After an interrupted sleep schedule and a lot of coffee, it's here, just 27 hours after the filing deadline: The Deeth Blog District Of The Day overview of all 125 legislative races.
This is insane in length, so feel free to read it in chunks or bookmark and save it for reference.
The partisan numbers are based on current, active voter registration, and all references to Democratic or Republican "rank" are based on that, Not perfect, and not a partisan voting index, but a reasonably good relative index.
Readers, if I'm completely wrong on any of this please straighten me out. Now, on with the countdown:
Senate District 1
Registration: D 8242, R 19413, N 13227, total 40945, R +11171
David Johnson (R), holdover
House District 1
Registration: D 3189, R 12115, N 5844, total 21173, R +8926
John H. Wills (R), incumbent
Wills is unopposed. He won the second most Republican seat in the state with 42% in a three way primary when Jeff Smith stepped down in 2014
Vice President of the Okoboji Protective Association. - See more at: http://kicdam.com/news/170071-wills-running-for-house/#sthash.4dFgNEHM.dpuf
Vice President of the Okoboji Protective Association. - See more at: http://kicdam.com/news/170071-wills-running-for-house/#sthash.4dFgNEHM.dpuf
Vice President of the Okoboji Protective Association. - See more at: http://kicdam.com/news/170071-wills-running-for-house/#sthash.4dFgNEHM.dpuf
Vice President of the Okoboji Protective Association. - See more at: http://kicdam.com/news/170071-wills-running-for-house/#sthash.4dFgNEHM.dpuf
House District 2
Registration: D 5053, R 7298, N 7383, total 19772, R +2245
Megan Hess Jones (R), incumbent
A marriage and a name change since last cycle but little else changes as Jones is for now uncontested. This Clay and Palo Alto seat is the least red district in this corner of the state, and Democrats made a serious effort when the district was new in 2012. But in 2014 only an independent Some Dude challenged. Dems have won in this area in the relatively recent past so not beyond reach if someone starts late.
Senate District 2
Registration: D 4917, R 23703, N 9295, total 37973, R +18786
Randy Feenstra (R), incumbent
This one IS beyond reach, the number one Republican Senate district. Feenstra, a former country treasurer, has been completely unopposed since he first filed in 2008 when relative moderate Dave Mulder stepped down after one term.
House District 3
Registration: D 3305, R 10112, N 6093, total 19550, R +6807
Daniel A. Huseman (R), incumbent
Huseman is unopposed and won 80% against a late starting Dem in 2002. His biggest headache was redistricting, solved when Royd Chambers retired after they were paired up.
The Confederate flag, South African version
House District 4 - The Orange Free State
Registration: D 1612, R 13591, N 3202, total 18423, R +11979
OPEN (John Kooiker, R, retiring)
We finally have a nickname for Sioux County that corresponds to People's Republic of Johnson County. Covers both Dutch Reformed ethnicity and extreme conservatism.
This decisive and inevitable primary in the most Republican seat in the state has been deferred through two legislators. Dwayne Alons died soon after the 2014 general. John Kooiker was nominated at an epic six candidate convention and won a hurry-up special election, but leaves the House without ever running in either a primary or general election.
Rock Valley mayor Kevin Van Otterloo and professor Jeff Van Der Werff both tried for the nomination at the convention. The third candidate, Skyler Wheeler, moved to the area for college and is touting his youth and what seems to be Kooiker's support. All are touting their solid conservative credentials but I don't speak Afrikaans so I can't measure the distinctions.
The Democrats actually ran in the special election but managed only 13% and finished third behind a write in candidate.
Senate District 3
Registration: D 8967, R 16713, N 12568, total 38335, R +7746
Bill Anderson (R), holdover
House District 5
Registration: D 3851, R 9307, N 6421, total 19615, R +5456
Chuck Holz (R), incumbent
Another heavily GOP seat that got filled in a special election, when Chuck Soderberg moved out of district to work for the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives. Holz easily beat one other candidate at a convention, was entirely unopposed in the special, and is thus far unopposed for a first full term.
House District 6
Registration: D 5116, R 7406, N 6147, total 18720, R +2290
OPEN (Ron Jorgensen, R), incumbent
Jorgensen was part of an all-new Sioux City area delegation in 2010 - remarkably, most of those new members are now gone, too. He was unopposed in 2014.
Democrat Perla Alarcon-Flory is a Spanish interpreter and school board member,
This is the 26th most Republican district, on the outer limits of seats the Democrats could win, but if a Donald Trump nomination boosts chronically low turnout in the Hispanic population of Woodbury county, a credible Latina candidate who's already won an election could benefit.
Alacorn-Flory will face the winner of a Republican primary. Chuck Grassley staffer Jacob Bossman has endorsements from Jorgensen and area senators Bill Anderson and Rick Bertrand, but first hast to get past attorney Jim Carlin.
Senate District 4
Registration: D 9743, R 14675, N 14773, total 39239, R +4932
Dennis Guth (R), incumbent
Tea Partier Guth upset former Senator Jim Black in the 2012 primary when this seat was new, then beat a serious Democrat with relative ease. He's kept up the crazy in office, getting into a highly publicized confrontation with out colleague Matt McCoy after an epic anti-gay rant.But the constituents must be OK with it, because no opposition.
