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Ringhand wins in 45th Assembly District

EVANSVILLE — Rep. Janis Ringhand hopes the next session of the state Assembly is less volatile than the last.

"I hope it's a little calmer and that we actually accomplish more," she said. "That's what the residents of our district need."

Ringhand of Evansville, who represents the 80th District, will return to the Assembly for a second term, this time representing the new 45th District. Ringhand beat Republican Beth Schmidt, an Orfordville village board member, in Tuesday's election.

Ringhand, a former Evansville mayor and city councilwoman, has spent a lot of time in Beloit over the last couple months getting to know the people that she will now represent.

"I just feel very strongly that we can work very well together. It's a great group of people there," she said. "I'm very happy to work with them, and I feel they are very sincere in working with me."

The new 45th District includes Orfordville, Evansville, Brodhead, much of the city of Beloit and the towns of Beloit, Avon, Magnolia and Newark.

In the last session, the protests and division over Gov. Scott Walker's budget provided no chance for new legislators to get to know each other, Ringhand said.

"I think we will have an opportunity to work better together," she said.

She's hoping for greater cooperation.

"That's my great hope, that we will be able to work together and accomplish something that all of our constituents want to see accomplished," she said.