Retired solider to challenge Kind for House seat

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A retired soldier has announced a bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Ron Kind next year.

Republican Steve Toft of Osseo announced his candidacy in a news release on Friday. He planned news conferences in Eau Claire and La Crosse later in the day to discuss his plans with reporters.

Toft served 32 years in the U.S. Army. He retired last year.

Kind, a La Crosse Democrat, has represented western Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District since 1997. A voicemail left at Kind’s campaign headquarters on Friday wasn’t immediately returned.