House District 7
Registration: D 5227, R 6554, N 7904, total 19711, R +1327
Tedd Gassman (R), incumbent
Gassman, a former Winnebago County GOP chair and school board member, knocked off first term Democrat John Wittneben by just 44 votes in 2012. He has a rematch with Democratic veteran and ex-policeman Dave Grussing. Gassman won the 2014 matchup with 57%, and this is the #35 Republican district, but the climate should be better in a presidential year and Democrats have won here (Wittneben succeeded Marcy Frevert) so Grussing may have a chance of being triaged into the target list.
House District 8
Registration: D 4516, R 8121, N 6869, total 19528, R +3605
Terry C. Baxter (R), incumbent
Incumbent Henry Reyhons dropped out a week before the filing deadline in 2014 amid a bizarre and sad set of personal life issues. I'm not going to repeat them, just Google him.
Baxter beat ex-senator Jim Black, making another failed comeback attempt, at a nominating convention less than 24 hours before the filing deadline. He won the 2014 general easy with 64% and Democrats aren't running anyone yet.
Senate District 5
Registration: D 10733, R 12581, N 14179, total 37571, R +1848
Tim Kraayenbrink (R), holdover
House District 9
Registration: D 6646, R 5027, N 6390, total 18111, D +1619
Helen Miller (D), incumbent
Miller has been mostly safe since first winning in 2002, other than a fluke close race in wave year 2010, and was unopposed in 2014. The Republican is apparent Some Dude Gary Waechter:
Some Dude: Some candidates start out with certain built-in advantages: They already hold office, they have personal wealth, or they have a prominent public profile. Some Dude has none of these. If you Google Some Dude’s name, you’ll find very little information-probably just the news article or blog post where they were first mentioned as a possible candidate. A good hint you’re dealing with a Some Dude is that they’re described as an “activist” or “Tea Party member” in press accounts. Note: Some Dudes sometimes win!
House District 10
Registration: D 4087, R 7554, N 7789, total 19460, R +3467
Mike Sexton (R), incumbent
Sexton, who served a turn of the century Senate term, walked into this seat in 2014 with no primary and just a Libertarian in the general when two-term hard right Republican Tom Shaw retired. He's still walking.
Senate District 6
Registration: D 9857, R 13507, N 15149, total 38595, R +3650
Mark Segebart (R), incumbent
Segebart, then a county supervisor, won a three way 2012 primary for a new seat and beat a serious Democratic bid by Democrat Mary Bruner. This year the race drops right off the charts.
House District 11
Registration: D 4235, R 7131, N 6854, total 18247, R +2896
Gary Worthan (R), incumbent
Worthan has been comfortable since winning a December 2006 special and overwhelmed his last Democratic opponent with 74% in 2010.
Democrat Sara Huddleston was on the Storm Lake city council for 12 years but lost her re-election race last November. Not obvious from the name but Huddleston is Hispanic, so another one where the Trump Factor could boost turnout, and where a Latina candidate could help the top of the ticket. So even though this is the #82 Democratic seat, 50 State Strategy at its best,
House District 12
Registration: D 5622, R 6376, N 8295, total 20348, R +754
Brian Best (R), incumbent
Best knocked off two term Democrat Dan Muhlbauer in 2014, returning the old Rod Roberts seat to the GOP column. Democrats are running deputy sheriff Ken Myers, who drew attention as a 2012 Democratic National Convention speaker. This is the #53 Democratic seat so will likely be a targeted race, and Dems have done well with deputy sheriffs (see senators Steve Sodders and Kevin Kinney).
Senate District 7
Registration: D 11291, R 9005, N 9776, total 30177, D +2286
Rick Bertrand (R), holdover
Special Election alert: On the off chance that Bertrand's primary challenge to Steve King succeeds, this would be a prime opportunity for a late 2016/early 2017 Democratic gain. Also note: the hot King-Bertrand primary means a lot of independents and Democrats will be crossing over into the GOP contest, and that ripples into other races most notably Patty Judge vs. Rob Hogg.
House District 13
Registration: D 5362, R 4897, N 5053, total 15372, D +465
Chris Hall (D), incumbent
Hall is just 30 yet seeking is 4th term. He won an open seat in 2010 when Democrat Roger Wendt retired in ill health, then survived the only two incumbent Democrat vs. Republican general election pairup in 2012 (one-term GOP Rep. Jeremy Taylor landed on the Board of Supervisors in 2014) and easily beat a weak Republican in 2014.
Republican Shaun Broyhill won a 2013 school board election but resigned before taking his seat when an outstanding warrant bit him in the butt.
House District 14
Registration: D 5929, R 4108, N 4723, total 14805, D +1821
OPEN - Dave Dawson (D) retiring
We all have our process pet peeves. Mine are sore losers; if you buy into a primary process, you buy into the outcome. Also: If you're voting in a primary or a caucus and asking "how soon can I switch back," you aren't acting in good faith and should wait till the general election. Sorry not sorry.
Desmoinesdem of Bleeding Heartland's pet peeve is smooth handoffs - last second legislative retirements accompanied by announcements from the anointed successor. So her brain about exploded this week when three Democratic legislators retired in the final 48 hours before deadline.
Dawson steps down after two terms and the chosen one is police officer Timothy Kacena - there's that deputy sheriff thing again. Republicans are running Robert Henderson, a teacher who lost a 2015 school board race. Kacena is likely the favorite in the #28 Democratic seat.
