George Maxwell "Max" Wise
Kentucky State Senator, District 16 since 2014. Ran in 4 elections between 2014 and 2022, winning 4. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2030.
Kentucky State Senator, District 16Born 1975
- In office
- 12 yrs
- Since 2014
- Bills became law
- 6
- 27 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 2.2%
- With party
- 99%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Next election
- 2030
- Nov 5, 2030
- Elections
- 5
- 2014–2026
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Workforce Attraction and Retention Task Force · co-chair
- Committee on Committees
- Economic Development and Workforce Investment
- Economic Development, Tourism and Labor
- Education
- Education
- Legislative Research Commission
- Rules
- Tourism, Small Business and Information Technology
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Administrative Regulations And Proceedings · Became law Apr 2026
Motor Vehicles · Became law Apr 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Wise sits in the Kentucky State Senate
Wise is closer to the center than 19% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Robert Stivers, Jared Carpenter, Gary Boswell
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:50 PM ET
With Wise’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans99%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the Kentucky State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Wise’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Wise | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 2026 | HB 139: AN ACT relating to elections and declaring an emergency. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 32–6 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | SB 1: AN ACT relating to education. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 31–7 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | SB 59: AN ACT relating to prohibited uses of tax dollars and resources. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 31–7 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | SB 100: AN ACT relating to the Energy Planning and Inventory Commission and declaring an emergency. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 32–6 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | SB 65: AN ACT relating to deficient administrative regulations and declaring an emergency. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 32–6 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Wise was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kentucky State Senate, District 16 | Won | — | R+54.5 | — |
| 2022 | Kentucky State Senate, District 16 | Won | — | R+48.8 | — |
| 2018 | Kentucky State Senate, District 16 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2014 | Kentucky State Senate, District 16 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2014 | Kentucky State Senate, District 16 (primary) | Won | +8.9 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $157.1K
- Spent
- $65.3K
Source: Kentucky Registry of Election Finance filings through Oct 12, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 12:43 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| George Wise (GENERAL 11/03/2026) State | Active |
| George Wise (PRIMARY 05/19/2026) State | Active |
Source: Kentucky Registry of Election Finance filings through Oct 12, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 12:43 AM ET
Seats Wise has held
- Kentucky State Senate, District 16 · since 2014
Source: 99chambers results archive
How we know Wise
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/32b5035e-6d1a-44b8-9f7a-4173a1cdb940
- Wikidata Q17040728
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET