NEWTON, Iowa – Financial services planner and former pastor Jon Dunwell won the special nominating convention on Thursday and will be the Republican nominee for the special election for Iowa House District 29.
“It’s an honor to receive the nomination to be the Republican candidate in this special election,” said Dunwell. “I plan to bring to this race my passion for community engagement. Elected leaders need to work hard to ensure constituents are engaged, informed and having their voices heard. That’s the type of leader I intend to be in the Iowa House of Representatives.”
Speaker of the Iowa House Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, congratulated Dunwell on his nomination.
“Jon Dunwell has shown his commitment to his community through his years of service as chaplain, coach, and volunteer. It’s time for him to bring that leadership and service to the Statehouse. Jon shares the values of his community and knows what this district needs in terms of good policy to keep neighborhoods safe, attract jobs to rural Iowa, keep taxes low and protect your individual freedoms. Jon is a man of integrity and will make a great addition to the Iowa House of Representatives,” he said.
Dunwell is currently the founder of Legacy Park Wealth. He pastored Westwood Church in Orlando, Fla. for 21 years. During that time, he served as the senior chaplain for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. He lives in Newton, Iowa with his wife Christie and their two sons, Addison and Bryce.
Gov. Kim Reynolds set Tuesday, October 12, 2021, as the date for the special election following the resignation of State Rep. Wes Breckenridge, D-Newton, after he accepted a position with the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy over the summer.
Dunwell challenged Breckenridge in 2020 and lost by 3.1 percent.
Iowa House District 29 is located in Jasper County and includes Newton, Baxter, Colfax, Mingo, Kellogg, Oakland Acres, and Ira. Democrats currently hold a slim voter registration edge in the district, with just 267 more registered voters than Republicans, down from 1394 in 2018.
