Last Day, First Wave

Last Day, First Wave

The Secretary of State offers a 3:43 P.M. list, with 77 minutes before the deadline. While they data enter the last, I'll get started; we're gonna do this liveblog style!

Francis Thicke as expected is officially in as a Democratic challenger to Secretary of Ag Bill Northey (R).

A third Democrat in Senate District 13 (Open, Roger Stewart leaving): Paul Feller.

Michael Adams of Bondurant is the 3rd Republican in Senate 21 joining Wes Enos and Joe Pirillo; winner drawws Dennis Black.

This will get ugly: "right to life" (sic) activist Dave Leach, who had nice stuff to say about the murderer of Dr. George Tiller, filed on the GOP side to challenge Sen. Matt McCoy (D) the only out Iowa legislator in Senate 31.

In Davenport, Republicans now have two Senate 43 candidates named Mark: Riley joins Holloway.

Not quite enough districts to go around in Sioux City: three Republicans in House 2. Ryan Bradshear we expected, Bobby Riordan is a new name.

Also a third Republican in House 8 (the Mertz seat) as Alissa Wagner joins Steve Richards and Tom Shaw. A little more division won't hurt the Dems there...

Of course the big news for our locals is John Stellmach's primary challenge to Dave Jacoby (D-Coralville) in House 30. My email has been clogging all afternoon; Stellmach is an AFSCME guy and 1991 City High grad who works at UIHC.

Getting clobbered in the November 09 special isn't stopping Republican Josh Thurston from a second challenge to Dem Kirsten Running-Marquardt in House 33.

Former Dem Dawn Pettengill files for her second full term as a Republican in House 39... but where's the other turncoat, Doug Struyk, in House 99? I see the name of Mary Ann Hanusa, the 2006 last-second replacement candidate for Secretary of State, on the Republican line there!

Two developments in open House 51 (Rod Roberts' seat) On the D side, Manning school board member Larry Lesle. On the R side, Don Bernholtz joins Joel Pawletzki.

Rematch: Dem Alan Koslow is making a second run against Republican Peter Cownie in House 60.

Rematch: Dave Heaton (R-Mt Pleasant) files again; Dem Ron Fedler again challenging.

Primary Rematch: Rep. Jim Van Engelenhoeven (R-Pella) files again and is getting primaried by adoption activist Marc Held; Van E. won that primary three to one last cycle and will probably face 2008 Dem Pat Van Zante again...

A GOP primary in House 89: Chris Canny of Wellman will face off against 2008 nominee Jarad Klein, who narrowly lost to Dem Larry Marek.

2008 state senate candidate and Council Bluffs school board mamber Mark Brandenburg was supposed to be All That against Mike Gronstal; didn't happen, didn't come close. Now he's taking on Dem Paul Shomshor in House 100.