Senate District 8
Registration: D 10180, R 9659, N 11260, total 31293, D +521
Michael E. Gronstal (D), incumbent
Governor Gronstal is the general in Iowa's biggest battle of all, bigger than even the presidential race: control of the state senate. Gronstal has held the majority by one vote through two cycles, blocking Terry Branstad's career-end fantasies of making Iowa into Scott Walker's Wisconsin.
So Gronstal in general is Undesirable Number One. As for Gronstal in particular, three Republicans are facing off in a primary for the right to fight the heavyweight champ.
Al Ringgenberg is back. The retired military officer was highly touted in 2012 but underperformed both in votes (45%) and especially in fundraising. He faces another military vet, Dan Dawson, and bar owner/party activist Mark Hansen.
House District 15
Registration: D 5254, R 4161, N 5673, total 15184, D +1093
Charlie McConkey (D), incumbent
Labor guy McConkey gained this seat against the Republican tide of 2014, as GOP incumbent Mark Brandenburg was elected county recorder after two House terms. Bill Riley, seeking to regain the seat for the Republicans, seems to be a Republican party activist.
House District 16
Registration: D 4926, R 5498, N 5587, total 16109, R +572
Mary Ann Hanusa (R), incumbent
This seat is right on the bubble of House control: #49 for the Democrats. Hanusa, who worked in the Bush 43 White House, held this seat for the GOP in 2010 when party switcher Doug Struyk retired late.
Democrats look to be making a serious effort with Steve Gorman, a firefighter. That's the other go-to occupation in Democratic candidate recruitment, see also senators Jeff Danielson and Chris Brase.
Senate District 9
Registration: D 9018, R 14764, N 12042, total 35886, R +5746
Jason Schultz (R), holdover
House District 17
Registration: D 4583, R 7619, N 6376, total 18617, R +3036
Matt W. Windschitl (R), incumbent
The Legislature’s leading Gun Guy won the seat by knocking off Paul Wilderdyke in a 2006 primary challenge from the right. Democrat Jan Creasman, a former West Harrison school board member, won 39% against Windschitl in 2008 and is making a second try.
House District 18
Registration: D 4435, R 7145, N 5666, total 17269, R +2710
Steven Holt (R), incumbent
Holt was the chosen successor when Schultz moved over to the Senate in 2014 and easily dispatched a Some Dude student who didn't get the message and ran in the primary. Democrats made a game effort but Holt won with 69%, enough to scare off opposition for now.
Senate District 10
Registration: D 9671, R 16031, N 15868, total 41696, R +6360
Jake Chapman (R), incumbent
Chapman had an all but free ride when this Dallas County and west exurbs district was new in 2012, with a weak primary rival and an uncontested general. Democrats are making their first attempt with Matt Paladino, a lab tech who feels like a self-starter. This is the 8th most Republican seat, not a likely spot for Mike Gronstal to play offense when he has to play so much defense.
House District 19 Registration: D 5102, R 9452, N 8551, total 23182, R +4350
Ralph C. Watts (R), incumbent
Watts was first elected to a new seat in 2002, and massive population growth cut his district in half in 2012, leaving him with just north and west Dallas County. Democrat Ken Herring held Watts to 58% in 2012, but he was unopposed in `14.
Democrat Bryce Smith, a young (early 20s) small business owner, has been up and running for almost a year and seems to be taken seriously by House leadership. But this race is very tough in the 12th most Republican seat.
House District 20
Registration: D 4569, R 6579, N 7317, total 18514, R +2010
Clel Baudler (R), incumbent
Retired state trooper Clel Baudler is Good Ole Boy in a district that's changed a LOT since he was elected in 1998, trending urban and exurban. Democrats have held him under 60% the last two cycles, so even though this is the 29th most Republican seat, Baudler feels like an under performer and it looks like Democrats take this race seriously. Scott Heldt has been a campaign and legislative staffer and worked with the Iowa Renewable Energy Association, so if nothing else he'll run a good race on tough turf.
Senate District 11
Registration: D 8430, R 18474, N 13604, total 40597, R +10044
Tom Shipley (R), holdover
House District 21
Registration: D 3812, R 8295, N 7116, total 19249, R +4483
Tom Moore (R), incumbent
Moore took over in a special election after the death of long time GOP Rep. Jack Drake and is unopposed for his first full term.
House District 22
Registration: D 4618, R 10179, N 6488, total 21348, R +5561
Greg Forristall (R), incumbent
Forristall is in the 6th most Republican district and has drawn primary challenges in the past. This year his primary opponent wins the prize for Most Epic Filing Photo:
Bryan Jack Holder (R) files to run for #ialegis HD 22 in Pottawattamie County pic.twitter.com/qMAQNjRcBM
— Iowa Sec. of State (@IowaSOS) March 18, 2016
Assuming Forristall survives the musket fire, he has a free ride in November.
Senate District 12
Registration: D 7166, R 18133, N 11783, total 37153, R +10967
Mark Costello (R), incumbent
House District 23
Registration: D 3833, R 9566, N 6011, total 19454, R +5733
David Sieck (R), incumbent
House District 24
Registration: D 3333, R 8567, N 5772, total 17699, R +5234
Cecil Dolecheck (R), incumbent
This is Joni Ernst's home turf and her win prompted two special elections. Costello, who won the House 23 seat when it was new, moved over to the Senate to finish Ernst's term. That caused another special, which Sieck won.
