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Friends —
This afternoon, in front of my old elementary school, Roosevelt Elementary – the same place where I first announced my candidacy for Congress 26 years ago – I announced that I will not seek reelection next year.
Representing the people at home has been the honor of my life – but I never intended it to be the honor of my entire life. For 26 years, I’ve flown to and from Washington, DC and traveled the 18 counties of the most beautiful Congressional District in the Nation almost every week. But 26 years is enough – it’s time for me to step back. My wife, Tawni, and I are looking forward to entering the next chapter of our lives.
If anyone had told me as a student at Roosevelt, the son of a telephone repairman from a low-income family, that I’d one day be able to represent my home area in the United States Congress, I would have thought that they were crazy. I thought then that a place like Congress was for people with political connections or wealth, the Kennedys, the Rockefellers.
But I’m living proof that you can come from humble beginnings and still have remarkable opportunities.
And I never forgot where I came from. I always tried to make decisions that I thought were in the best interest of the people at home here and not for powerful special interests or the political leadership of either party. For me, it was always about the next generation and not the next election. I believe I held true to that goal.
I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish.
But the truth is, I’m part of a dying breed in Congress, someone who tried to be reasonable, thoughtful, pragmatic and who worked to find common ground and seek solutions with Republican colleagues to get things done. That’s why I’m proud that I have consistently been ranked as one of the most bipartisan, independent members of Congress throughout the years, and, therefore, one of the most effective members in getting things done.
I hope that when it comes time to find my replacement, the wise people of this district will seek someone with similar qualities and who doesn’t view public service as a blood-sport, merely to attack and demonize the other side.
I look forward to serving out these remaining 16 months and working hard for the people of Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District.
We still have a virus to defeat, an economy to recover, a country to rebuild with good paying jobs, climate change to combat, and voters’ rights to protect. I look forward to carrying out those duties with the help of the people here in Wisconsin.
I want to thank my wife, Tawni, my family, my staff and team of advisors for all their support and help throughout these years.
Most importantly, I want to thank the people of this Congressional District for putting their faith, trust and confidence in me throughout these 26 years. It’s truly been the honor of my life.
I hope I represented you with the dignity and decency this office deserves.
Thank you for everything,
Ron
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PO Box 184, La Crosse, WI 54602
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