Wood announces in House 92

Wood announces in House 92

House District 92 isn't up till a week from Monday on District of the Day, but former senator Frank Wood has moved my deadline up by announcing his candidacy. The Eldridge Democrat is likely to face freshman Ross Paustian, R-Walcott.

Wood spent six four years in the Senate representing western Scott County before losing to Shawn "Go Home" Hamerlinck in 2008. Wood ran county-wide in 2010, losing a supervisor race but running slightly ahead of the other two Democrats in a vote-for-three swept by the GOP.

This seat in northwest Davenport and western Scott County, which changes little in redistricting, is closely divided, leaning slightly Democratic. It's changed parties twice in three cycles. Democrat Elesha Gayman had the seat for two terms, beating GOP incumbent Jim (Dad) Van Fossen in 2006 and Paustian in 2008. Gayman announced her retirement days before the 2010 filing deadline. Democrat Sheri Carnahan made a serious effort, but Paustian had never stopped running after 2008 and won with 57%.

In what's becoming a pattern, Wood is the third defeated Democratic Senator to announce for a House seat, joining Bill Heckroth and Rich Olive.

(As for District of the Day, the rough draft is now finished through District 50, 99 and 100. I've been doing almost nothing but redistricting since Map Day, and suggestions about What Next within the limited travel budget of the Deeth Blog Mobile News Unit are welcome.)