Dolecheck is the only legislative veteran here, first elected in 1996. He drew one of the many unsuccessful primary challenges in 2012.
All these seats are among the reddest in the state and likely to remain unchallenged by the Democrats, as they were last cycle.
Senate District 13
Registration: D 12101, R 15398, N 13924, total 41515, R +3297
Julian B. Garrett (R), holdover
House District 25
Registration: D 5625, R 8228, N 7264, total 21162, R +2603
Stan Gustafson (R), incumbent
This seat has seen primaries every cycle since it opened up on Jodi Tymeson's 2010 retirement. The issue seems to be a rivalry between Warren and Madison Counties.
Tymeson was Madison-based but the subsequent winners have been from Warren.
After incumbent Garrett went to the Senate to replace the disgraced and indicted Kent Sorenson in 2013, Gustafson won the seat three times in six months. He beat former Madison County supervisor Joan Acela at the nominating convention, easily won the special election itself, then beat Acela again in the 2014 primary.
That was the fourth loss for Acela (who had lost to Garrett in 2010 and 2012 primaries), and she has finally given up. Instead, teacher Tim Mohs will try to take the seat back for Madison County. The winner faces Van Meter Democrat Justin Knight who looks like a self starter in a seat that's #77 for the Dems.
House District 26
Registration: D 6476, R 7170, N 6660, total 20353, R +694
Scott Ourth (D), incumbent
Ourth is a strong candidate in a borderline seat, #52 for the Dems. He won in 2012 after losing an upset in 2010 to fluke one term tea partier Glen Masie. In equally tough 2014 Ourth beat police officer James Butler with 54%.
Republicans seem to be less serious this cycle, running the interestingly named Rebel Snodgrass, an aluminum siding guy and party activist.
Senate District 14
Registration: D 9930, R 13417, N 12723, total 36124, R +3487
Amy Sinclair (R), incumbent
Sinclair, then a county supervisor, won a three way primary in 2012 when this seat was sort of new and sort of open. (Former GOP leader Paul McKinley lived in the lines but it was changed a lot and he retired.) Democrats made a game effort but this south central Iowa turf is just a little too tough and Sinclair won with 61%. They're leaving Sinclair alone this time.
House District 27
Registration: D 4744, R 6307, N 5812, total 16890, R +1563
Joel Fry (R), incumbent
Fry knocked off Democrat Mike Reasoner in one of 2010’s upsets. Democrats looked like they were making a serious run in 2014 with Osceola mayor Fred Diehl but Fry stomped him with 67%. Undeterred, Democrats are trying again with Rich Higdon, a farmer and retired Air Force officer. This seat is #68 on the Democratic depth chart.
House District 28
Registration: D 5186, R 7110, N 6911, total 19234, R +1924
Greg Heartsill (R), incumbent
Heartsill won this seat when it was new in 2012 and then faced an abortive (see what I did there) primary challenge last cycle that was abandoned over residence issues.
This is a heavy lift as the #71 Democratic seat, but Heartsill is one of the loonier and most extreme House Republicans. Democrat Megan Suhr is stepping aside after two unsuccessful runs, but Heartsill annoys Democrats enough to inspire two candidates. Lois DeWaard is a counselor specializing in animal communications, and Mary Duffy of Knoxville seems to be a party activist.
Senate District 15
Registration: D 13844, R 13423, N 13877, total 41296, D +421
Chaz Allen (D), holdover
House District 29
Registration: D 7124, R 5710, N 6977, total 19850, D +1414
Daniel Kelley (D), incumbent
Realtor Kelley was a late replacement candidate in Newton in 2010 after incumbent Democrat Paul Bell died. Police officer Wes Breckinridge was also a candidate at that nominating convention, and now is running a primary challenge.
The winner faces Republican Patrick Payton, who won 46% against Kelley in 2014.
House District 30
Registration: D 6720, R 7713, N 6900, total 21446, R +993
Zach Nunn (R), incumbent
Altoona has been a revolving door seat. Hard-right Republican Kim Pearson knocked off conservaDem Geri Huser in 2010, then quit after one term. Democrat Joe Riding won in 2012, but got knocked off by Zach Nunn of Bondurant,by a pretty solid 56-44% margin.
Riding, hoping for better results in the presidential year, is making a comeback attempt.
Senate District 16
Registration: D 14976, R 7275, N 9509, total 31935, D +7701
OPEN: Dick L. Dearden (D), retiring
The history of east Des Moines legislative districts is marked by multi-way primaries on the rare occasions that a district opens up, followed by years of quiet general elections as the legislators gain seniority and become legislative legends.
This is one of those rare occasions. Dearden won a five-way 1994 primary which he won with 44% and was barely bothered after. (Second place went to Ruth Ann Gaines, who had to wait 16 years for another chance; keep reading.)
Dearden is hoping to hand the seat off to his daughter, Pam Dearden Conner, who's worked for the state labor commissioner and Polk County elections (if the name Mauro means anything to you). But she has a strong opponent in labor attorney Nate Boulton, who leads in fundraising. (I'm completely biased in favor of Boulton here, as he volunteered for me long ago when he was in high school.)
This is the only Democratic state senate primary and whoever survives has either a free ride in the fall or a late self starter in the fifth best Democratic seat.
House District 31
Registration: D 7448, R 4673, N 5273, total 17476, D +2775
Rick Olson (D), incumbent
Like I said: The history of east Des Moines legislative districts is marked by multi-way primaries on the rare occasions that a district opens up, followed by years of quiet general elections as the legislators gain seniority and become legislative legends.
