District Of The Day 3: Iowa Senate District 7, Iowa House District 13 & 14

Senate District 7
Registration: D 11265, R 9067, N 9818, total 30189, D +2198
Incumbent: Rick Bertrand, R-Sioux City; holdover seat

Bertrand lost a close `08 House race, then beat Democrat Rick Mullin by just 222 votes in 2010. This is the second most Democratic seat held by a Republican; the lines change very little. Bertrand's fate may depend on the cycle, but with an odd numbered seat he holds over till 2014.

House District 13
Registration: D 5368, R 4889, N 4981, total 15263, D +479
Incumbents: Chris Hall, D-Sioux City; Jeremy Taylor, R-Sioux City.

Considering that there were 27 House members paired up on Map Day, it's remarkable how well things shook out. There was one epic primary, and this: the only two-incumbent general election House match-up in the state. And the co-incumbents are mirror images: both young, both in their first term, both took over from retiring senior Democrats, both won by good not great margins.

The new map splits Sioux City into roughly the same three districts -- east, west, and south -- as 2001, with the line between east and west shifting. Only one precinct moved, and it was Taylor's, drawing him into Hall's district. Taylor must figure the numbers favor him in 13; Hall must figure the turf favors him. Turf and party ID give the edge to Hall, as does all the positive PR he got recently for helping alert neighbors to a fire in their building and  winning a Sioux City Fire Department Life Saver Award.

But both teams will throw a lot at this race, as you'll see:

July 19 Campaign Finance Report: Hall for Iowa, Taylor for Iowa House Hall raised $18,621.37 in the weeks after the primary, including $5500 in labor money, and has $48,383.41 in the bank. Taylor raised $7,003.68 in recent weeks, including $1000 from the ideological Hawkeye PAC and $500 from the chiropractor's PAC. He has $28,056.13 on hand.

House District 14
Registration: D 5897, R 4178, N 4837, total 14926, D +1719
No Incumbent

In the open seat, Democrat David Dawson, Taylor's 2010 opponent, announced early. In February banker Greg Grupp announced for the Republicans. Dawson has the party edge and residual name ID in a district that hasn't changed much, except of course for losing its incumbent.

July 19 Campaign Finance Report: Dawson For Iowa House, Grupp For Iowa House Another race both teams are serious about. Grupp has the edge with $21,064.95 on hand. Dawson has $17,586.38 in the bank including $3000 in recent labor money.

Senate District 7, House District 13 & 14: District of the Day 1 - 5/03/2011 | District of the Day 2 - 3/16/2012