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2016 Iowa House Elections | |
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Primary | June 7, 2016 |
General | November 8, 2016 |
2016 Election Results | |
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2016 Elections | |
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All 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives were up for election in 2016. Republicans gained two seats in the November 2016 general election.
A Ballotpedia analysis identified the Iowa State House as one of 20 battleground chambers in the November 2016 election. These are the chambers where one party might have, realistically, toppled the other party from its position of majority control.
This election was one of Ballotpedia's top 10 state-level races in 2016.
Click here to read the full list.
Elections for the Iowa House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 18, 2016.
Heading into the election, the Republican Party held the majority in the Iowa House of Representatives:
Iowa House of Representatives | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of November 7, 2016 | After November 8, 2016 | |
Democratic Party | 43 | 41 | |
Republican Party | 57 | 59 | |
Total | 100 | 100 |
Thirteen incumbents did not run for re-election in 2016. Those incumbents were:
Name | Party | Current Office |
---|---|---|
John Kooiker | Republican | House District 4 |
Ron Jorgensen | Republican | House District 6 |
David Dawson | Democratic | House District 14 |
Josh Byrnes | Republican | House District 51 |
Darrel Branhagen | Republican | House District 55 |
Nancy Dunkel | Democratic | House District 57 |
Brian Moore | Republican | House District 58 |
Deborah Berry | Democratic | House District 62 |
Kraig Paulsen | Republican | House District 67 |
Sally Stutsman | Democratic | House District 77 |
Thomas Sands | Republican | House District 88 |
Linda Miller | Republican | House District 94 |
Quentin Stanerson | Republican | House District 95 |
2016 Iowa House general election candidates | |||
---|---|---|---|
District | Democrat | Republican | Other |
1 | No candidate | John Wills (I) | |
2 | No candidate | Megan Jones (I) | |
3 | Mason McCoy: 2,848 | Daniel Huseman: 12,096 (I) | |
4 | No candidate | Skyler Wheeler: 9,815 | Jeff VanDerWerff: 5,838 (Unaffiliated) |
5 | Patrick Ritz: 3,445 | Charles Holz: 11,774 (I) | |
6 | Perla Alarcon-Flory: 5,086 | Jim Carlin: 9,655 | |
7 | Dave Grussing: 5,608 | Tedd Gassman: 9,665 (I) | |
8 | Nancy Huisinga: 4,701 | Terry Baxter: 10,078 (I) | |
9 | Helen Miller: 7,461 (I) | Gary Waechter: 5,562 | |
10 | No candidate | Mike Sexton (I) | |
11 | Sara Huddleston: 4,475 | Gary Worthan: 8,279 (I) | |
12 | Ken Myers: 4,369 | Brian Best: 10,349 (I) | |
13 | Chris Hall: 7,027 (I) | Shaun Broyhill: 4,365 | |
14 | Timothy Kacena: 5,365 | Robert Henderson: 5,126 | |
15 | Charlie McConkey: 5,424 (I) | Bill Riley: 5,056 | |
16 | Steve Gorman: 5,120 | Mary Ann Hanusa: 6,847 (I) | |
17 | Jan Creasman: 3,866 | Matt Windschitl: 10,712 (I) | |
18 | No candidate | Steven Holt (I) | |
19 | Bryce Smith: 6,597 | Ralph Watts: 10,393 (I) | |
20 | Scott Heldt: 4,006 | Clel Baudler: 7,204 (I) | Bob Boyle: 1,498 (L) Ryan Ketelsen: 985 (Unaffiliated) |
21 | No candidate | Tom Moore (I) | |
22 | No candidate | Greg Forristall (I) | |
23 | Craig Florian: 4,061 | David Sieck: 10,068 (I) | |
24 | No candidate | Cecil Dolecheck (I) | |
