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Ribble’s Departure Leaves Parties Looking For Suitable Candidates

Congressman From Northeastern District Recently Announced He Won't Seek Re-Election In November

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Bread of the World (CC-BY-NC)

The Republican and Democratic parties in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District are looking for candidates to replace incumbent Rep. Reid Ribble. The Neenah Republican announced this weekend that he will not seek a fourth term in Washington.

The deadline to file for congressional candidacy in this fall’s election is June 1. But Brown County Republican Party chair Marian Krumberger said that for qualified candidates, that fast-approaching date shouldn’t be much of an issue.

“Whether they looked at doing something a year from now or two years from now, they can do it just as easily now,” Krumberger said.

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While Ribble promised in the past not to serve more than four terms, his decision to retire after wrapping up his third came as a surprise to the Brown County Democratic Party. Vice chair Rich Langan said open seats can often attract “interesting” candidates who might otherwise shy away from facing an established incumbent.

“Going up against an incumbent is very expensive, and usually it’s an uphill battle all the way,” said Langan. “I’m not going to say who, but I think we have a couple of very interesting people who’d like a stab at that congressional seat.”

David Helpap, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, expressed similar surprise that an incumbent would leave with a term still on the table. The district, which includes Green Bay and Appleton, has elected both Democrats and Republicans over the years. Helpap called it a “swing part of a swing state,” and said he suspects both parties are looking for candidates to make a serious run for the seat.

“I would think you’d probably maybe see a few members of the state Legislature, you might see a few prominent Democrats thinking about running, whether it be at the local or the county level,” he said. “Given the way the district has moved over the last number of years it seems like it’d be a really attractive seat for just about anyone.”