Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) is leaving Congress next month — telling constituents Monday that he’s bowing out to care for his baby due in October with health complications.
“Recently, we’ve learned that our baby, due in late October, will need even more love, time and attention due to complications, including a heart condition,” Duffy wrote on Facebook.
“With much prayer, I have decided that this is the right time for me to take a break from public service in order to be the support my wife, baby and family need right now.”
Like President Trump, Duffy, before he entered politics, he was in reality TV. He was one of the roommates on “The Real World: Boston,” which aired in 1997. He met his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, on “Road Rules: All Stars,” another MTV franchise, in 1998.
The two often appeared at conservative political events together, and Duffy, thanks to his pre-existing celebrity status, was deemed a rising star in the Republican Party. He was first elected to Congress in 2010, in a wave year when the GOP took back the House.
Duffy and freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got into a heated exchange in March after he called the Green New Deal “elitist” during a committee hearing.
“After eight and a half years, the time has come for me to focus more on reason we fight these battles – family,” Duffy wrote. “As you all know, raising a family is hard work. It’s especially true for one as large and busy as mine.”
The Duffys currently have eight children.
The Wisconsin Republican said his end date is Sept. 23. He joins a number of House Republicans, now in the minority, who are exiting the chamber instead of running for re-election in the 2020 cycle.