Wisconsin Senate

In February 1995, incumbent state senator David Helbach announced his sudden resignation, triggering a special election.^[4] Shibilski—who had just won his fourth term as register of deeds in the November 1994 election—immediately entered the race to succeed him.^[5] Shibilski faced no opposition for the Democratic nomination and went on to defeat the Republican candidate, Donna Rozar, in the May 2 special election.^[6] He joined the Senate later that month and was re-elected without serious opposition in 1996 and 2000.^[7][8]

In 2002, Shibilski entered the race for Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, but lost in the Democratic primary to Barbara Lawton.^[9]

Doyle administration

After the 2002 election, Shibilski was named by incoming governor Jim Doyle as his choice to head the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. One of his first acts as secretary was to declare a "no snow emergency" when the state experienced a particularly poor winter snow season, dramatically impacting the state's economy.^[10]

He stepped down just a few months after taking office, in May 2003. Journalists and political observers speculated that he was pressured to resign by governor Doyle because of controversy over political attacks used in the special election over Shibilski's former state senate seat. Doyle was described as upset that Shibilski was connected to a mailing which accused then-Assembly candidate Julie Lassa of "hooking up" with former Senate majority leader Charles Chvala, who was at that time facing criminal charges. Republicans speculated that Doyle fired Shibilski as a scapegoat for his own involvement in the smear campaign. Doyle and Shibilski had both supported Lassa's opponent, Stevens Point attorney Alex Paul, in the Senate primary. Paul's parents were large contributors to Doyle's gubernatorial campaign, and Paul, Doyle, and Shibilski shared a common campaign strategist. The broader theory was that Doyle, Shibileski, and Paul had an understanding prior to the 2002 election that if Doyle won, Shibileski would receive a cabinet appointment, creating an opportunity for Paul to run for state senate. Lassa ultimately won the primary and the Senate seat, despite being outspent four-to-one in that primary.^[11]

Shibilski did not immediately take another job, but three months later he was hired as vice president of Wisconsin public finance for Stifel, Nicolaus and Company.^[12][13]

Shibilski was reported to have considered a run for United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 7th congressional district in both 2010 and 2012, but did enter either race.^{[14][15][16][17][18]}

Wisconsin Senate (1995, 1996, 2000)

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor (2002)