25 | Justin Knight: 5,850 | Stan Gustafson: 11,280 (I) | |
26 | Scott Ourth: 9,122 (I) | Rebel Snodgrass: 7,769 | |
27 | Rich Higdon: 3,885 | Joel Fry: 9,478 (I) | |
28 | Martin Duffy: 5,230 | Greg Heartsill: 9,593 (I) | |
29 | Wesley Breckenridge: 7,903 | Patrick Payton: 5,831 | Dan Kelley: 1,758 (Stand Up To Bullies) |
30 | Joe Riding: 6,999 | Zach Nunn: 11,442 (I) | |
31 | Rick Olson: 7,160 (I) | Matt Christoffersen: 5,027 | Joe Gleason: 794 (L) |
32 | Ruth Ann Gaines: 7,142 (I) | Bill Charlier: 2,920 | Seth Bartmess: 466 (L) |
33 | Brian Meyer: 7,785 (I) | No candidate | Jeremy Tomlinson: 2,373 (L) |
34 | Bruce Hunter (I) | No candidate | |
35 | Ako Abdul-Samad: 6,458 (I) | No candidate | Jocelyn Fry: 2,057 (L) |
36 | Marti Anderson: 10,348 (I) | Scott Miller: 5,853 | |
37 | Andrea Phillips: 8,954 | John Landon: 12,059 (I) | |
38 | Heather Matson: 7,264 | Kevin Koester: 8,793 (I) | Jeff Meyers: 610 (L) Brett Nelson: 183 (Unaffiliated) |
39 | Maridith Morris: 8,549 | Jake Highfill: 11,492 (I) | |
40 | John Forbes: 9,660 (I) | Scott Reed: 7,332 | |
41 | Jo Oldson (I) | No candidate | |
42 | Claire Celsi: 7,948 | Peter Cownie: 9,065 (I) | |
43 | Jennifer Konfrst: 8,273 | Chris Hagenow: 8,809 (I) | |
44 | No candidate | Rob Taylor (I) | |
45 | Beth Wessel-Kroeschell: 9,036 (I) | Sondra Childs-Smith: 5,730 | Eric Cooper: 1,277 (L) |
46 | Lisa Heddens (I) | No candidate | |
47 | Deb Duncan: 5,983 | Chip Baltimore: 9,165 (I) | |
48 | Sherrie Taha: 5,397 | Robert Bacon: 9,829 (I) | |
49 | Mickie Franklin: 4,382 | Dave Deyoe: 9,315 (I) | John Evans: 1,126 (L) Mike Knox: 741 (Unaffiliated) |
50 | Doris Fritz: 3,901 | Pat Grassley: 11,493 (I) | |
51 | Tim Hejhal: 5,647 | Jane Bloomingdale: 9,408 | |
52 | Todd Prichard: 8,160 (I) | Stacie Stokes: 6,847 | |
53 | Sharon Steckman: 8,977 (I) | Barbara Hovland: 5,869 | |
54 | No candidate | Linda Upmeyer (I) | |
55 | Pat Ritter: 6,697 | Michael Bergan: 8,943 | |
56 | Patti Ruff: 6,605 (I) | Kristi Hager: 7,910 | |
57 | Tom Stecher: 8,249 | Shannon Lundgren: 9,023 | |
58 | Jessica Kean: 6,296 | Andy McKean: 9,078 | |
59 | Bob Kressig: 8,567 (I) | Drew Speer: 4,891 | Nick Taiber: 2,319 (Ind.) |
60 | Gary Kroeger: 7,267 | Walt Rogers: 10,115 (I) | |
61 | Timi Brown-Powers (I) | No candidate | |
62 | Ras Smith: 7,113 | Todd Obadal: 3,354 | John Patterson: 797 (Unaffiliated) |
63 | Teresa Meyer: 6,644 | Sandy Salmon: 9,927 (I) | |
64 | Bruce Bearinger: 8,288 (I) | Zach Schulz: 5,912 | |
65 | Liz Bennett: 9,724 (I) | Harry Foster: 4,881 | |
66 | Art Staed (I) | No candidate | |
67 | Mark Seidl: 6,749 | Ashley Hinson: 11,248 | |
68 | Molly Donahue: 7,921 | Ken Rizer: 9,317 (I) | |
69 | Kirsten Running-Marquardt (I) | No candidate | |
70 | Todd Taylor: 8,877 (I) | Steven Van Fleet: 5,698 | Dave Cork: 1,050 (L) |
71 | Mark Smith (I) | No candidate | |
72 | Nathan Wrage: 5,841 | Dean Fisher: 9,397 (I) | |
73 | No candidate | Bobby Kaufmann (I) | |
74 | Dave Jacoby (I) | No candidate | |
75 | Paula Denison: 4,924 | Dawn Pettengill: 10,448 (I) | |
76 | Jacob Tornholm: 5,907 | David Maxwell: 9,754 (I) | |
77 | Amy Nielsen: 10,217 | Royce Phillips: 7,461 | |
78 | No candidate | Jarad Klein: 10,138 (I) | Joshua Miller: 2,790 (L) |
79 | No candidate | Guy Vander Linden (I) | |
80 | Levi Grenko: 5,009 | Larry Sheets: 8,557 (I) | Garrett Byrd: 497 (L) |
81 | Mary Gaskill (I) | No candidate | |
82 | Curt Hanson (I) | No candidate | |
