Sarah Yacoub

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Sarah Yacoub (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Wisconsin State Assembly to represent District 30. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Biography

Yacoub graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a bachelor's degree in 2006. She went on to obtain her J.D. from Southwestern Law School in 2008. Her career experience includes working as a nonprofit attorney. Yacoub has been affiliated with Citizen Action and St. Croix County Democrats.^[1]

Elections

2022

General election

General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Incumbent Shannon Zimmerman defeated Sarah Yacoub in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Shannon Zimmerman (R)	58.5	17,719
	Sarah Yacoub (D)	41.4	12,557
	Other/Write-in votes	0.1	25

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 30,301
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Sarah Yacoub advanced from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30 on August 9, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Sarah Yacoub	99.5	3,667
	Other/Write-in votes	0.5	17

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,684
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Incumbent Shannon Zimmerman advanced from the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30 on August 9, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Shannon Zimmerman	99.2	4,681
	Other/Write-in votes	0.8	39

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,720
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Campaign finance

2020

General election

General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Incumbent Shannon Zimmerman defeated Sarah Yacoub in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30 on November 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Shannon Zimmerman (R)	55.9	20,711
	Sarah Yacoub (D)	44.0	16,322
	Other/Write-in votes	0.1	29

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 37,062
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Sarah Yacoub advanced from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30 on August 11, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Sarah Yacoub	99.9	5,522
	Other/Write-in votes	0.1	5

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,527
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Incumbent Shannon Zimmerman advanced from the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30 on August 11, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Shannon Zimmerman	99.6	5,446
	Other/Write-in votes	0.4	22

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,468
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

Endorsements

To view Yacoub's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

Sarah Yacoub did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released August 11, 2020

Sarah Yacoub completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Yacoub's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Mama bear of four, bonus mom to three, non-profit attorney, former deputy district attorney, daughter and wife of PhD scientists. Running to be a voice for everybody in the community, regardless of political affiliation and to put the needs of our community first in Madison. I'm running to go to bat on issues like integrity and accountability in government, healthcare, public schools, labor and working families, clean water, small business, conservation, and fair maps.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Healthy People, Healthy Economy
Investing in people is an investment in the community
Raising the bar on public service

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Healthcare. We cannot expect to prosper and thrive as a community without our people having healthcare. We cannot afford to continue the phenomena by which it is cheaper and easier to go to the liquor store and drown in alcohol than it is to access mental health and or addiction care.

Trauma. Whether it is first responders, veterans, children, or survivors of intimate partner terrorism, we have to do better responding to trauma. It costs us in ways we can quantify and in ways that don't have a price tag but that erode the fabric of our community.

Justice System. We need a justice system that truly works for everybody and right now we have a lot to accomplish before that is in fact the case.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Anyone who has faced and worked through their barriers to wellbeing, they're the true heroes. It's hard to look in the mirror, be honest about the problems, and be willing to do the hard work needed to deconstruct the status quo to change for the better. It's something we as adults don't model enough for our children and I'd like to see society grow so as to be able to provide those tools to people earlier in life.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The Big Short: a book and movie about the 2008 financial crisis triggered by the housing bubble. It exemplifies what happens when the government steps aside to allow Wall St. to exploit and capitalize on the downfall of hard-working Americans. I am entering politics to take a stand for hard-working Americans.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, strong leadership, not egocentric, not threatened by dissent or differing opinions, ability to listen, receive additional information, reflect and adjust as appropriate given the circumstances. Strong work ethic. Commitment to public service. Sincere desire to help people and compassion for people, understanding for those whose lives are affected by decisions made in government. Ability to think big picture and think through unintended consequences.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I understand and strive for qualities that make a good leader: patience, grit, strength, adaptability, ability to listen, commitment to service, compassion for others, investment in developing the strengths of others and contributing to others operating at their best.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To collaborate and advocate in furtherance of the interests of the people of the district. To serve as a resource for people in the community. To develop the community in a way that facilitates people living their best lives and reducing barriers to a thriving community.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That honesty, hard work, integrity, and kindness matter, that it doesn't pay to cheat. That we should always strive to see the humanity in one another. That it pays to have the courage to have the hard conversations and tenacity to actually work through them. That the illusion of short-term social convenience of ignoring a problem is far more damaging and costly than the hardship associated with facing and overcoming the issue.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Probably not the first but biggest and most memorable: 9/11. I was just beginning my senior year in high school. I remember the phone ringing. It was my grandfather calling to tell us to turn on the tv to witness history. I saw the plane go into the second tower. I was 17.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Baskin Robbins, 1-2 years

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Bible for its historical, philosophical, and theological depth and guidance.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

We Didn't Start the Fire, BIlly Joel

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

When to strive for change and when to let something go as that which is outside of my control. I have found peace in this struggle with doing my best with that which is in front of me, working hard, and maintaining my integrity such that at the end of the day I can tell myself that I struck a balance, to rest and not quit, and that tomorrow is another day of opportunity.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

State Assembly Reps serve smaller districts, allowing them to spend more time getting to know, working with and advocating for their constituents. Members of the Assembly have the opportunity to focus their efforts and service in the particular needs of a smaller subset of the state, allowing those needs to be a priority for a representative in government at the state level

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes and no. From a practical standpoint, understand the legislative process or how things work is helpful. On the other hand, fresh ideas, perspectives, and expectations are healthy and help move systems forward.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Recovering from the economic ruin of a mishandled pandemic.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

Separate but equal, a system of checks and balances that strengthen each entity as servants to the public.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely. Politics is a team sport. Complex problems are rarely if ever solved from a singular viewpoint. Collaboration facilitates systematic change with a wider umbrella for input and support.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I like the Iowa Model and am supportive of variations or other ideas that create fair non-partisan maps. I support Governor Ever's plan for redistricting in 2021 and am confident that Wisconsin will have fair maps as a result.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Not all and certainly not an exhaustive list of areas of interest, but to name a few:

Joint finance, Joint Review on Criminal Penalties, Rural Development Committee, Judiciary Committee, Family Law Committee, Children and Families Committee, Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Government Accountability and Oversight Committee

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Patty Schachtner, State Senator District 10: her honesty, grit, strong, common sense approach to problem solving is refreshing. Her compassion for people is inspiring.

