District Of The Day 3: Iowa Senate District 10, Iowa House District 19 & 20

Senate District 10
Registration: D 9682, R 14701, N 14571, total 38978, R +5019
No Incumbent, Uncontested

The margin in Dallas County, Iowa could decide the presidency itself. But the state senate race here is settled.

Most of geographic Dallas anchors a new seat, adding Guthrie and Adair counties and a small chunk of Cass. For months it looked like Jake Chapman of Adel, a businessman and president of the Dallas County Young Republicans, had cleared the field. But Matthew Mardesen of Dallas Center forced a primary. He lost a race for Boone County sheriff in 2010 amid colorful circumstances, and I'm surprised the inevitable Chapman win wasn't bigger than 65-35%. Chapman will move on to the Senate with no general election opponent.

July 19 Campaign Finance Report: Chapman For Senate

House District 19
Registration: D 4647, R 8014, N 7528, total 20201, R +3367
Incumbent: Ralph Watts, R-Adel

This seat grew so much that it literally made up two House districts by Census time. Five term incumbent Watts loses Waukee and the Dallas County parts of West Des Moines and Clive; together that makes up a whole new House District, the open 44.

So the Watts Dallas seat becomes the Watts north and west Dallas seat, with a little corner of Polk, including Polk City. This costs him 2000 Republicans, though he still has a good district (#13 most Republican). In the old lines he won with 60% in 2008 and 67% in 2010.
Democrats have a credible Good Candidate Bad District contender in Ken Herring of Adel, retired chief of the wildlife division of the DNR.

July 19 Campaign Finance Report: herringforhouse.com, Watts for House Watts has $5,031.21on hand, Herring has $2,267.11.

House District 20
Registration: D 5035, R 6687, N 7043, total 18777, R +1652
Incumbent: Clel Baudler, R-Greenfield

Whether it's fake medical marijuana prescriptions or alienating the gun lobby or just being named "Clel" like a character out of Stephen Bloom's nightmare, Baudler is one of our more colorful legislators. I'm amazed he didn't get one of those primary challenges.
But he does have a Democratic opponent this time, Democrat Greg Nepstad of Panora. Baudler was unopposed in 2006, won with 58% in 2008, and beat an independent in 2010.
Compared to Ralph Watts getting his doubled in population district cut in half just to the east, Baudler's slower growth Guthrie-Adair based turf is relatively unscathed. He keeps a corner of Cass, and loses small Audubon County.

July 19 Campaign Finance Report: NEPSTAD FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, Baudler for State Representative Baudler has $7,201.05 on hand. Nepstad kicked in $5000 himself and has $3,993.91 left.

Senate District 10, House District 19 & 20: District of the Day 1 - 5/06/2011 | District of the Day 2 - 3/16/2012