83 | Jerry Kearns (I) | No candidate | |
84 | Carrie Duncan: 4,225 | David Heaton: 9,636 (I) | |
85 | Vicki Lensing (I) | No candidate | |
86 | Mary Mascher (I) | No candidate | |
87 | Dennis Cohoon (I) | No candidate | |
88 | Ryan Drew: 5,469 | David Kerr: 8,619 | |
89 | Jim Lykam (I) | No candidate | |
90 | Cindy Winckler (I) | No candidate | |
91 | Phil Wiese: 6,229 | Gary Carlson: 7,293 (I) | |
92 | Ken Krumwiede: 6,782 | Ross Paustian: 8,676 (I) | |
93 | Phyllis Thede: 8,470 (I) | Kurt Whalen: 7,865 | |
94 | No candidate | Gary Mohr | |
95 | Richard Whitehead: 7,085 | Louis Zumbach: 9,868 | |
96 | Matt Hanlon: 4,950 | Lee Hein: 9,276 (I) | |
97 | Jeff Wolf: 6,202 | Norlin Mommsen: 9,345 (I) | David Melchert Jr.: 1,247 (L) |
98 | Mary Wolfe: 8,547 (I) | Jeannine Eldrenkamp: 4,306 | |
99 | Abby Finkenauer (I) | No candidate | |
100 | Charles Isenhart (I) | No candidate | |
Notes:
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Ballotpedia identified six notable Iowa state primary races in 2016, five of which were state House contests.
Click here to read more about Ballotpedia's coverage of notable Iowa races »
The average margin of victory for contested races in the Iowa House of Representatives in 2016 was lower than the national average. Out of 100 races in the Iowa House of Representatives in 2016, 70 were contested, meaning at least two candidates competed for that seat in the general election. The average margin of victory across these races was 24.5 percent. Across contested single-winner state legislative elections in 2016, the average margin of victory was 29.01 percent.[2]
Republican candidates in the Iowa House of Representatives saw larger margins of victory than Democratic candidates in 2016. Republicans won 59 races. In the 47 races where a winning Republican faced a challenger, the average margin of victory was 25.9 percent. Democrats won 41 races in 2016. In the 23 races where a winning Democrat faced a challenger, the average margin of victory was 21.6 percent. |
More Republican candidates than Democratic candidates saw margins of victory that were less than 10 percentage points. 12 of the 70 contested races in 2016—17.1 percent—saw margins of victory that were 10 percent or less. Five races saw margins of victory that were 5 percent or less. Republicans won seven races with margins of victory of 10 percent or less. |
Iowa House of Representatives: 2016 Margins of Victory Less than 10 Percent | ||
---|---|---|
District | Winning Party | Margin of Victory |
District 14 | D | 2.3 percent |
District 15 | D | 3.5 percent |
District 26 | D | 8.0 percent |
District 38 | R | 9.1 percent |
District 42 | R | 6.6 percent |
District 43 | R | 3.1 percent |
District 52 | D | 8.7 percent |
District 56 | R | 9.0 percent |
District 57 | R | 4.5 percent |
District 68 | R | 8.1 percent |
District 91 | R | 7.9 percent |
District 93 | D | 3.7 percent |
The average margin of victory for incumbents in the Iowa House of Representatives who ran for re-election and won in 2016 was lower than the national average. 85 incumbents who ran for re-election in 2016 won. The average margin of victory for the 56 winning Iowa House of Representatives incumbents who faced a challenger in 2016 was 26 percent. The average margin of victory for all winning incumbents in contested single-winner state legislative elections in 2016 was 31.8 percent. |
