U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, announced Thursday he will not enter the race for U.S. Senate, ending speculation he would contend for U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl's seat.
""Now is not my time to run for U.S. Senate,"" Kind said in a statement. ""At this time, a divisive primary contest will not serve the interests of the state or the real needs of one family.""
UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin said Kind, a moderate Democrat, would have posed a serious threat to U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, who was rated by the National Journal as one of the most liberal members of Congress.
Franklin said Kind would have had significant support in the La Crosse area, which is politically moderate, helping counter the support Baldwin has in the liberal Madison area. Both areas are key Democratic constituencies.
With Kind out of the race, Baldwin is the only Democrat to declare her candidacy officially. She appears to be the favorite to win the nomination. Franklin says former U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen, D-Green Bay, could still enter the race and create a ""reasonably competitive primary.""
Franklin said Kagen does not have as liberal a voting record as Baldwin and after the ""sharp turn to the right"" the state took in 2010, he could position himself as a more moderate choice.
Franklin said it will be a challenge for Baldwin to appeal statewide, regardless of Kagen's decision.
""Through the campaign, she'll have to convince voters the kind of issues she is going to support have more appeal than to just the Dane County liberal area,"" Franklin said.
