Fmr. Wisconsin Senate Assistant Minority Leader Janis Ringhand appointed as a Rock County Supervisor

An illustration of the Seal of Wisconsin.Photo byU.S. Government/Wikimedia Commons

Janis Ringhand was a prominent member of the Wisconsin Legislature. She was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly and later the Wisconsin Senate as a member of the Democratic Party. She has now come out of retirement to take a seat on the Board of Supervisors for Rock County, Wisconsin.

Ringhand was selected by her peers to join the Rock County Board of Supervisors. She succeeds Mary Beaver in the seat, who passed away last month.

A native of Madison, Ringhand graduated from high school in nearby Evansville, Wisconsin. That was followed by Madison Area Techincal College.

Janis Ringhand began her career as an elected official as a member of the Evansville City Council. She eventuall rose to the position of President of the City Council before serving as the city's Mayor. After several years in the role, she returned as a member of the City Council.

Ringhand was initially elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2010 from the 80th District. In 2012, she was moved to the 45th District and was again victorious.

Two years later, Democrat Timothy Cullen was not running for re-election to the Wisconsin Senate from the 15th District. Cullen had previously been Majority Leader of the Senate and Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, appointed by Republican Governor and future U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.

Ringhand won the Democratic nomination for the seat in primary race that also included former Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Michael J. Sheridan and went on to secure a general election win in a landslide result. She was re-elected in a similar fashion in 2018.

Beginning in 2021, Ringhand took on the duties of Assistant Minority Leader of the Senate. She chose not to run for another Senate term in 2022. Her seat was won by Democratic State Assemblyman Mark Spreitzer.