Republican incumbents in the Iowa House of Representatives saw larger margins of victory than Democratic incumbents. 48 Republican incumbents won re-election. In the 37 races where a winning Republican incumbent faced a challenger, the average margin of victory was 27.7 percent. 37 Democratic incumbents won re-election. In the 19 races where a winning Democratic incumbent faced a challenger, the average margin of victory was 22.8 percent. |
Iowa House of Representatives: 2016 Margin of Victory Analysis | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Elections won | Average margin of victory[3] | Races with incumbent victories | Average margin of victory for incumbents[3] | Unopposed incumbents | Unopposed races | Percent unopposed |
Democratic | 41 | 21.6 percent | 37 | 22.8 percent | 18 | 18 | 43.9 percent |
Republican | 59 | 25.9 percent | 48 | 27.7 percent | 11 | 12 | 20.3 percent |
Total | 100 | 24.5 percent | 85 | 26.0 percent | 29 | 30 | 30.0 percent |
Click [show] on the tables below to see the margin of victory in Iowa House of Representatives districts in 2016.
Iowa House of Representatives: 2016 Margin of Victory by District | ||
---|---|---|
District | Winning Party | Margin of Victory |
District 1 | R | Unopposed |
District 2 | R | Unopposed |
District 3 | R | 61.9 percent |
District 4 | R | 25.4 percent |
District 5 | R | 54.7 percent |
District 6 | R | 31.0 percent |
District 7 | R | 26.6 percent |
District 8 | R | 36.4 percent |
District 9 | D | 14.6 percent |
District 10 | R | Unopposed |
District 11 | R | 29.8 percent |
District 12 | R | 40.6 percent |
District 13 | D | 23.4 percent |
District 14 | D | 2.3 percent |
District 15 | D | 3.5 percent |
District 16 | R | 14.4 percent |
District 17 | R | 47.0 percent |
District 18 | R | Unopposed |
District 19 | R | 22.3 percent |
District 20 | R | 23.4 percent |
District 21 | R | Unopposed |
District 22 | R | Unopposed |
District 23 | R | 42.5 percent |
District 24 | R | Unopposed |
District 25 | R | 31.7 percent |
District 26 | D | 8.0 percent |
District 27 | R | 41.9 percent |
District 28 | R | 29.4 percent |
District 29 | D | 13.4 percent |
District 30 | R | 24.1 percent |
District 31 | D | 16.4 percent |
District 32 | D | 40.1 percent |
District 33 | D | 53.3 percent |
District 34 | D | Unopposed |
District 35 | D | 51.7 percent |
District 36 | D | 27.8 percent |
District 37 | R | 14.8 percent |
District 38 | R | 9.1 percent |
District 39 | R | 14.7 percent |
District 40 | D | 13.7 percent |
District 41 | D | Unopposed |
District 42 | R | 6.6 percent |
District 43 | R | 3.1 percent |
District 44 | R | Unopposed |
District 45 | D | 20.6 percent |
District 46 | D | Unopposed |
District 47 | R | 21.0 percent |
District 48 | R | 29.1 percent |
District 49 | R | 31.7 percent |
District 50 | R | 49.3 percent |
District 51 | R | 25.0 percent |
District 52 | D | 8.8 percent |
District 53 | D | 20.9 percent |
District 54 | R | Unopposed |
District 55 | R | 14.4 percent |
District 56 | R | 9.0 percent |
District 57 | R | 4.5 percent |
District 58 | R | 18.1 percent |
District 59 | D | 23.3 percent |
District 60 | R | 16.4 percent |
District 61 | D | Unopposed |
District 62 | D | 33.4 percent |
District 63 | R | 19.8 percent |
District 64 | D | 16.7 percent |
District 65 | D | 33.2 percent |
District 66 | D | Unopposed |
District 67 | R | 25.0 percent |
District 68 | R | 8.1 percent |
District 69 | D | Unopposed |
District 70 | D | 20.4 percent |
District 71 | D | Unopposed |
