 After winning a five-way primary election, Ritter was elected as a Republican to the 96th United States Congress in 1979, upsetting 16-year incumbent Democrat Fred B. Rooney.He was reelected to six succeeding Congresses.He held the seat for seven terms, or 14 years, until losing it to State Representative Paul McHale in a tight 1992 election with Ross Perot running as an Independent and George H. W. Bush, at the top of the ticket, getting just 36% of the vote.