District Of The Day 3: Iowa Senate District 45, Iowa House District 89 & 90

Senate District 45
Registration: D 13869, R 7189, N 14883, total 35959, D +6680
Incumbent: Joe Seng, D-Davenport; holdover seat

After his bizarre congressional primary challenge to Dave Loebsack, which he lost 80-20%, Senator Doctor Seng settles back in to hold over till 2014. In a district this blue, about 700 Democrats stronger than his old turf, an anti-choice, pro-corporate ag "Democrat" could be vulnerable to a primary challenge of his own. I'm just sayin'.

House District 89
Registration: D 6775, R 4497, N 8100, total 19382, D +2278
Incumbent: Jim Lykam, D-Davenport

Lykam won one term in 1988, got knocked off by Steve Grubbs in `90, then came back on friendlier turf in 2002, friendly enough that he drew a bye in 2010. That turf, new in west central Davenport, stays just about as friendly this decade. He loses a couple precincts in the north, where the district used to go to the Davenport-Eldridge line, and shifts west to the Davenport city limits.

Davenport alderman Bill Edmond is running on the GOP side.

July 19 Campaign Finance Report: Friends of Jim Lykam, EDMOND FOR IOWA While Edmond seems like a credible contender, his $1,793.62 cash on hand makes it look like this race isn't a Republican priority. Lykam has a solid incumbent bank account at $22,209.75.

House District 90
Registration: D 7094, R 2692, N 6783, total 16577, D +4402
Incumbent: Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport

Winckler knocked off one-term Republican John Sunderbruch in 2000 and has been mostly solid since. Republicans made a serious effort last cycle with city council member Ray Ambrose. Ambrose held Winckler to a relatively close 55%, with dismal turnout. That may be the max for the GOP on this turf, as Winckler's margins are usually closer to 70-30.

The district shifts south and west, and expands outside the city limit to include the city of Buffalo. The changes make the seat even more Democratic.

The anti-Winckler vote gets split in two. Republicans called a late convention and nominated Some Dude Ryan Roberson. Independent candidate Mark Riley won 38% in 2010 as the Republican nominee against Senator Doctor Seng.

July 19 Campaign Finance Report: Winckler for State House Roberson and Riley did not raise enough to report.

Senate District 45, House District 89 & 90: District of the Day 1 - 6/24/2011 | District of the Day 2 - 3/17/2012