Redistricting May Impact 3rd District Race - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

La Crosse, WI (WXOW)-- Congressman Ron Kind is up for re-election in November. He's represented Wisconsin's 3rd District since 1997.

This year he's challenged by former Fort McCoy commander, Republican Ray Boland. But acquiring the 3rd District seat could prove challenging for Boland and the GOP thanks to redistricting.

"The redistricting moved some more Republican-leaning voters out and Democrats in," Boland said.

The district no longer includes Saint Croix County, an area that voted predominately Republican in the last congressional race.

Despite the new district map potentially working in his favor, Rep. Kind does not support the Republican-drawn maps.

"What I've been advocating for is a non-partisan judicial commission to draw the map," Kind said. "Politicians should not be choosing their voters. It's suppose to be the other way around."

Neither Boland nor Kind is taking anything for granted out on the campaign trail.

"The message I was trying to get to the Republican leadership as they were drawing the maps is try to keep these districts as competitive as possible," Kind said. "I think the 3rd District is still very competitive."

"If you look at Governor Walker's success in the district, he took 17 out of 18 counties," Boland said. "That tells me a Republican can win the district."