District 72 | R | 23.3 percent |
District 73 | R | Unopposed |
District 74 | D | Unopposed |
District 75 | R | 35.9 percent |
District 76 | R | 24.6 percent |
District 77 | D | 15.6 percent |
District 78 | R | 56.8 percent |
District 79 | R | Unopposed |
District 80 | R | 25.2 percent |
District 81 | D | Unopposed |
District 82 | D | Unopposed |
District 83 | D | Unopposed |
District 84 | R | 39.0 percent |
District 85 | D | Unopposed |
District 86 | D | Unopposed |
District 87 | D | Unopposed |
District 88 | R | 22.4 percent |
District 89 | D | Unopposed |
District 90 | D | Unopposed |
District 91 | R | 7.9 percent |
District 92 | R | 12.3 percent |
District 93 | D | 3.7 percent |
District 94 | R | Unopposed |
District 95 | R | 16.4 percent |
District 96 | R | 30.4 percent |
District 97 | R | 18.7 percent |
District 98 | D | 33.0 percent |
District 99 | D | Unopposed |
District 100 | D | Unopposed |
The calendar below lists important dates for political candidates in Iowa in 2016.
Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Deadline | Event type | Event description | |
February 29, 2016 | Ballot access | Primary candidate filing period opens | |
March 18, 2016 | Ballot access | Primary candidate filing period ends | |
May 19, 2016 | Campaign finance | Report due covering January 1 through May 14 | |
June 3, 2016 | Campaign finance | Special supplementary report due for certain contributions | |
June 7, 2016 | Election date | Primary election | |
July 19, 2016 | Campaign finance | Report due covering May 15 through July 14 | |
August 1, 2016 | Ballot access | General election candidate filing period opens | |
August 19, 2016 | Ballot access | General election candidate filing period ends | |
October 19, 2016 | Campaign finance | Report due covering July 15 through October 14 | |
November 4, 2016 | Campaign finance | Special supplementary report due for certain contributions | |
November 8, 2016 | Election date | General election | |
January 19, 2017 | Campaign finance | Report due covering October 15 through December 31 | |
Sources: Iowa Secretary of State, "Three Year Election Calendar," accessed June 5, 2015 Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, "Reporting Dates," accessed June 5, 2015 |
In 45 of the 100 districts up for election in 2016, there was only one major party candidate running for election. A total of 28 Democrats and 17 Republicans were guaranteed election barring unforeseen circumstances.
Two major party candidates faced off in the general election in 55 of the 100 districts up for election.
Nine incumbents faced primary competition on June 7. Twelve incumbents did not seek re-election in 2016 and another 79 incumbents advanced past the primary without opposition.
Thirteen incumbent representatives did not run for re-election, while 87 (87.0 percent) ran for re-election. A list of those incumbents, four Democrats and nine Republicans, can be found above.
There were 6,057 seats in 87 chambers with elections in 2014. All three aspects of Ballotpedia's Competitiveness Index—the number of open seats, incumbents facing primary opposition, and general elections between partisan candidates—showed poor results compared to the prior election cycle. States with elections in 2014 held fewer general elections between partisan candidates. Additionally, fewer incumbents faced primary opposition and more incumbents ran for re-election than in recent years.
