Last month, pro-life Congressman Sean Duffy (R-Wisconsin) announced that he was retiring from Congress to spend more time with his family in light of his wife’s pregnancy.
The congressman and his wife recently shared that their unborn baby has holes in her heart, and “other developmental challenges” that are going to complicate the birth. Originally, the couple shared with Fox & Friends that their baby would be needing heart surgery following birth, just recently adding that the baby would also have other developmental challenges.
Duffy, a U.S. Representative for Wisconsin’s 7th congressional district, recently appeared on the View where he and his wife Rachel shared the complications that were coming with their ninth child.
“We just wanted to create more space in our life,” Rachel shared with the hosts.
“You know how challenging it is to be a child inside a political family,” Rachel added. “We feel like there’s some things we regret and some things we missed out on, and after eight and a half years we’re tired of doing that.”
While the new baby will be the couple’s ninth child, it is “the first [baby] we’ve had with complications,” but it’s “pretty easy for us in the sense that we’re lifers,” Duffy said.
“We believe in life, and whatever gifts God gives us, we accept them. And this is gonna be a great gift,” he added. “Yeah, it’s gonna be a little more stressful, but this little baby will have eight other siblings to wrap their loving arms around her, and we’re gonna do it as a family. We’ll figure out a different way to balance our lives.”
Duffy pointed out that he wanted and needed to be at home for this pregnancy, that he wanted to be present for both the baby and also his wife.
“This little baby couldn’t have a better, more loving home to come into,” Duffy added. “And we’re excited for her to come. And it’s gonna be easier for her, too, not to have her dad flying back and forth to Washington, D.C. … [But] I might come back to politics. I don’t know what I’m gonna do. It’s just at this time, I need to take a moment and make sure Rachel and I and this baby are healthy and doing well.”
On Tucker Carlson Tonight, Duffy shared that his congressional schedule was too demanding for his home life.
“We have eight kids at home,” he said. “Congressional schedules, contrary to popular belief, are pretty rigorous… I need to take some time and be with my wife and my kids and take care of this little one that’s going to need more time from me.”
Duffy shared with Carlson that he received positive feedback from people on both sides of the aisle.
“It speaks volumes of the people I represent,” he explained.
In a post to Instagram, Rachel commended her husband for the “courage” it took to put their baby and family first.
“What has made him a great Congressman are the same things that make him a great husband and dad,” she wrote. “Knowing how much Sean loves Wisconsin and America, I know he will not go quietly into the night. He’ll continue to fight for America in different, new and exciting ways.
“But for now,” she added, “our focus is on a little, beautiful American girl who is yet to be born. Once we bring her safely into the world and get her healthy and acclimated to our crazy, big family, we’ll see what else God has in store for us.”