Assembly Republican leader resigns months early

Listen to this article

MADISON, Wis., (AP) — A key Republican leader in the state Assembly has decided to resign early rather than wait until his term ends.

Majority Leader Jim Steineke announced in January he wouldn’t seek reelection. He announced Monday that he will resign on July 27 rather than serve out the remainder of his term.

He said the Legislature’s two-year session ended in March and lawmakers aren’t coming back to do anything before the new session starts in January so it makes sense to enter the private sector now.

The Kaukauna Republican was first elected to the Assembly in 2010 and just months later helped pass Act 10, then-Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to strip most public workers of their union rights. The GOP caucus made him assistant majority leader in 2013 and majority leader in 2015.

WisPolitcs.com reported that Republican Reps. Mike Kuglitsch and Tyler Vorpagel also have resigned early after announcing they won’t seek reelection.