× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

Oshkosh Democrat Gordon Hintz is emerging as a top pick to lead the Assembly Democrats.

Hintz, a member of the Legislature’s budget-writing committee who had been considering a run for governor, told the Wisconsin State Journal on Friday he is running to lead Democrats in the Assembly — a caucus that has seen its ranks diminish to levels not seen in 60 years.

If chosen by his colleagues, Hintz would replace Rep. Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, who announced Thursday he was stepping down as minority leader. The announcement came after a four-hour closed caucus meeting during which Barca’s future as caucus leader was debated.

Hintz had expressed interest in the position before the Thursday meeting, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the meeting told the Wisconsin State Journal. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the caucus deliberations.

On Thursday before the meeting, Hintz did not return multiple text messages or a phone call and he didn’t answer his locked Capitol office door. As he was walking to the meeting in the U.S. Bank building on the Capitol Square he said he didn’t know what was going to happen.

On Friday he confirmed he would run, and later released a statement: