District Of The Day 3: Iowa Senate District 32, Iowa House District 63 & 64

Senate District 32
Registration: D 10523, R 11052, N 16460, total 38054, R +529
Incumbent: Brian Schoenjahn, D-Arlington

Good news all around for Democrats in this area, as Republicans come up short on recruiting.

Schoenjahn was first elected in 2004 with 53% in an open seat race when two term Republican Kitty Rehberg stepped down. He scored an easy 2008 re-elect with 63%.
The new district shifts west, entirely out of Clayton and Delaware. Schoenjahn instead picks up all of Bremer County. Most of Buchanan remains, except four townships and the city of Rowley. He keeps parts of Fayette and Black Hawk but the lines change significantly.

Schoenjahn's old district 12 had a good Map Day Democratic registration edge of 1,269. But surprisingly, Republicans were slow to recruit a candidate.  Independence farmer Elliott Henderson jumped in at the filing deadline.

July 19 Campaign Finance Report: Henderson for State Senate, Citizens for Schoenjahn The incumbent has an incumbent-size $22,151.31 in the bank' Henderson has a Some Dudeish $416.17.

House District 63
Registration: D 4765, R 6380, N 8597, total 19752, R +1615
No Incumbent

Last decade, Bremer County was split between two House districts, but it was united in Senate District 9, which changed hands twice. Republican Bob Brunkhorst moved over from the House in 2002 (barely winning the primary) In 2006, Democrat Bill Heckroth won a hard-fought open seat race with 53%.

Heckroth was targeted in a big, big way by the Republicans in 2010 and succcumbed to Bill Dix, 58-42.

But you could hardly draw a better seat in this area for Heckroth personally, even though the numbers are challenging. And Bill won on even tougher turf in 2006. An undivided Bremer County makes up 80% of the population. Almost all the north Black Hawk section was in the old Senate seat, too.

Republican home schooler Sandy Salmon, of Janesville finished third in a three way 2010 House primary and is trying again.

July 19 Campaign Finance Report: Friends of Sandy Salmon, Heckroth For Iowa Salmon is a bit ahead with $8,218.74 on hand to Heckroth's $7,678.01.

House District 64
Registration: D 5758, R 4672, N 7863, total 18302, D +1086
Open seat; Dan Rasmussen, R-Independence, retiring

A last minute announcement here, as Rasmussen sent word the day before filing deadline that he was not seeking re-election. The replacement Republican was ready the next day: Jim Givant of Oelwein, whose business is "Medical billing, revenue recovery and payment choices." Democrats are running Oelwein city council member Bruce Bearinger in this D-leaning seat.

The seat keeps almost all of Buchanan County except four small rural townships and Rowley in the southeast. The new district goes north into southern Fayette County, taking in Oelwein, Arlington, Maynard, Westgate and Randalia. It stops south of Fayette and Wadena.

July 19 Campaign Finance Report: Bearinger for House had $3,095.36 on hand, and Givant - get this - did not report. We know he started late, but less than $750 from March to July?

Senate District 32, House District 63 & 64: District of the Day 1 - 6/07/2011 | District of the Day 2 - 3/16/2012