The Iowa primaries are Tuesday, and there are several races on the ballot, ranging from local to federal. Four races deserve highlighting as they will be a good indicator of whether conservatives have had a good night. All the races will be graded on the tossup-tilt-lean-likely-safe scale.
SD 30: A matchup that has likely caught the attention of many readers of the Iowa Standard is the one between incumbent Waylon Brown and retired pharmacist Doug Campbell. Despite being outspent, Campbell’s relentless efforts have positioned him to potentially pull off an upset. If he succeeds, it would send a strong message to the establishment about the base’s stance on land seizure for carbon capture pipelines. However, Brown’s incumbency and financial advantage pose significant challenges, giving this race a rating of “lean Brown.”
HD 51: This race presents an intriguing matchup between the moderate Brett Barker and conservative Marty Chitty. Barker, a Nikki Haley supporter who has received Randy Feenstra’s endorsement, has managed to outpace Chitty in fundraising. This financial advantage, coupled with establishment support, has placed Barker in a solid position. However, an upset by Chitty is not out of the question. As it stands, this race is “lean Barker”.
HD 60: In 2022, incumbent Jane Bloomingdale narrowly held on in the primary and is facing another serious challenge this time around. The main two issues in this race are the carbon capture pipeline and Bloomingdale’s pro-abortion position. Her opponent, John Rosenfeld, has been leveraging both issues and running a more than credible campaign. Unfortunately, most establishment Republicans have not taken this chance to get rid of the most openly pro-abortion member of their caucus but have thrown their weight behind her. Most notably, Gov. Kim Reynolds has demonstrated that her pro-life position ends when Bruce Rastetter’s bottom line begins by enthusiastically endorsing Bloomingdale. So, while Rosenfeld still has a real shot, this race is “tilt Bloomingdale.”
HD 13: With Ken Carlson’s retirement, two Republicans are running for this seat. Travis Sitzmann, an insurance salesman, is running on a standard Republican platform. Noah Wiesler, on the other hand, is running on a Christian Conservative platform. Both candidates have fundraised well, and this race deserves a “tossup” label.
Looking at these races, we can conclude that conservatives face an uphill race in the primaries this Tuesday. However, that situation should not dissuade conservatives from doing all they can to win in these four races. All four of these races are within reach and will significantly impact the legislature for the next several sessions.
