GOP state Rep. Jessie Rodriguez announced today she won’t seek reelection to her swing state in the Assembly this fall, saying she wants to give more time to her family after nearly 14 years in the Legislature.

Rodriguez, 48, is one of five Assembly Republicans representing seats where Dem Kamala Harris took more votes than Donald Trump in 2024. She is the second of the five to decide against seeking reelection, complicating GOP efforts to hold onto the 54-45 majority they started with this session.

“Throughout my time in office, I have tried to keep family first. But the truth is, it is difficult to do this job well without it affecting the people who care about you most,” Rodriguez said. “My family has given me patience, encouragement, and support through long days, busy weeks, and many moments when this work required more of me than they deserved to lose.”

Rodriguez, R-Oak Creek, won a special election for the Assembly in November 2013 and served three sessions on the Joint Finance Committee.

Her announcement follows Rep. Dean Kaufert’s decision last week not to seek reelection. 

Their seats will be the toughest for Republicans to defend this fall. Trump took 47.8% of the two-party vote in Kaufert’s Neenah-Menasha district, while he won 47.9% in Rodriguez’s district, which covers Milwaukee’s southern suburbs.

Two Dems have filed to run in Rodriguez’s seat: Oak Creek Mayor and Milwaukee Building & Construction Trades Council President Dan Bukiewicz, who announced his campaign Jan. 15 through the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee, and former priest David Liners, who filed to run in January and announced his bid in February.

See a list of lawmakers retiring or not seeking reelection to the Legislature here.