Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Wednesday 3/10 Iowa Candidate Filing

Latham leads Wednesday Filing

Tom Latham leads the list Wednesday and the 4th Congressional District Republican files for a ninth term. Just a reminder for anyone looking ahead to redistricting: Latham's listed with an Ames address.

Also high on the ballot is Republican James Heavens, challenging longtime state treasurer Mike Fitzgerald (who was completely unopposed in 2006).

No one filed for any of the Greater Johnson County area legislative seats Wednesday, so around the state:

Both candidates filed in the sure to be hot Senate District 9. Sen. Bill Heckroth (D-Shell Rock) won a hard-fought open seat race in 2006 by 356 votes for a Dem gain. He's facing another comeback kid: former House member Bill Dix (R-Waverly), who gave up his seat that same year in an unsuccessful primary bid in the 1st Congressional District.

Also hot: Senate District 5, where Republican Rob Bacon, a funeral director and former city official, filed late Tuesday to challenge first term Sen. Rich Olive.
Tangent: This was a wild one in 2006. After incumbent Stu Iverson was overthrown as Senate GOP leader by the late Mary Lundby, he quit his re-election race. A hard-fought convention chose one of the Senate district's House members, James Kurtenbach, over the other, George Eichhorn. Olive then beat Kurtenbach by all of 62 votes, while Eichhorn lost to young Democratic vet McKinley Bailey.

Both candidates also filed in Ft. Dodge-centered Senate District 25. Republican Chris McGonegle is challenging two-term incumbent Daryl Beall, who won more than two to one in 2006.

Democrat Richard Clewell of Davenport filed in wild and wacky Senate District 41 in Davenport and Bettendorf. He's expected to face David Thede in a primary. That winner takes on the winner of the hard-fought district's latest GOP primary (between hard-right incumbent Dave Hartsuch and challenger Roby Smith).

2008 4th Congressional District candidate Kurt Meyer (who finished second in the Democratic primary) is on the ballot in open House District 14, where incumbent Mark Kuhn is leaving. Republicans Josh Byrnes and Craig Clark filed earlier.

A couple Republican primaries emerge. In House District 48, as attorney Chip Baltimore (a lawyer named Chip?) files. He'll face pilot Bill Yewell in June; winner sees incumbent Donovan Olson (D-Boone, unopposed 2008) in the fall.

And in the southern tier's House District 94, James Johnson of Bloomfield joins Larry Sheets on the GOP ballot. The winner draws Rep. Kurt Swaim (D-Bloomfield).

There may also be a GOP primary for the right to take on Rep. Andrew Wenthe in House District 18. Sandy Salmon filed Wednesday, and policeman Darin Rulapaugh of Oelwein has also announced.

A couple of expected filings that I noted yesterday: Republican Jane Jech (43% in 2008) is again challenging Rep. Mark Smith (D-Marshalltown) who filed yesterday in House District 43. And Clinton Democratic attorney Mary Wolfe, the endorsed successor of retiring Rep. Polly Bukta, filed in House District 26.

Republican Joel Pawletzki filed in open House District 51, where of course Carroll Republican Rod Roberts is running for governor. Pawletzki says he's staying in the race even if Roberts gets out of the governor's race, which doesn't look likely.

The same day conservaDem Dolores Mertz announced her departure, Tom Shaw officially joined the GOP fray in House District 8 and will battle 2008 nominee Stephen Richards, who fell 43 votes short. Shaw, a former Pocahontas County Republican chair, originally announced as an independent, and is the tea party favorite. Bleeding Heartland has a good look at this race.

Osceola Republican Joel Fry is challenging incumbent Mike Reasoner (D-Creston) who won comfortably in 2008.

In Dallas County's House District 47, Democratic minister Roger Huston is challenging Rep. Ralph Watts (R-Adel), a 60% winner in 2008.

Democrat Andrew McDowell of West Des Moines filed to challenge Rep. Chris Hagenow (R-Windsor Heights) in House District 59, which saw a close open-seat race in 2008.

Urbandale Democrat John Sachs is challenging GOP incumbent Scott Raecker (a 61% winner in 2008).

Some incumbents to note, including a few from late yesterday:

  • Bob Kressig (D-Cedar Falls) in House District 19
  • Charles Isenhart (D-Dubuque) in House District 27
  • Tyler Olson (D-Cedar Rapids), House 38
  • Lance Horbach (R-Tama) in House District 40
  • Paul Bell (D-Newton) in House 41, and
  • Cindy Winckler (D-Davenport) in District 86.
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