. was born on July 31, 1950 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States.
Cowles, Robert L. was born on July 31, 1950 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States.
He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay in 1975.
In August 2011, Cowles faced a recall election, but defeated the Democratic challenger, Nancy Nusbaum, 60 percent to 40 percent. He was formerly a director of an alternative energy division for a communications construction company, but is now a full-time legislator. Elections
Cowles was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1982 and re-elected until 1986, when he resigned to run for the state senate.
He was first elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in a special election in 1987.
He ran unopposed in 2008. Cowles supported Walker"s budget repair bill, including the section that removed collective bargaining.
Recall effort
Cowles was subject to a recall effort as part of the 2011 Wisconsin protests. On March 2, 2011, the "Committee to Recall Cowles" registered with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board.
On April 28, roughly 26,000 signatures to recall Cowles were filed with the Government Accountability Board.
In late May 2011, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board verified petitions against Cowles, overruling his challenges. The recall election was held on August 9, 2011, with Cowles defeating the Democratic challenger, Nancy Nusbaum, 60 percent to 40 percent. Committee assignments
Cowles chairs the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Information Technology and sits on the Joint Committee on Audit and the Joint Committee on Finance.
In July, a businessman alleged that Cowles did not like the bill, but supported it because Walker threatened to run a tea party candidate against him otherwise.
Member Brown County Taxpayers Alliance. Member North-East Wisconsin chapter Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. Volunteer Salvatiom Army.
Member of Trout Unlimited, Allouez Kiwanis.