Fourth Contender in House 36

McCormally Fourth Contender in House 36

First up: Yes, I know the Deeth Blog looks weird today. Trying to get to the bottom of the tech issues.

The line is starting to form around the block in open House District 36, a solid (registration edge over 4000) Democratic seat in northwest Des Moines that Janet Petersen is leaving for a pretty much sure thing Senate bid. And the world is so small that two contenders have ties to Attorney General Tom Miller's office.

Candidate 4 is John McCormally, a prosecutor in the office. (Johnson County folks will remember him from a couple stints as a staffer and from his radio days.) Another candidate, Marti Anderson, is the former director of the Crime Victim Assistance Division and is married to Bob Brammer, longtime Miller spokesperson. The other twocontenders are Cara Kennedy-Ode and William Rock.

Soon after Map Day, Kathie Obradovich noted that six names were in the mix. Four of them have since announced; the other two are Patty Link and Kent Sovern.

Again, to hammer this point home: if no candidate gets 35% in the primary, the nomination gets settled at a convention of central committee members from the district, the same way they do it for special elections. And if you were a "Republican for a day" in January or December or next week or whenever the caucuses are, you won't be at that convention.

Two More Democratic Announcements

Two More Democratic Announcements

A day after Cara Kennedy-Ode officially joins a a sure to be crowded primary field the race in heavily Democratic House District 36, another candidate, William Rock, joins the race. Incumbent Janet Petersen is going for a empty and friendly Senate seat.

And an incumbent announcement: "State Representative Mary Gaskill, D-Ottumwa, announced today that she will seek re-election to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2012. She will run in the new House District 81, which includes Ottumwa and the eastern part of Wapello County." Her turf is a solidly Democratic seat and a little-changed District Draws Itself, with Ottumwa at 82% of ideal House seat size. Republicans made their most serious effort in ages last cycle with Jane Holody, but Gaskill earned a 57% win.

Another Day, More Districts

Another Day, More Districts

Amidst the school election, a couple candidate announcements filtered up to the statewide media level yesterday:

Republican Mark Dix of Brooklyn (Flag City USA and Bruce Braley's home town) announced in no incumbent House District 76. That's all of Poweshiek COunty and most of Iowa County. Dems have recruited Grinnell city council member Rachel Bly and like their chances in a very closely divided district (registration edge D+217 on Map Day).

Cara Kennedy-Ode officially joins a a sure to be crowded primary field in heavily Democratic House District 36. Incumbent Janet Petersen is going for a empty and friendly Senate seat.

The Democratic nomination will be decisive here; only question is whether that's decided in the primary or, if no one gets 35 percent, at a party convention. Something to think about if you're considering Ed Fallon's advice to go to the GOP caucuses, since the central committee members and party delegates who decide such things are chosen on caucus night.