When 32 year incumbent John Conners retired in 2004, Olson led a six way primary field with 30%, and won the subsequent convention (35% is required for a nomination). Not much has happened since and nothing is happening now.
House District 32
Registration: D 7528, R 2602, N 4236, total 14459, D +4926
Ruth Ann Gaines (D), incumbent
A couple days before the 2010 filing deadline, incumbent Wayne Ford announced his retirement and endorsed Gaines, who wound up with no primary opposition. Gaines has easily beaten Republican and Libertarian Some Dudes since.
Senate District 17
Registration: D 16276, R 6695, N 9243, total 32387, D +9581
Tony Bisignano (D), holdover
House District 33
Registration: D 7848, R 3120, N 4522, total 15564, D +4728
Brian Meyer (D), incumbent
Meyer, then on the Des Moines city council, won this seat in a 2013 special after Kevin McCarthy's resignation, and had no opposition for his first full term.
Meyer faces a primary challenge from Jim Addy of political data firm Mapping Strategies. The Republicans, who literally chose their 2012 challenger to McCarthy from the audience at the nominating convention, aren't trying.
House District 34
Registration: D 8428, R 3575, N 4721, total 16823, D +4853
Bruce L. Hunter (D), incumbent
Hunter won a hurry-up January 2003 special and has been safe ever since. He beat a late starting Republican with 65% in 2014 and is thus far unopposed.
Senate District 18
Registration: D 16971, R 7205, N 9073, total 33433, D +9766
Janet Petersen (D), incumbent
After six terms in the House, Petersen was handed a perfect Senate district on Map Day 2011, and easily dispatched a fringe candidate in 2012. It votes on the presidential cycle, leaving her free in governor-cycle years for... whatever may happen. Lots of opportunities for a veteran legislator who's still only 44.
House District 35
Registration: D 7481, R 2235, N 3715, total 13510, D +5246
Ako Abdul-Samad (D), incumbent
Ako took over in 2006 when Ed Fallon ran for governor, and drew primary rivals early in his career, but has now comfortably settled in and is going unchallenged.
House District 36
Registration: D 9490, R 4970, N 5358, total 19923, D +4520
Marti Anderson (D), incumbent
Anderson won a well-contested 2012 primary when Peterson went to the Senate.
Two Some Dudes are competing in the GOP primary for the right to lose. Derek Tidball is an army vet who ran for Congress as an independent in Arizona in 2008, losing (duh) to Gabby Giffords of all people. Some Dudes with names like Scott Miller are impossible to search reliably.
Senate District 19
Registration: D 12995, R 17213, N 13631, total 44052, R +4218
Jack Whitver (R), holdover
This Is Where Your District Went
Registration: D 6434, R 10106, N 7366, total 24028, R +3672
John Landon (R), incumbent
John Landon was a controversial convention winner by one vote when this seat was new - as in newly constructed out of cornfields during the previous decade - in the 2012 redistricting. It was a six way primary and he had finished third with just 16.5%. Despite that inauspicious start, he drew no primary challengers in 2014 or 2016.
Democrat Andrea Phillips is a homemaker who's been active on the Hillary Clinton campaign. This district is tough - #87 district for Democrats - but having one more candidate out there can't hurt the top of the ticket in a high growth high turnout area.
House District 38
Registration: D 6561, R 7107, N 6265, total 20024, R +546
Kevin Koester (R), incumbent
With Joan Acela of Madison County and David Johnson of Cedar County finally giving up, the contest for Most Persistent Failed Candidate has narrowed to two.
Ames Libertarian Eric Cooper has lost eight in a row (seven for the legislature and one for governor). Since Libertarians don't run in the primary, we won't hear from him till the August general election filing period.
But I'd place my bet on Brett Nelson of Saylorville. He's tried for this seat, and its predecessors, in the 1998, 2000, 2002, 2012, and 2016 primaries, and in 2014 he lost a primary to Senator Jack Whitver. He generally gets 10 to 15% of the vote.
Nelson gets the edge because he's stepped up his game to two losses a year. (Which does not seem to have hurt Monica Vernon.) After losing in 2012 and 2014 in the primary, he filed against the same opponents again as a sore loser independent in the general election.
This primary is likely to be Nelson's ninth straight loss, giving him the edge over Cooper. Cooper can tie in the fall, but Nelson can grab the lead again with another independent run.
All this almost makes me feel sorry for Nelson's nemesis, Kevin Koester, who won this seat in 2008, naturally beating Nelson in the primary. I say ALMOST because this seat is critical to House control. It's the more Democratic half of Ankeny and #48 for the Democrats. Heather Matson is clearly a top tier candidate and Democrats will push hard to win this seat.
So if Nelson can make that independent run and pull 4% away from Koester, like he did in 2012, that's be cool. On principle I oppose Sore Loser runs, but in his case I'll make an exception. Come on, Brett, you have your record to think about.
Senate District 20
Registration: D 12948, R 17491, N 12889, total 43498, R +4543
Brad Zaun (R), incumbent
2014 was even a tougher loss for Brad Zaun than 2010. In 2010 everyone knew there would be another chance, either against Leonard Boswell or, as it turned out, when Tom Latham retired. But that second chance blew up in an upset, multi-ballot convention that came down to Zaun vs. Anyone But Zaun. The generational change in the seat from Latham to David Young now makes Zaun an also-ran.
