[3] After earning his bachelor's degree, he enlisted in the United States Army Reserve and served nine years with the Chemical Corps, rising to the rank of sergeant before his honorable discharge in 2018.

[4] During those years, he also became active in local politics, winning election to the Green Bay city council, and then going to work as a legislative aide to state representative Chad Weininger.

[5][6] In 2016, Sortwell pushed an online petition asking Green Bay mayor Jim Schmitt to resign over criminal campaign finance violations.

[8] He defeated Dean Raasch in an August primary for the Republican nomination[9] and won the November election over Democrat Mark Grams, garnering 55 percent of the vote.

[14] However, Deputy District Attorney Dana J. Johnson decided not to pursue charges, citing "the defense of the parent using reasonable force to discipline the child."