District Convention — yes I am running

It is District Convention time. This Saturday, April 24th,  Republicans in Iowa's 2nd, 3rd and 5th congressional districts will hold their conventions. Next Saturday, May 1st, the 1st and 4th districts will hold their conventions.

Of course I live in Linn County in the 2nd CD. This promises to be a convention season unlike any in recent memory. Two things will make our convention especially interesting: 1) it sounds as if we may have as many as 12 candidates for state central committee 2) it seems likely to me that the convention will reconvene the night before the state convention in Des Moines in order to select a congressional candidate.

As far as the State Central Committee goes this will be an interesting election not just in the 2nd District. It sounds as if several current members have decided not to run. However the elections turn out statewide there will be a massive shakeup on the committee. In the second district it sound as if there may be as many as 12 people running for three seats. Jason Hutcheson is not running for re-election but the other two incumbents, Lisa Smith of Wapello County and Joni Scotter of Linn County are running for re-election. There may be as many as 4 or 5 running fro Linn County and two from Wapello County.

I have recently been receiving phone calls and e-mails asking about my intentions for this convention. I will put the speculation to rest — I will be running for State Central Committee. 

The other thing that will affect this convention is the congressional race. With four candidates, it seems likely that no candidate will receive the 35% of the primary vote necessary to win the nomination outright. As chairman of the rules committee, I suggested that the committee draft rules not just for this Saturday but for the possibility of a nominating convention. One of the interesting twists is that the Iowa Code does not require the convention to nominate any of the declared candidates — it really is a free-for-all.

Since the delegates may ultimately select the nominee, there has been unprecedented interested in this convention. For the first time in my memory, Linn County has filled it's delegation. We have never actually had as many paid delegates as we were allotted.