Tom Tiffany is a true product of the Northwoods: before politics, he spent 29 years as a dam tender on the Willow Flowage and owned a wilderness river cruise business, giving him a unique "blue-collar conservationist" perspective.

He represents Wisconsin’s 7th District, a massive geographic area covering the northern third of the state. It is famous for its timber industry, outdoor tourism (snowmobiling/fishing), and being the ginseng capital of the world (Marathon County).

As Chairman of the Federal Lands Subcommittee (Natural Resources), he is a leading critic of federal land mismanagement and a fierce advocate for delisting the gray wolf, arguing that unchecked wolf populations threaten livestock and pets in his rural district.

A member of the House Judiciary Committee, he aligns with the Freedom Caucus wing of the party, maintaining a hardline stance on border security and having been one of the Republicans who objected to the 2020 election results.

"He spent nearly three decades managing water levels on a remote flowage. Now, the 'Dam Man' is in Washington trying to stop the flood of federal regulations."

Tom Tiffany: The Dam Tender from the Northwoods

Representative Tom Tiffany’s resume includes a job title you likely won't find on any other congressional bio: "Dam Tender." For 29 years, Tiffany was responsible for managing the water levels of the Willow Flowage, a remote and scenic reservoir in Northern Wisconsin. He also owned and operated Wilderness Cruises, a tour boat company that showcased the natural beauty of the region. This background cemented his political identity not as a lawyer or career politician, but as a businessman whose livelihood depended directly on the land and water.

Tiffany entered the State Assembly in 2010 and the State Senate in 2012, where he gained a reputation as a conservative fierce enough to take on the state's powerful environmental bureaucracy. He championed mining reform to open up deposits in the north and fought for the timber industry. In 2020, he won a special election to Congress to replace Sean Duffy, bringing his "Northwoods" agenda to Washington.

In the House, Tiffany is laser-focused on resource management. As Chairman of the Federal Lands Subcommittee, he pushes to open more public land to logging and recreation, arguing that "active management" prevents wildfires better than preservation. His signature issue, however, is the gray wolf. He has introduced legislation to permanently remove the wolf from the Endangered Species List, a massive issue for farmers and hunters in his district who deal with livestock depredation. He also champions the FARM Act, which seeks to ban federal subsidies for solar and wind farms on agricultural land, arguing that "green energy" shouldn't come at the cost of food security.

District Context: Wisconsin 7th (U.S. Census Data) The "Northwoods": This district covers the northern third of Wisconsin. It is vast, rural, and heavily forested. It includes Wausau (the largest city), Superior (a major port on Lake Superior), and Rhinelander.

Population: ~732,000.

Economic Drivers:

Agriculture: Specifically Ginseng. Marathon County produces about 95% of the ginseng grown in the United States, a high-value export to Asia.

Forestry & Paper: The timber industry is the economic backbone of many northern counties.

Tourism: A premier destination for hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling (the district has thousands of miles of trails).

Politics: A deep red stronghold (R+12). The shift of rural, working-class voters in the Northwoods has turned this former swing district into safe Republican territory.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau & WI Dept of Tourism

Sources Used Official Biography: https://tiffany.house.gov/about

Campaign Site: https://tomtiffany.com/

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