A leadership change, for Democrats in the Wisconsin Assembly. Representative Peter Barca of Kenosha will resign as Assembly minority leader at the end of this month.
“This afternoon I made the very difficult decision to step down as leader of the Assembly Democrats following deliberate, thoughtful discussions. I am grateful to my colleagues for their support over the last seven years,” Barca said in a statement issued Thursday.
The announcement followed a Democrat meeting in closed caucus outside the Capitol Thursday afternoon. Barca had reportedly angered some of the members of his caucus with his vote in favor of a $3 billion incentive package designed to attract a Foxconn plant to Wisconsin.
Two other Democrats from southeast Wisconsin, Cory Mason of Racine, and Tod Ohnstad of Kenosha, also supported the package.
Democrats hold just 35 of the Assembly’s 99 seats, the party’s smallest majority in the chamber in more than 50 years. Barca’s statement did not mention a potential replacement. Dane County Representative Dianne Hesselbein is the current assistant minority leader.
