Today, current Waukee School Board member Dan Gehlbach, a small business owner, announced his candidacy for Iowa House District 46. As an Urbandale native and Urbandale High School graduate, Gehlbach has seen his community grow and thrive, especially in the last 16 years he has lived in the district. “HD 46 has been a great place to raise my family and to serve my community,” said Dan Gehlbach. “I am excited to be a strong voice for my neighbors and bring conservative values and leadership to the Capitol.” The new house district includes Urbandale, Woodward, and Granger (Dallas County), as well as the city of Grimes (Polk County).
Elected in 2019, Gehlbach is the most recent Vice-President of the Waukee Community School Board. Gehlbach has led the district through a newly adopted strategic plan, a 10-year facility plan, and has pushed for more transparency and responsible use of taxpayer dollars. “It has been an honor to serve my community and school district by being a voice of reason and logic during the pandemic,” said Dan Gehlbach. “I am proud that we ensured Waukee students had a 100% in person option and kept student masking optional this school year.”
Gehlbach and his wife Staci, have owned and operated Mathnasium Learning Center in West Des Moines since 2011. Mathnasium of West Des Moines is the #1 franchise location in a 6-state region and has helped hundreds of kids each year to catch up, keep up, and get ahead in math. “It has been rewarding to see so many students develop a love for math and truly change their lives,” Gehlbach said.
“My passion is education and seeing all students succeed and was the main reason I started my small business – to support students, with their parents, reach their academic potential,” said Dan Gehlbach. “Parents should be the preeminent decision-maker of their child’s education and deserve to have their voice heard and supported when it comes to their child’s education.” After observing the Waukee School District as a board member for the last two years, Gehlbach knows Iowa needs to support school choice so all Iowa families can make the best education decision for their children. Gehlbach will also fight to lower taxes to attract new and native Iowans to the state.
Dan and Staci have 2 daughters, who are excited to attend Des Moines Christian School next year and are active members at Eternity Church in Clive. “I am optimistic about the future for the district and for Iowa,” said Gehlbach. “I will be your voice, the right voice, for House District 46.”
Dan Gehlbach holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Kansas. Gehlbach also spent 2 years overseas in Japan as a high school teacher.
Thank God for raising up this young man and many other conservative, Godly candidates. May people get out and support and speak up for them and VOTE!