Ron Kind

Ronald James Kind (born March 16, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district from 1997 to 2023.

He is a member of the Democratic Party.

His former district is in western Wisconsin, anchored by La Crosse, Eau Claire, Platteville, Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, Prescott, and River Falls.

Kind was the dean of Wisconsin's congressional delegation when he chose not to seek re-election in 2022.

Kind was born and raised in La Crosse, the third of five children born to Greta and Elroy Kind.

His is the fifth generation of his family to live in the area.

Kind's mother formerly worked as the assistant director of personnel in the La Crosse School District.

His father had a 35-year career as a telephone repairman and union leader at the La Crosse Telephone Company.

Kind attended La Crosse schools and was a student athlete at Logan High School in both football and basketball.

He accepted a scholarship to Harvard College and graduated with honors in 1985.

At Harvard, Kind played quarterback on the football team and worked during the summer for Wisconsin Senator William Proxmire in Washington.

While working for Proxmire, he took part in investigations that helped determine the "winners" of the Golden Fleece Awards, presented by Proxmire to those responsible for government waste.

Kind received a master's degree from the London School of Economics and a J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

He practiced law for two years at Quarles and Brady, a law firm in Milwaukee.

Kind returned to La Crosse to become an assistant district attorney.

He later served as a state special prosecutor in several western Wisconsin counties.

While campaigning for an eighth term in Congress in 1994, Republican Representative Steve Gunderson announced that it would be his last.

Kind, then an assistant district attorney in La Crosse, moved quickly to set up a campaign operation.

In April 1995, he took a leave of absence from the district attorney's office and by June he boasted an extensive campaign operation across the district.

In September 1995, Kind announced his candidacy.

A yearlong, five-way Democratic primary contest ensued; Kind won the September 1996 primary election with 46% of the vote.

In the general election, he faced Republican James Harsdorf, a former Wisconsin state senator.

At the time of the 1996 election, only two Democrats had represented Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district during the 20th century and only one in the last 88 years; the election was hotly contested with national political figures appearing in support of both candidates.

Kind's campaign attacked Harsdorf for his stated support for polarizing national Republican leaders such as Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey, and used it to link him to unpopular Republican policies such as cutting Medicare; Harsdorf bashed Kind as "another lawyer running for Congress."

Kind defeated Harsdorf with 52% of the vote.

In 2006, Kind faced a surprise primary challenge from La Crosse activist Charles "Chip" DeNure, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2001 and had flirted with several other mayoral campaigns.

He challenged Kind over the Iraq War, with DeNure declaring his support for a timetable to withdraw American forces.

DeNure also claimed the September 11 attacks were "an inside job by terrorists within the U.S. government."

Kind won 83% of the primary vote and went on to defeat Republican Paul R. Nelson with 65% of the vote in the general election.

Kapanke also criticized Kind for allegedly soliciting thousands of dollars in 2007 from a group of Eau Claire doctors.

Despite a national Republican wave, which also saw Republicans win every statewide office in Wisconsin, Kind survived the challenge from Kapanke with just over 50% of the vote.

In late 2009, Kind considered running for governor of Wisconsin in 2010 but ultimately said that instead he would push in Congress for health care reform.

Of his decision to run for reelection, Kind said: "My first responsibility must be to get affordable and accessible health care reform passed this year for all Wisconsin families. That is why I cannot run for governor. I have a responsibility and duty to the people of Wisconsin to continue work on the health care reform agenda ahead of us."

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that he had given up on running for governor "after a poll showed that few Wisconsinites knew him."

Amid the difficult and controversial passage of the Affordable Care Act and the Tea Party protests of 2009 and 2010, Wisconsin media described Kind as facing "what is widely considered his toughest re-election challenge."

His Republican opponent, state senator Dan Kapanke, who represented much of the central portion of the district, "focused almost exclusively on three core Republican issues—less spending, lower taxes, and smaller government."

He didn't face another contest nearly that close until 2010.

There was talk that Kind might run for the U.S. Senate in 2012 to replace the retiring Herb Kohl, but he decided not to mount a primary challenge to fellow U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin, who had already announced her candidacy.

There was also a push to draft Kind to run for governor against Scott Walker in the 2012 gubernatorial recall election.

Kind ultimately decided to run for reelection to Congress.