Tammy Baldwin was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and was raised by her grandparents. When she was nine years old, she was diagnosed with a serious childhood illness. She spent three months in the hospital. Her grandparent's insurance couldn't cover her, so they had to make great sacrifices to pay for her health care

Tammy eventually got better. As her grandmother grew older, Tammy became her primary caregiver. This helped to shape Tammy's future in public service

Tammy graduated from Madison West High School and went on to double-major in political science and mathematics at Smith College. In 1989, she received her law degree from UW-Madison. 

In 1986, while in law school, she served on the Madison Common Council. Tammy was elected to four terms on the Dane County Board of Supervisors. In 1992, Tammy was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a State Representative for the 78th District, serving three terms.

In 1998, Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District shattered the state’s glass ceiling and elected Tammy as the state’s first female member of Congress. She served seven terms in the House of Representatives, serving on the Budget Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Energy and Commerce Committee. Shortly after Tammy was first elected to Congress, she voted against letting Wall Street and the big banks write their own rules.

As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Tammy was a big supporter of middle class economic security. She helped craft the landmark Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, leading the effort to include the provision that now allows young people to remain on their parents’ insurance plans up to age 26. She was the lead sponsor of the Buffett Rule to ensure tax fairness, fought for student loan reforms to make higher education accessible and affordable and developed a strong record of fighting against unfair trade deals that have shipped American jobs overseas.

Tammy was elected to the U.S. Senate on November 6, 2012, winning a hard fought race and making history as Wisconsin’s first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate and the first openly gay member elected to the Senate.

Senator Baldwin is committed to working across party lines to strengthen the essential pillars of economic security for the middle class. These include investments in education and workforce readiness, quality health care for all Americans, building a strong manufacturing economy, and ensuring retirement security for today’s seniors and future generations.