Senate Majority Leader | |
Predecessor | David Boren |
Successor | Ben Sasse |
Senate Minority Leader | |
Predecessor | Ben Sasse |
Successor | Tulsi Gabbard |
U.S. Senator from Wyoming | |
Predecessor | Emmett Mavy |
Mayor of Laramie, Wyoming | |
Predecessor | Billy Park |
Successor | Dina L. Metser |
Born | February 8th, 1970 Iron River, Michigan |
Spouse | Matt Stannard |
Political Party | Democratic |
Yana Ludwig (born February 8th, 1970) is an American politician who has been serving as Senator from Wyoming since January 3rd, 2013 and briefly served as Senate Majority Leader from 2014 until Democrats would lose control of the Senate in 2015, she would then serve as minority leader until January 3rd, 2017. Prior to her election to the Senate, she served as Mayor of Laramie, Wyoming from 2009 to 2013.
Early Life and Education[]
Ludwig was born on February 8th, 1970 in the town of Iron Horse, Michigan. Ludwig was born into a well-off family of Navy doctors, artists, scientists, former school board members, and local politicians. Ludwig recalls her childhood being mostly fondly, with her memories of Iron Horse being those of spending a lot of time outdoors as a kid, cross country skiing, swimming, trolling for bass, and wandering joyfully and aimlessly in the woods.
After graduating High School, she would attend American University in Washington, D.C. and graduate with a bachelor's degree in Political Science.
Early Political Career[]
Involvement in Protests[]
Ludwig's first major march for human rights was the big gay rights march on Washington DC in 1993. From 1993 to 1998, she would participate in numerous Take Back the Night events, Women’s marches, anti-bigotry, and pro-science protests around Washington DC. She worked as a teacher in Washington DC before meeting Matt Stannard on a business trip to the city. They began dating and she moved back to his home state of Wyoming with him.
Involvement on the Mike Gravel Presidential Campaign (2000)[]
In 1999, she was present at former Vice President Mike Gravel's campaign launch rally. She would work for the Gravel campaign as an adviser and was with the Gravel campaign until they won the White House.
Mayor of Laramie, Wyoming (2009 - 2013)[]
Ludwig would defeat Republican Jones Smith in the 2008 Lamarie Mayoral Election and would become Mayor on January 7th, 2009.
As Mayor, Ludwig would work towards repairing roads that had several potholes in them, work to increase funding towards Lamarie Public Schools and the Lamarie Board of Education, and would work to build affordable housing in the downtown area.
Senator from Wyoming[]
2012 Senate Election in Wyoming[]
Ludwig would win the Democratic Primary and face off against incumbent Republican Senator Emmett Mavy. In mid-July, Mavy was leading Ludwig by nearly 10 points, but as Ludwig would campaign more and more aggressively, the lead shortened. On November 7th, 2012; Ludwig would defeat Mavy in an upset victory that would garner nationwide attention.
Tenure[]
Senate Majority Leader[]
On March 31st, 2014; Senate Majority Leader David Boren told the Senate Democratic Caucus that he would resign sometime in April. The Senate Democrats would select Ludwig as the next Senate Majority Leader due to her popularity and her ability to work with the Senate Republicans. She would officially become Majority Leader on April 26th, 2014 and would serve as majority leader until 2015 when the Democrats would lose control of the Senate. She would then serve as Minority Leader from 2015 until her resignation in 2017.
Legislation[]
In a 2016 Huffington Post article, Ludwig was nicknamed the "Master of Bipartisan legislation", citing her work on passing a compromise bill on the 2015 Infrastructure Bill and her work to bring the two parties together as both Majority and Minority Leader. Due to Ludwig coming from a predominantly red state, she has been able to bring Senatorial Republicans over to her side when it comes to sponsoring bills.
Personal Life[]
Ludwig is married to Matt Stannard, a professor of law at the University of Wyoming. They have 5 children together.