Former Governor LaFollete (Fighting Bob): his commitment to integrity in government and good government

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I met a woman who regularly experiences seizures that leave her partially paralyzed in her face for some period of time thereafter. She's a teacher who would love to work again but cannot given her condition. Her insurance company refuses to designate her as disabled despite compelling medical evidence and she now has to litigate to try to get relief. She is a single mother and will lose her home without coverage.

As a pro bono attorney for survivors of trauma, 2000 words isn't enough to cover the stories of members of our community that weigh on my heart and plant a fire to work for better for the people of Wisconsin.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 23, 2020

[show]

Current members of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Leadership

Minority Leader:Greta Neubauer

Representatives

District 1

Joel Kitchens (R)

District 2

Shae Sortwell (R)

District 3

Ron Tusler (R)

District 4

David Steffen (R)

District 5

Joy Goeben (R)

District 6

Elijah Behnke (R)

District 7

Karen Kirsch (D)

District 8

Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D)

District 9

Priscilla Prado (D)

District 10

Darrin Madison (D)

District 11

Sequanna Taylor (D)

District 12

Russell Goodwin (D)

District 13

Robyn Vining (D)

District 14

Angelito Tenorio (D)

District 15

Adam Neylon (R)

District 16

Kalan Haywood (D)

District 17

Supreme Omokunde (D)

District 18

Margaret Arney (D)

District 19

Ryan Clancy (D)

District 20

Christine Sinicki (D)

District 21

Jessie Rodriguez (R)

District 22

Paul Melotik (R)

District 23

Deb Andraca (D)

District 24

Daniel Knodl (R)

District 25

Paul Tittl (R)

District 26

Joe Sheehan (D)

District 27

Lindee Brill (R)

District 28

Rob Kreibich (R)

District 29

Treig Pronschinske (R)

District 30

Shannon Zimmerman (R)

District 31

Tyler August (R)

District 32

Amanda Nedweski (R)

District 33

Robin Vos (R)

District 34

Rob Swearingen (R)

District 35

Calvin Callahan (R)

District 36

Jeffrey Mursau (R)

District 37

Mark Born (R)

District 38

William Penterman (R)

District 39

Alex Dallman (R)

District 40

Karen DeSanto (D)

District 41

Tony Kurtz (R)

District 42

Maureen McCarville (D)

District 43

Brienne Brown (D)

District 44

Ann Roe (D)

District 45

Clinton Anderson (D)

District 46

Joan Fitzgerald (D)

District 47

Randy Udell (D)

District 48

Andrew Hysell (D)

District 49

Travis Tranel (R)

District 50

Jenna Jacobson (D)

District 51

Todd Novak (R)

District 52

Lee Snodgrass (D)

District 53

Dean Kaufert (R)

District 54

Lori Palmeri (D)

District 55

Nate Gustafson (R)

District 56

Dave Murphy (R)

District 57

Kevin Petersen (R)

District 58

Rick Gundrum (R)

District 59

Robert Brooks (R)

District 60

Jerry O'Connor (R)

District 61

Robert Donovan (R)

District 62

Angelina Cruz (D)

District 63

Robert Wittke (R)

District 64

Tip McGuire (D)

District 65

Ben DeSmidt (D)

District 66

Greta Neubauer (D)

District 67

David Armstrong (R)

District 68

Rob Summerfield (R)

District 69

Karen Hurd (R)

District 70

Nancy VanderMeer (R)

District 71

Vinnie Miresse (D)

District 72

Scott Krug (R)

District 73

Angela Stroud (D)

District 74

Chanz Green (R)

District 75

Duke Tucker (R)

District 76

Francesca Hong (D)

District 77

Renuka Mayadev (D)

District 78

Shelia Stubbs (D)

District 79

Lisa Subeck (D)

District 80

Mike Bare (D)

District 81

Alex Joers (D)

District 82

Scott Allen (R)

District 83

Dave Maxey (R)

District 84

Chuck Wichgers (R)

District 85

Patrick Snyder (R)

District 86

John Spiros (R)

District 87

Brent Jacobson (R)

District 88

Benjamin Franklin (R)

District 89

Ryan Spaude (D)

District 90

Amaad Rivera-Wagner (D)

District 91

Jodi Emerson (D)

District 92

Clint Moses (R)

District 93

Christian Phelps (D)

District 94

Steve Doyle (D)

District 95

Jill Billings (D)

District 96

Tara Johnson (D)

District 97

Cindi Duchow (R)

District 98

Jim Piwowarczyk (R)

District 99

Barbara Dittrich (R)

Republican Party (54)

Democratic Party (45)

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 23, 2020

[1]

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Sarah Yacoub

Contents

Biography

Elections

2022

General election

General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Campaign finance

2020

General election

General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 30

Campaign finance

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

2020

Video for Ballotpedia

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2024 Elections

2024 Election analysis

2025 Elections

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

Services

Additional analysis

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