Back in Black: One Year Senator Makes Comeback

Back in Black: One Year Senator Makes Comeback

I had this one WRONG! but so did everyone else:

Jim Black, a former senator, announced this morning that he is running again for the Senate.

Black, 51, a Republican, is running for the newly created Senate District 4, which includes Emmet, Kossuth, Winnebago, Hancock and Wright Counties in northern Iowa. After this year’s redistricting, no incumbent was left in the district.

B-b-b-b-but, hasn't everyone assumed since Map Day that this was Stew's path back to the Senate?

Rep. Stew Iverson, R-Clarion, will work as Black’s campaign chairman...

I see. So presumably he stays and runs in House District 8 demoinesdem reminds me that Henry Rayhons has already announced in the once tripled-up HD08. So now I'm more confused.

...and Black has also received encouragement from Gov. Terry Branstad, a long-time friend, according to today’s press release.

New Senate 4 is in fact very similar to the turf Black held for one year, 1997, before abruptly resigning "after his first year in office, citing family troubles." Or perhaps Terry Branstad gave him a job.



Four counties are the same: Kossuth, Winnebago, Hancock and Wright. In the new seat, Emmett replaces Humboldt. (This area also includes Branstad's original home stomping grounds.)

Black may face a primary from Tea partier Dennis Guth, who should bring a lot of comic relief to the race. Democrats have a solid recruit in Bob Jennings, information director for Algona Municipal Utilities and is a former news director for KLGA radio in Algona.

By the numbers, the edge goes to the GOP, with a registration lead of 2700. Last map, this area was split between retiring Democrat Jack Kibbie and Republicans Rob Bacon (now making a Senate to House move) and Merlin Bartz.

Dems Have Senate 4 Candidate

Democrat Bob Jennings announces in Open Senate District 4

Democrats have recruited a candidate with strong community ties in empty Senate District 4.

Bob Jennings of Algona sports a good profile for a sprawling small town and rural north Iowa district with five whole counties (Emmett, Kossuth, Winnebago, Hancock and Wright):

Jennings, 50, is information director for Algona Municipal Utilities and is a former news director for KLGA radio in Algona.

He is on the Iowa Lakes Community College board of trustees and is a former president of the Algona Chamber of Commerce.

Is that enough to overcome a GOP registration edge of 2700? Well, some of this turf was Jack Kibbie's for a very long time. The rest of it belonged to Republicans Merlin Bartz and Rob Bacon last map. All three of them got paired up in other directions, with Kibbie retiring and the other two not yet announced.

The Republicans have one announced candidate, Tea partier Dennis Guth, who should being a lot of comic relief to the race. But the likely, not yet announced, Republican candidate is Stewart Iverson, who was part of the triple-up in the House District 8 half of this district (now just a double-up with Linda Upmeyer moving out). WRONG!