45 Facts About Ron Kind

Ronald James Kind was born on March 16,1963 and is an American lawyer and politician who served as the US representative for from 1997 to 2023.

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

Ron Kind's is the fifth generation of his family to live in the area.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In 2006, Ron 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.

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

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

In 2016, seeking his 11th term in Congress, Kind faced a primary challenge from Eau Claire teacher Myron Buchholz.

The article cited a number of concerns for Ron Kind, including that President Donald Trump had carried his district in the 2016 presidential election.

Ron Kind was facing criticism over the fact that a veteran who had died after taking an off-label mixture of pills prescribed to him by the Tomah VA had previously contacted Ron Kind's congressional office.

Ron Kind faced a potential primary challenge in 2018 from LGBTQ advocate Juliet Germanotta, who described herself as transgender, HIV positive, and a democratic socialist, but in February 2018, she was charged on an outstanding warrant in New York City for the theft of a $4,800 ring.

Germanotta ultimately failed to gather enough signatures to appear on the primary ballot, and Ron Kind avoided a primary.

Ron Kind was the House Democrats' Chief Deputy Whip under Steny Hoyer.

Ron Kind was co-founder of both the Upper Mississippi River Congressional Caucus and the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus, and chair of the New Democrat Coalition.

Ron Kind said that his conversations with voters had convinced him that the only reason that Democrats lost was that people didn't think it was a proper use of the recall process.

Ron Kind opposed Nancy Pelosi's bids for Speaker of the House in both 2006 and 2018.

On December 18,2019, Ron Kind voted for both articles of impeachment against President Trump.

Ron Kind has been the House sponsor of the FIT Kids Act for the last several House sessions.

In 2011, Ron Kind wrote a piece about "the childhood obesity epidemic", in which he promoted both the FIT Kids Act and the Healthy Kids Outdoors Act.

Ron Kind said that healthy bodies lead to healthy minds, and that his FIT Kids Act would push parents and the public by requiring states and school districts to report on children's physical activity.

In October 2017, Ron Kind announced a plan to protect the Mississippi River.

WIZM reported in February 2018 that Ron Kind was one of a relatively small number of Democrats who had received contributions from the National Rifle Association of America.

Ron Kind was one of two Democrats to vote against HR 1446: Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021, designed to close the so-called Charleston loophole.

In June 2022, Ron Kind was the only Democrat to vote against a measure establishing AMBER Alert-like systems for active shooter events.

Ron Kind again voted against the measure when it came up the following month and was again the only Democrat to do so.

Ron Kind supported and voted for the Affordable Care Act, denying at a public event that insurers were canceling insurance.

In 2017, Ron Kind rejected the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 as a rehash of failed trickle-down economics policies.

Ron Kind indicated he personally supported tax reform to simplify the tax code, but accused Republicans of blowing up the deficit in their rush to cut taxes for their corporate allies, saying the Republican plan would lead to future cuts to Medicare and Social Security and would not invigorate the economy.

Ron Kind was an early co-sponsor of the bipartisan SECURE Act of 2019, which contained a number of provisions to expand access to retirement planning options and to encourage employers to set up retirement plans for workers.

Ron Kind was the lone Wisconsin Democrat to support free trade with China, despite pressure from unions that claimed trade with China is costing jobs.

Ron Kind announced in May 2014 that he would ask for the establishment of an independent bipartisan commission to investigate conditions at VA hospitals.

On October 10,2002, Ron Kind voted for the Authorization to use military force against Iraq.

Ron Kind ordered the troops in when it wasn't a last resort.

Ron Kind announced on August 10,2021, that he would not seek re-election in 2022.

Ron Kind is an official court reporter for the County Court system.

Ron Kind is a member of the La Crosse Optimists Club, a leader in the Boys and Girls Club, and the La Crosse YMCA.

Ron Kind is on the board of directors for Coulee Council on Alcohol or Other Drug Abuse.

In October 2010, two doctors at the OakLeaf Surgical Hospital in Eau Claire charged that Ron Kind had demanded campaign donations before meeting them to discuss the Children's Health and Medical Protection Act.