EVANSVILLE - State Rep. Janis Ringhand, a Democrat for the 45th Assembly District, announced Wednesday, Oct. 9 her run for the 15th Senate District, the seat currently held by Sen. Tim Cullen of Janesville.
The district includes six townships in southeast Green County, and extends into Rock, Dane and Jefferson counties.
Cullen, elected in 2010, announced his retirement last month, saying he would leave office at end of his current term in January 2015. Cullen previously served in the Senate from 1975 to 1987 and was majority leader for five years.
Ringhand resigned her position as secretary for the Assembly Democratic Caucus Tuesday, Oct. 8, and said she will continue serving in the Assembly through the end of her current term.
Ringhand said in a statement that, after learning about Cullen's retirement, "The decision for me is clear - now is the time to run."
Ringhand was first elected to the Assembly in 2010 as a representative for District 80, which at the time included all of Green County. With the statewide redistricting following the 2010 census, Ringhand found her hometown of Evansville outside District 80. She ran again and was re-elected in 2012 in Assembly District 15. She serves as Minority Caucus Secretary for 2013.
"As the saying goes," Ringhand continued in her statement, "do what you love and love what you do. Since 1998, I have served the people of Rock, Green and Dane counties, and have worked hard to make our community a better place to live, work and raise a family."
Ringhand easily won over District 45's portion of Green County voters during her previous two campaigns for Assembly. She beat out her Democrat opponent Sheila DeForest by a margin of 94 to 6 percent in the August 2012 primary. She went on to defeat Beth Schmidt with a 56 to 44 percent margin in Green County at the November election.
Ringhand won her seat with 64 percent of the votes throughout District 45.
During her 2012 campaign, Ringhand noted three key issues she wanted to work on resolving: Jobs and education; veterans' issues; and health care, including setting up the insurance exchange to accommodate the Affordable Care Act.
Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Janis helped run the family business, Ringhand Meat and Beverage.
She was born in Madison, graduated from Evansville High School in 1968 and earned an associate's degree in finance from Madison Area Technical College in 1985.
Ringhand served as mayor of Evansville from 2002 to 2006 and as a member of the Evansville City Council from 1998 to 2002 and again from 2008-10. She is currently a member of the Janesville Literacy Connection, Stoughton Hospital Board, Evansville Energy Independence, Green County Local Emergency Planning Committee and VFW Auxiliary in Evansville.
Ringhand and her husband Gordy have two children and five grandchildren.
The district includes six townships in southeast Green County, and extends into Rock, Dane and Jefferson counties.
Cullen, elected in 2010, announced his retirement last month, saying he would leave office at end of his current term in January 2015. Cullen previously served in the Senate from 1975 to 1987 and was majority leader for five years.
Ringhand resigned her position as secretary for the Assembly Democratic Caucus Tuesday, Oct. 8, and said she will continue serving in the Assembly through the end of her current term.
Ringhand said in a statement that, after learning about Cullen's retirement, "The decision for me is clear - now is the time to run."
Ringhand was first elected to the Assembly in 2010 as a representative for District 80, which at the time included all of Green County. With the statewide redistricting following the 2010 census, Ringhand found her hometown of Evansville outside District 80. She ran again and was re-elected in 2012 in Assembly District 15. She serves as Minority Caucus Secretary for 2013.
"As the saying goes," Ringhand continued in her statement, "do what you love and love what you do. Since 1998, I have served the people of Rock, Green and Dane counties, and have worked hard to make our community a better place to live, work and raise a family."
Ringhand easily won over District 45's portion of Green County voters during her previous two campaigns for Assembly. She beat out her Democrat opponent Sheila DeForest by a margin of 94 to 6 percent in the August 2012 primary. She went on to defeat Beth Schmidt with a 56 to 44 percent margin in Green County at the November election.
Ringhand won her seat with 64 percent of the votes throughout District 45.
During her 2012 campaign, Ringhand noted three key issues she wanted to work on resolving: Jobs and education; veterans' issues; and health care, including setting up the insurance exchange to accommodate the Affordable Care Act.
Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Janis helped run the family business, Ringhand Meat and Beverage.
She was born in Madison, graduated from Evansville High School in 1968 and earned an associate's degree in finance from Madison Area Technical College in 1985.
Ringhand served as mayor of Evansville from 2002 to 2006 and as a member of the Evansville City Council from 1998 to 2002 and again from 2008-10. She is currently a member of the Janesville Literacy Connection, Stoughton Hospital Board, Evansville Energy Independence, Green County Local Emergency Planning Committee and VFW Auxiliary in Evansville.
Ringhand and her husband Gordy have two children and five grandchildren.