Swaim Not Running

Swaim Not Seeking Re-Election

Another Democratic redistricting pair is resolved as Bloomfield's Kurt Swaim announces he will not seek re-election in 2012.

The Davis County based Swaim was first elected in 2002 in old House 94, which was Davis, Appanoose and Wayne counties. In redistricting, he was paired with Curt Hanson of Fairfield in new 82.

In his newsletter, Swaim writes:

This decision is not of recent origin. I told some close friends and family members eighteen months ago that, if re-elected, the current term would, in all probability, be my last one.

I have been asked if the new redistricting had any effect on my decision. It really did not. My decision was largely decided before the maps were released. However, it is a far easier decision to make knowing that Curt Hanson, a colleague from Fairfield that I greatly respect and admire, has committed to run in the new district.

Swaim would have faced either a poor fit move to adjacent House 80 or a primary against Hanson on Hanson's turf. The new district has all of Van Buren and most of Jefferson County, including Fairfield, from Hanson's old seat, and only Davis from Swaim's.

Hanson would have had the ideological edge as well. He made friends across the state in his high-profile, high-dollar September 2009 special election win. Swaim, however, disappointed party faithful by voting with House Republicans for the anti-marriage equality amendment, while Hanson voted no along with most Democrats.

The new district leans slightly Republican, with a GOP registration edge of 326. That's almost the same as Hanson's current district.