Assembly Democrats Choose Hintz As New Minority Leader

Assembly Democrat Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh was chosen by his party colleagues today (Tuesday) as the new minority leader of the lower house. He replaces Peter Barca, who stepped down amid criticism that he helped Republicans pass the massive state aid package for the Foxconn plant to be built in Barca’s area. Hintz called on Democrats to focus on winning elections, and move beyond primary challenges and what he called partisan “purity tests” like Barca was said to have violated. Democrats have their smallest minority in the Assembly since the late 1950s, with just 35 of the 99 members — and Hintz says they all need to be on the same page or they won’t be an “effective voice for Democrats” throughout the state.