Wisconsin Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke announced his early resignation Monday. Steineke previously mentioned in January he would be resigning but didn’t mention a date.
His last day will be July 27 rather than serving 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. Steineke told Wisconsin’s Afternoon News hosts it just “felt like the right time.”
“When you’re a sitting legislator, it poses some issues in seeking future employments.” Steineke said “It’s one of the reasons I decided to leave a little bit early, that and the fact that were done with all of our legislative sessions, now gives me the opportunity to go out into the private sector and see what’s going to be next.”
He also previously accredited the division between the two parties as part of his reason for resigning. Steineke believes most of the people in Wisconsin lie somewhere in the middle between a moderate democrat and a moderate republican, rather than being partisan. “Really, those are the people we should be focusing on are the people in the middle.” Steineke said “And making sure were staying true to our values, whether conservative or liberal, but doing our best to bring the two sides together and figure out what we can do to make the state a better place to live.”
He was first elected to the Assembly in 2010 helping pass Act 10; the bill that stripped most public workers of their union rights.
Steineke announced his resignation will be effective at 5 p.m. on July 27. He spent 11 years representing the 5th Assembly District. He served as majority leader for the last eight.
To listen to the full interview, click on the sound player above.