Ron Kind leaving Congress at the end of 13th term

Ron Kind is retiring from Congress. 

After 13 terms in the US House, the La Crosse Democrat says he’s “run out of gas” and will retire at the end of his current term next year. 

Kind made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon, standing with family members outside the former Roosevelt School in north La Crosse, where he attended classes as a kid. 

In 1996, Kind was elected to succeed Republican Steve Gunderson, who retired after 8 terms in Congress. 

La Crosse political science professor Joe Heim and La Crosse County Democratic Party chair William Garcia joined WIZM Tuesday night to discuss the announcement.

He’s one of only seven Democrats in the House serving in districts that were won by Donald Trump in 2020. His challenger last year, Derrick Van Orden, launched a second campaign for the 3rd District seat shortly after Kind’s current term began. 

Kind’s departure is likely to make it more difficult for Democrats to maintain their majority in the House in next year’s midterm election.

Kind is the longest-serving Democrat in Wisconsin’s delegation, and he was considered a top target for Republicans in next year’s election.