Zaun hinted at challenging Young in this year's primary, and for a while worked on changing the law to set up a runoff system to replace Iowa's convention system. But both ideas fizzled and Zaun is settling for another run for his Senate seat.
He faces Democrat Miyoko Hijiki. Even though the numbers are tough for Hijiki, It'll be interesting to see Iowa's leading Donald Trump supporter running against someone with a foreign sounding name, especially when she's a military vet who grew up in Cedar Rapids.
House District 39
Registration: D 6231, R 9710, N 7302, total 23338, R +3479
Jake Highfill (R), incumbent
Highfill was, under bizarre circumstances and apparently without a thorough vetting, the only one of a dozen GOP primary challengers to knock off an incumbent (Erik Helland) in 2012, and was almost the only incumbent knocked off in a 2014 primary. He lucked out because he drew two opponents who split the vote, winning with just 46%.
So it's not good news for Highfill that he has just one primary challenger, opthalmologist Christian DenOuden.
Johnston is very tough turf for a Democrat (the #85 Democratic seat) but Highfill underperformed in 2012 and Democrats are ready with nurse Maradith Morris. Still tough, and probably beyond reach if DenOuden is able to knock off Highfill. One of those unusual situations where the incumbent is probably the weaker candidate.
House District 40
Registration: D 6717, R 7781, N 5587, total 20160, R +1064
John Forbes (D), incumbent
Forbes holds one of the tougher seats for Democrats (#59 on party registration) but won a second term with a decent 55% against a late starting opponent in 2014.
Still, Forbes is a promising enough target that two Republicans want to challenge here. Eric South and Scott Reed both seem like party activists with few online tracks. Republican readers, help me out here.
Senate District 21
Registration: D 17538, R 12387, N 10155, total 40317, D +5151
Matt McCoy (D), holdover
House District 41
Registration: D 10727, R 4968, N 4485, total 20298, D +5759
Jo Oldson (D), incumbent
Oldson won a three way primary for this seat in 2002 and now faces a primary challenge from Eddie Mauro, who brings family ties and a prominent record as a baseball coach. The winner has a free ride so far in the fall. Oldson crushed a Green Party opponent (the only Green candidate in the state) in `14.
House District 42 Registration: D 6811, R 7419, N 5670, total 20019, R +608
Peter Cownie (R), incumbent
Cownie hasn't really been tested since he won this as an open seat 55%-42% in 2008. He drew a Some Dude opponent in 2014, and his 2010 and 2012 opponents BOTH dropped out too late to get their names off the ballot.
But even as just a name on the ballot with no campaign, the 2012 Democrat drew 43%, so there's a strong base here. Claire Celsi owns a PR firm - a lot of overlap with campaign skills there - and has deep community roots. So Cownie has a target on his back, both for taking back the House AND to stifle the higher ambitions he's known to have.
Senate District 22
Registration: D 12480, R 16764, N 13994, total 43392, R +4284
Charles Schneider (R), incumbent
Schneider was on the West Des Moines City Council in 2012 when incumbent Republican Pat Ward died, three weeks before Election Day. Schnieder won a hurry-up special a month after the general election, beating Desmund Adams, who now is pursuing the 3rd CD nomination.
In his first general election - seems odd, after he's served four full sessions - Schneider faces banking underwriter Andrew Barnes. Democrats were making a serious effort with Adams in 2012, in part because they thought the relatively moderate Ward was vulnerable to her conservative primary challenger. But Barnes is probably a lot lower on Mike Gronstal's depth chart.
House District 43
Registration: D 7067, R 7537, N 5267, total 19942, R +470
Chris Hagenow (R), incumbent
Hagenow has had two nailbiters in presidential years: he won his first race in 2008 by a razor close 91 votes, and in 2012 beat Susan Judkins by just 23.
Democrats looked like they might get a primary here, but 2014 state auditor candidate Jonathan Neiderbach stepped aside and Dems are going with Drake journalism professor Jennifer Konfrst (who needs to buy a vowel for her last name). She has deep district roots; mom Berry Glover is on the Windsor Heights city council and dad is Iowa journalism legend Mike Glover. This seat is critical to both parties and will be fiercely fought. In contrast...
House District 44
Registration: D 5413, R 9227, N 8727, total 23450, R +3814
Rob Taylor (R), incumbent
...this district probably won't be fought at all. This is the other This Is Where Your District Went, in high-growth eastern Dallas County. Taylor walked into the seat without a primary when it was new in 2012, and easily beat a credible Democrat. 2014 was uncontested in both primary and general.
Senate District 23
Registration: D 13771, R 10676, N 11572, total 36282, D +3095
Herman C. Quirmbach (D), holdover
House District 45
Registration: D 6910, R 4992, N 5734, total 17768, D +1918
Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D), incumbent
Wessel-Kroeschell won a four-way primary when this seat opened up in 2004 and has been relatively comfortable since. She'll face the winner of a GOP primary between Sondra Childs-Smith and Diane Waddy Romero. And probably a second fall opponent, since persistent Libertarian Eric Cooper lives here.
House District 46
Registration: D 6861, R 5684, N 5838, total 18514, D +1177
Lisa Heddens (D), incumbent
Heddens went to the House in 2002 when a whole bunch of Ames area seats turned over. No one else is running yet.
