State Rep. Bob Gannon dies at 58

By: Associated Press//October 4, 2017//

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — State Rep. Bob Gannon, a West Bend Republican in his second term, has died.

Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke’s aide, Alesha Potter, says Gannon’s family informed Steineke that Gannon died Tuesday of natural causes. Gannon was 58.

Gannon was first elected in 2014 and built a reputation as pro-gun and tough on crime, threatening to drop membership in the West Bend Sunshine Rotary Club because the group wouldn’t sponsor gun or knife shows. He also defended the Department of Corrections for placing children in solitary confinement at the state’s youth prison, saying they earned it.

His tenure included giving then-Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca the finger last year during floor debate after Barca took issue with Gannon remarks on Milwaukee’s homicide rate.

Gannon apologized at Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ urging.

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