Since 2010, when the Competitiveness Index was established, there had not been an even-year election cycle to do statistically worse in any of the three categories. See the following chart for a breakdown of those scores between each year.
Overall Competitiveness | |||
---|---|---|---|
2010 | 2012 | 2014 | |
Competitiveness Index | 36.2 | 35.8 | 31.4 |
% Open Seats | 18.6% | 21.2% | 17.0% |
% Incumbent with primary challenge | 22.7% | 24.6% | 20.1% |
% Candidates with major party opposition | 67.3% | 61.7% | 57.0% |
The following table details Iowa's rates for open seats, incumbents that faced primary challenges, and major party competition in the 2014 general election.
Iowa General Assembly 2014 Competitiveness | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
% Open Seats | % Incumbent with primary challenge | % Candidates with major party opposition | Competitiveness Index | Overall rank |
12.0% | 7.3% | 50.4% | 23.2 | 37 |
Uncontested elections: In 2014, 32.8 percent of Americans lived in states with an uncontested state senate election. Similarly, 40.4 percent of Americans lived in states with uncontested house elections. Primary elections were uncontested even more frequently, with 61 percent of people living in states with no contested primaries. Uncontested elections often occur in locations that are so politically one-sided that the result of an election would be a foregone conclusion regardless of whether it was contested or not.
Open seats: In most cases, an incumbent will run for re-election, which decreases the number of open seats available. In 2014, 83 percent of the 6,057 seats up for election saw the incumbent running for re-election. The states that impose term limits on their legislatures typically see a higher percentage of open seats in a given year because a portion of incumbents in each election are forced to leave office. Overall, the number of open seats decreased from 2012 to 2014, dropping from 21.2 percent in 2012 to 17.0 percent in 2014.
Incumbent win rates: Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of elections between 1972 and 2014 documented the high propensity for incumbents to win re-election in state legislative elections. In fact, since 1972, the win rate for incumbents had not dropped below 90 percent—with the exception of 1974, when 88 percent of incumbents were re-elected to their seats. Perhaps most importantly, the win rate for incumbents generally increased over time. In 2014, 96.5 percent of incumbents were able to retain their seats. Common convention holds that incumbents are able to leverage their office to maintain their seat. However, the high incumbent win rate may actually be a result of incumbents being more likely to hold seats in districts that are considered safe for their party.
Marginal primaries: Often, competitiveness is measured by examining the rate of elections that have been won by amounts that are considered marginal (5 percent or less). During the 2014 election, 90.1 percent of primary and general election races were won by margins higher than 5 percent. Interestingly, it is usually the case that only one of the two races—primary or general—will be competitive at a time. This means that if a district's general election is competitive, typically one or more of the district's primaries were won by more than 5 percent. The reverse is also true: If a district sees a competitive primary, it is unlikely that the general election for that district will be won by less than 5 percent. Primaries often see very low voter turnout in comparison to general elections. In 2014, there were only 27 million voters for state legislative primaries, but approximately 107 million voters for the state legislative general elections.
The following chart shows how many candidates ran for State House in Iowa in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in State House races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests.[4]
Iowa House of Representatives Donations | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Candidates | Amount |
2014 | 181 | $12,624,559 |
2012 | 216 | $13,979,655 |
2010 | 201 | $13,403,613 |
2008 | 211 | $15,457,284 |
2006 | 176 | $10,920,476 |
The map below shows the average contributions to 2014 candidates for state houses. The average contributions raised by state house candidates in 2014 was $59,983. Iowa, at $69,749 per candidate, is ranked 12 of 45 for state house chambers with the highest average contributions. Hover your mouse over a state to see the average campaign contributions for that state’s house candidates in 2014.[4][5]
The Iowa Constitution states: "No person shall be a member of the house of representatives who shall not have attained the age of twenty-one years, be a citizen of the United States, and shall have been an inhabitant of this state one year next preceding his election, and at the time of his election shall have had an actual residence of sixty days in the county, or district he may have been chosen to represent."[6]