Senate District 24
Registration: D 11459, R 13720, N 14770, total 40063, R +2261
Jerry Behn (R), incumbent
Behn, in the Senate since 1996 and one of several Spinal Tap drummers who took a turn as senate minority leader, won with 56.5% in 2012. He faces attorney Keith Puntenney, one of the landowners suing over the Bakken pipeline, so look for activists on that issue to get involved here.
House District 47
Registration: D 5921, R 6523, N 7487, total 19976, R +602
Chip Baltimore (R), incumbent
Baltimore upset Democrat Donovan Olson in 2010 and won the rematch in 2012 by a bigger margin, then drew a weaker opponent in 2014.
Based on party registration, this would be seat #50 for the Democrats, and two Boone Dems are lined up to face Baltimore: county party chair George Ensley and Deb Duncan, who works in small business development.
House District 48
Registration: D 5538, R 7197, N 7283, total 20087, R +1659
Rob Bacon (R), incumbent
Sherrie Taha, the 2014 Democratic candidate for Secretary of Agriculture, was by far the weakest candidate I've ever seen run for major office in Iowa and the worst public speaker I've seen run at any level. I often wondered if we would have been better off just leaving Bill Northey alone.
This cycle, Taha is not leaving Rob Bacon alone, in the #32 GOP/#69 D seat. Bacon did two years in the Senate before getting paired up with Bill Dix and switching to the House, where he was unopposed in 2014. Plus he has the nice committee name Friends Of Bacon, which is pretty much everyone I know.
Senate District 25
Registration: D 8515, R 16411, N 14251, total 39296, R +7896
Bill Dix (R), holdover
House District 49
Registration: D 4701, R 7551, N 7342, total 19683, R +2850
Dave Deyoe (R), incumbent
Deyoe, first elected in 2006, beat the same opponent back to back in 2012 and 2014 and has thus far deterred opposition.
House District 50
Registration: D 3814, R 8860, N 6909, total 19613, R +5046
Pat Grassley (R), incumbent
For months - no, years - I was watching for the Last Second Switcheroo Scenario: On deadline day, Grandpa does not file for the US Senate and Grandson does. I lowered the odds periodically, but always imagined it.
I was wrong on that one. Chuck has his hands more full than usual this year with two credible opponents and a Supreme Court vacancy. Pat, meanwhile, has six more years to build the resume; he's also rumored for Secretary of Agriculture if and when Bill Northey steps down.
Redistricting gave Pat a pairup that he won in an epic primary against Annette Sweeney and, once that was done, a top ten Republican seat. Democrat Doris Fritz is back for more punishment after losing to Grassley 74-26% in 2014.
Senate District 26
Registration: D 11155, R 11578, N 16396, total 39175, R +423
Mary Jo Wilhelm (D), incumbent
Now we're getting serious. Democrats absolutely need to re-elect Wilhelm to keep control of the Senate. She won a tough race by 126 votes in 2012, when redistricting paired her up with Merlin Bartz. This cycle Republicans have recruited Waylon Brown, business owner and county Farm Bureau VP.
Democrats are lucky that several of their tougher seats are even-numbered and land on the higher turnout presidential cycle. And the context flows into the presidential primary; when "establishment" Dems talk about party building and helping down-ballot candidates, they mean people like Wilhelm, and boosting college town turnout doesn't help that.
House District 51
Registration: D 5132, R 6238, N 7849, total 19241, R +1106
OPEN - Josh Byrnes (R),retiring
Byrnes gained this seat in 2010 when six term Democrat Mark Kuhn stepped down.Neither side has a primary so we go straight to the general with Democrat Tim Hejhal, a high school principal, and Republican Jane Bloomingdale, the Northwood mayor (she also has an independent run for a courthouse office in the past).
House District 52
Registration: D 6023, R 5340, N 8547, total 19934, D +683
Todd Prichard (D), incumbent
Prichard was a comfortable special election winner when Brian Quirk quit immediately after getting re-elected in 2012, and was unopposed in 2014. He faces Republican Stacie Stokes, an educator who seems to be from the liberty wing of the party.
Senate District 27
Registration: D 10723, R 13175, N 15348, total 39298, R +2452
Amanda Ragan (D), holdover
House District 53
Registration: D 6624, R 4681, N 8099, total 19436, D +1943
Sharon Steckman (D), incumbent
Steckman took this seat from the GOP in 2008 when Bill Shickel retired. This year she faces Cerro Gordo Republican chair Barbara Hovland.
House District 54
Registration: D 4099, R 8494, N 7249, total 19862, R +4395
Linda L. Upmeyer (R), incumbent
One more Iowa gender barrier broken by a Republican woman who leaves Democrats seething. In her first re-election race as the first female House speaker, Upmeyer can focus on keeping order - and keeping 51 seats without worrying about an opponent of her own.
Senate District 28
Registration: D 10469, R 13608, N 13582, total 37735, R +3139Michael Breitbach (R), incumbent
Even tough the Democrats held 26 seats in 2012, this one broke Democrats' hearts. Breitbach, who'd lost a 2010 House race, beat ex-rep John Beard by just 17 votes.
So this will be one of the few places where Mike Gronstal is on offense. Democrats are running human services coordinator Jan Heikes. With hot races on the House side as well, look for the northeast corner to be very busy.
