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

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

Senate District 10
Registration: D 10963, R 15545, N 17249, total 43782, R +4582
No Incumbent; contested Republican primary


Dallas County was the fastest growing part of the state last decade, and they've outgrown sharing a Senate district with Boone and Republican Jerry Behn. This decade, most of Dallas anchors a new seat, adding Guthrie and Adair counties and a small chunk of Cass out of Nancy Boettger's old district.

For months it looked like Jake Chapman of Adel, a businessman and president of the Dallas County Young Republicans, had cleared the Republican primary field. He announced way back in May 2011. But on filing deadline day, Matthew Mardesen of Dallas Center made the ballot. He lost a race for Boone County sheriff in 2010. Democrats haven't got a candidate yet.


Campaign finance reports: Chapman for Senate

House District 19
Registration: D 5361, R 8381, N 8951, total 22706, R +3020
Incumbent: Ralph Watts, R-Adel

Watts went to the house in 2002 when old House 47 was created. He may have had the biggest population House district in the state by decade's end; indeed, it had grown to Senate seat size. He 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.

Watts keeps Dallas Center, Adel, and Woodward, adds Dexter and Redfield, and loses a township here and there (including a couple in Boone County.) He also picks up a little corner of Polk, north of the Saylorville Reservoir and including Polk City, from Kevin Koester's overpopulated district. The end result of all this demographic and geographic change is a loss of 2000 Republicans for Watts, though he still has a good district. In the old lines he won with 60% in 2008 and 67% in 2010.

Democrats have a credible contender in Ken Herring of Adel, retired chief of the wildlife division of the DNR.

Campaign finance reports: Watts for House

House District 20
Registration: D 5602, R 7164, N 8298, total 21076, R +1562
Incumbent: Clel Baudler, R-Greenfield

With the record number of primary challenges to Republican incumbents, I'm amazed that someone didn't challenge Clel Baudler. He got on the wrong side of the gun lobby, because when it came to the "constitutional carry" and "stand your ground" stuff that Windschitl and company want, ole Clel is a retired cop first.

Baudler at least has a Democratic opponent this time, Democrat Greg Nepstad of Panora.

Baudler loses about 600 Republicans from the old district, but still has a good edge. He keeps the core of his old district 58, all of Guthrie and Adair counties and a similar corner of Cass, which is pretty good considering the growth just to the east in Dallas. He sheds Audubon County. Baudler was unopposed in 2006, won with 58% in 2008, and beat an independent in 2010.

Campaign finance reports: Baudler for State Representative

Original post 5/06/2011 Statewide Map: Front | Back (with City Insets) | Old Senate, House

Dallas GOP Chair Makes House Run

Dallas County GOP Chair Taylor Makes House Run

The first candidate emerges in brand spanking new Iowa House District 44, as Dallas County GOP chair Rob Taylor announces.

This GOP turf (reg edge of 2700) is one of those "Rural Republicans who got paired, this is where your district went" seats. The old Ralph Watts district which encompassed most of Dallas County literally doubled in population. Watts keeps the western part; this new, no incumbent seat is Waukee plus the Dallas County parts of Clive and West Des Moines.

A Rob Taylor win could expand the House Taylor caucus up to three. Cedar Rapids Democrat Todd looks solid, but Sioux City Republican Jeremy is in a pair-up with Democrat Chris Hall. But Rob may not have this all to himself; a seat this Republican and this high-growth has primary written all over it.

District of the Day: Senate District 10, House District 19 and 20

District of the Day: Senate District 10, House District 19 and 20

Senate District 10

Registration: D 10,600, R 14,225, N 15,514, total 40,363, R+ 3625
No Incumbent

Dallas County was the fastest growing part of the state last decade, and they've outgrown sharing a Senate district with Boone and Republican Jerry Behn. This decade, most of Dallas anchors a new seat, adding Guthrie and Adair counties and a small chunk of Cass out of Nancy Boettger's old district. (As noted yesterday and many times before, she's committed to staying where she is.)

This turf is likely to be Ground Zero for the epic Boswell-Latham battle, so Democrats will need a serious effort even if the numbers aren't great. I'd bet on a hot, maybe multi-cornered, GOP primary, which could produce an extreme candidate and a Democratic opportunity (see that House seat in Carroll for a recent example).

UPDATE May 31: First announced candidate is Jake Chapman of Adel, businessman and president of the Dallas County Young Republicans. Also noted in the comments: Brenna Findley, the GOP's 2010 nominee for attorney general, also lives in these parts.

The two House incumbents seem a bit senior, rural and old to be looking at a move to the Senate, though one is representing a Senate-sized district already.

House District 19

Registration: D 5059, R 7324, N 7944, total 20340, R+ 2265
Incumbent: Ralph Watts, R-Adel

Watts, 66, went to the house in 2002 when old House 47 was created. He may have had the biggest population House district in the state by decade's end. He 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.

Watts keeps Dallas Center, Adel, and Woodward, adds Dexter and Redfield, and loses a township here and there (including a couple in Boone County.) He also picks up a little corner of Polk, north of the Saylorville Reservoir and including Polk City, from Kevin Koester's overpopulated district. The end result of all this demographic and geographic change is a loss of 2000 Republicans for Watts. In the old lines he won with 60% in 2008 and 67% in 2010.

House District 20

Registration: D 5541, R 6901, N 7570, total 20023, R+ 1360
Incumbent: Clel Baudler, R-Greenfield

I'm still trying to figure out why Clel Baudler voted no on the map. He wasn't paired or obviously hurt like the other no voters. He loses about 600 Republicans from the old district, but still has a good edge. He keeps the core of his old district 58, all of Guthrie and Adair counties and a similar corner of Cass, which is pretty good considering the growth just to the east in Dallas. He was unopposed in 2006, won with 58% in 2008, and beat an independent in 2010.

Maybe he was upset about losing Audubon County to Dan Muhlbauer, or picking up Perry from the Boone-based district. Maybe he was unhappy that Nancy Boettger got burned in the Senate map.

Maybe he was smoking his duly prescribed medical marijuana. Or maybe his clerk pushed the wrong button.

Anyway, if the 72 year old Baudler, first elected in 1998, is really annoyed with the map he could just call it quits.

New Map | New Map (Insets) | Old Map