DES MOINES, Iowa – With the approval of the new Iowa House and Iowa Senate maps on Thursday, lawmakers are starting to announce their re-election plans for 2022.
State Rep. Shannon Latham, R-Sheffield, was one of the first legislators to announce that she would seek re-election in the newly drawn Iowa House District 55. That district encompasses Franklin County, Hamilton County, southeast Wright County, and the northeast corner of Story County. She currently represents Iowa House District 54.
State Rep. Molly Donahue, D-Cedar Rapids, currently represents Iowa House District 68. She was placed in the newly drawn Iowa House District 74 (within Cedar Rapids city limits) with State Rep. Eric Gjerde, D-Cedar Rapids, representing Iowa House District 67. Instead of running against Gjerde, who indicated he would run for re-election, she announced she would run an open seat in the new Iowa Senate District 37.
Iowa Senate District 37 includes Marion and parts of Bertram, Cedar Rapids, and Hiawatha in Linn County. It is an open seat.
“I am choosing to run as your senator so we can continue the work we have started in the former district 68. I will miss representing the wonderful people of Ely. It has been an honor to serve you,” Donahue said.
“My title will be changing, but my dedication to this community is steadfast. My constituents, old and new, will always come first before politics. I will continue to remain active in the community by being involved in events, and forums, as well as doing constituent work every day,” she added.
State Rep. Bob Kressig, D-Cedar Falls, represents Iowa House District 59. He indicated he would run in the newly drawn Iowa House District 75. The district encompasses the two northern thirds of Cedar Falls in Black Hawk County.
State Rep. Charlie McConkey, D-Council Bluffs, represents the current Iowa House District 15, also indicated that he would run in the newly drawn Iowa House District 20. The newly drawn district includes the northwest section of Council Bluffs and Carter Lake in Pottawattamie County.
On Friday, State Rep. Ray Sorenson, R-Greenfield, who currently represents Iowa House District 20, said his “current intent” is to run for re-election in Iowa House District 23, which includes the southwest corner of Dallas County, Adair County, Madison County, and parts of Union and Clarke counties. State Rep. Stan Gustafson, R-Cumming, also lives just inside the district but has not yet announced.
State Rep. Carter Nordman, who currently represents Iowa House District 19, announced that he plans to run for re-election on Monday in the newly drawn Iowa House District 47. (We originally reported that he was running in Iowa House District 28, but he will be moving to a home in the 47th district.) This district consists of northwest Dallas County, Guthrie County, and Greene County. Correction: State Rep. Phil Thompson, R-Jefferson, LIVED in this district, but he moved to Boone and will run in Iowa House District 48 (Boone County and southwest corner of Story County) if he runs for re-election, no announcement yet. We originally wrote he lived in the district, but he recently moved from Jefferson to Boone.
Update: Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, who currently represents Iowa House District 50 will run for re-election in the newly drawn Iowa House District 57 that includes Butler County and the Western part of Bremer County.
“I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished during my time in the Iowa House,” he said in a released statement. “Our caucus listens to Iowans and delivers on their priorities. The newly formed House District 57, coincidently looks quite similar to the first district I ever represented back from 2006-2012. I’m looking forward to getting reacquainted with the people of Butler and Western Bremer Counties as I run for re-election in the new House District 57!”
More announcements will come soon.