House District 55
Registration: D 5520, R 6567, N 6497, total 18620, R +1047
OPEN - Darrel Branhagen (R), retiring
Branhagen took this seat over in 2014 when longtime Democrat Roger Thomas, who'd been hurt in redistricting and barely held on in 2012, retired. But it seems Branhagen only had one term in him.
Both parties have primaries. Republicans will choose between Alex Popenhagen of Elgin and Muchael Bergan of West Union. Dems have former county supervisor Steve McCargar of Decorah and attorney/ex-Marine Pat Ritter of West Union.
Ritter looks like the House leadership's favorite but in districts like this, the friends and neighbors factor is big; whoever can get their town to turn out better wins. Either way, this is seat #58 for Dems and 43 for Republicans, so it'll be a targeted race.
House District 56
Registration: D 4949, R 7041, N 7085, total 19115, R +2092
Patti Ruff (D), incumbent
Ruff, a former school board member, has the most Republican House seat held by a Democrat, the #73 Democratic district by registration. She knocked off one term Republican Bob Hager in 2012 when redistricting split his base. Now Kristi Hager, Bob's spouse, is trying to take the seat back for the Republicans. But first she has to get past a primary with Lowell Engle of Harpers Ferry, who started late in 2014 and lost to Ruff 54-44%.
Senate District 29
Registration: D 14392, R 11468, N 16817, total 42756, D +2924
Tod R. Bowman (D), holdover
House District 57
Registration: D 7376, R 6424, N 8198, total 22050, D +952
OPEN - Nancy Dunkel (D),retiring
Dunkel walked into the rural Dubuque County seat without primary OR general election opposition in 2012, and easily beat a weak Republican and a Libertarian in 2014.
Dunkel was one of the last second retirements and she helped recruit/anoint banker Tom Stecher. Republicans were caught unaware but got Shannon Lundgren, who had been running for the Board of Supervisors, to switch to this race. This is the #34 Democratic seat so Stecher has an edge, and a head start because he'd been tipped off.
House District 58
Registration: D 7016, R 5044, N 8619, total 20706, D +1972
OPEN - Brian Moore, R, retiring
This is the most Democratic seat (#25) in GOP hands and thus the best shot at a Democratic pickup. Moore, who had lost a Democratic Senate primary in 2010, switched parties, shocked everyone be knocking off incumbent Tom Schueller, then won a 2012 rematch. But he had to have figured his luck would eventually run out.
Yet surprisingly, it's Republicans, not Democrats, who have the primary.
Attorney Andy McKean of Anamosa served in the Senate and House in the 80s and 90s, and then later on the Jones County Board of Supervisors. I worked for his 1992 opponent and remember McKean had the only round yard signs I've ever seen. He faces convenience store owner Joshua Sundstrom of rural Mechanicsville and Bellevue city council member Allen Ernst. Different towns, rural seat... watch that Friends And Neighbors vote.
The winner will see Bernard Democrat Peter Hird in the fall in a race both Democrats and labor (Hird is an IBEW member) will target.
Senate District 30
Registration: D 12236, R 12639, N 14211, total 39278, R +403
Jeff Danielson (D), incumbent
First elected in 2004, Danielson is a perennial GOP target, surviving a 2008 recount against Walt Rogers by two dozen votes. He faces Bonnie Sadler, a pharmacy company executive.
House District 59
Registration: D 6076, R 5388, N 7002, total 18584, D +688
Bob Kressig (D), incumbent
Kressig is a perpetual target in Cedar Falls. His 2014 win with 55% was actually one of his easier races. This cycle's GOP challenger, Drew Speer, seems a little Some Dude-ish.
House District 60
Registration: D 6160, R 7251, N 7209, total 20694, R +1091
Walt Rogers (R), incumbent
One to watch: Both candidates here had higher ambitions at one time, and dropped 1st Congressional District bids in favor of this seat.
Rogers first won this seat in 2010 after losing a very close 2008 Senate race to Jeff Danielson. He was up and running for Congress in 2014, but dropped out late before the primary.
Democrat Gary Kroeger had been running for the congressional nomination this cycle. The former Saturday Night Live cast member hadn't been getting much traction as the third wheel in the Vernon-Murphy rematch, but as a legislative candidate he's a strong contender, and he seems to have gotten a lot of points from other Democrats for switching to this race. That should help keep Kroger on the priority list in the #60 Democratic seat.
Senate District 31
Registration: D 15554, R 6411, N 12363, total 34492, D +9143
William A. Dotzler Jr. (D), holdover
House District 61
Registration: D 7093, R 3947, N 6383, total 17503, D +3146
Timi Brown-Powers (D), incumbent
This has been a revolving door seat, with five members since 2004. When Anesa Kajtazovic stepped down in 2014 to run for Congress, Brown-Powers took 68% in a three way primary and easily beat Republican Nathan Bolton (not to be confused with Senate 16 candidate Nate Boulton, a Democrat). Brown-Powers is unopposed so far.
House District 62
Registration: D 8461, R 2464, N 5980, total 16989, D +5997
OPEN Deborah L. Berry (D) retiring
Last time this seat was open, Berry, finished first in a four way 2002 primary. But she only won 33%, short of the 35% required. The district then saw two (!) special nominating conventions with some underlying race issues before Berry finally emerged as the nominee after the second convention.
Maybe it feels a little unfair. But with that history you can almost see why when Berry retired she did it at the last second with a smooth handoff, announcing the day before the deadline just as the chosen