Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Wednesday March 17 candidate filing

Braley, Krause lead St Patrick's Day File O'Rama

You can't tell your players without your scorecard, and I guess I'm Iowa's scorecard. Bruce Braley's officially in for a third term, topping a St. Paddy's Day file o'rama. He gets two more opponents as well: Mike LaCoste and Jim Budde, bringing the official field of Republicans to three. Braley has recently taken on additional duties at the DCCC helping other candidates, so he must not be too nervous.

Bob Krause is the first Democratic candidate to officially file for the US Senate. The Roxanne Conlin campaign has emailed supporters and announced they have the signatures needed.

State Sen. Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale) joins the crowded field in the 3rd CD primary; four on the ballot and maybe more to come. (Krusty engages in speculation as to who goes ahead and files, who doesn't, and who fails.)

The favorite in the Republican Secretary of State primary, Matt Schultz of the Council Bluffs Council, is the first to file at the office of his likely fall opponent, Democratic incumbent Mike Mauro.

Over in Sioux City, Woodbury County Dems chair Rick Mullin officially joins the Senate District 1 race. Mullin had been in the House race until fellow Dem Steve Warnstadt's retirement.

Ottumwa Republican Mark Chelgren, a wheelchair parts manufacturer, filed to challenge incumbent Keith Krieman (D-Bloomfield) in Senate District 47.

The field seems complete in the Fighting 41st Senate district as incumbent Dave Hartsuch files for a second term. He's got a primary challenge from Roby Smith; a primary challenge was how Hartsuch got the seat four years ago when he knocked off Maggie Tinsman. (In between: a landslide congressional loss to Braley.) Two Democrats want the seat too.

The three other incumbents to file Wednesday will likely have an easier time:

  • Bill Dotzler (D-Waterloo) was a 70% winner in Senate District 11 four years ago.

  • Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids) is seeking a second term (after four years in the House) in Senate District 19. Hogg was another Democratic gain in 2006, taking Chuck Larson's seat easily over Renee Schulte (who came back two years later to win the state's closest House race).

  • Herman Quirmbach (D-Ames) filed for a third term in District 23; he was a 57% winner in 2006.

    Moving across the rotunda, yes, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (D-Des Moines) has filed in House 67. Other House action:

    Warren County public affairs director and longtime political operative Scott Ourth is one of the Dems top-touted candidates and set fundraising records for first-time candidates. He's looking to take back open House District 74. Republican Kent Sorensen knocked off Mark Davitt in 2008 and is now challenging Stacy Appel in the Senate 37 race. Republican Glen Massie filed in the House 74 race earlier.

    Republican Stephen Burgmeier fell just short in last September's House District 90 special in the Fairfield area. He's now seeking a rematch against the winner, Democrat Curt Hanson.

    Decatur County Republican supervisor J.R. Cornett joins the House District 95 race. He faces a primary with Joel Fry; the winner faces incumbent Mike Reasoner (D-Creston).

    Republican Karin Sevde, who co-chaired the RAGBRAI committee last time the bikes rolled through Ames, is challenging Democratic incumbent Beth Wessel-Kroeschell in House 45. B W-K was a 58% 2008 winner.

    Over in Sioux City, Democrat Chris Hall files in House District 2, where incumbent Roger Wendt is retiring for health reasons.

    This one must have an interesting behind the scenes story: Former Wapello county supervisor Mike Petersen is challenging Ottumwa Rep. Mary Gaskill in the House District 93 Democratic primary. Petersen resigned from the county board in 2007 to take an administrative job in Minnesota, but returned to Ottumwa less than two months later with little comment.

    Monticello school board member (there's those nonpartisan offices again) Lee Hein filed as a Republican in House District 31, where he's challenging Democratic incumbent Ray Zirkelbach.

    Other incumbents making the re-election races official:

  • Linda Upmeyer (R-Garner) was a 70% 2008 winner in House District 12.

  • Nick Wagner (R-Marion) lost a close House District 36 race to Swati Dandekar in 2006, then came back to beat Gretchen Lawyer in 2008 when Dandekar moved over to the Senate.

  • Ralph Watts (R-Adel) a 60% winner in 2008 in Dallas County's House District 47. Democratic minister Roger Huston is challenging.

  • Cecil Dolechek (R-Mt. Ayr) of House 96 was a 60% winner last time.
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