Iowa GOP State Central Committee Sees Some Turnover

Caffeinated Thoughts has been provided the list of those elected to the Iowa GOP State Central Committee at the district conventions today.  Only half of the current committee will return.

Here is the new State Central Committee (those in  are incumbents):

First District

• Chelle Adkins
• David Chung
• Tim Busch
• Jennifer Smith

David Chung has served on the State Central Committee in the past so while is not an incumbent, he is not a newcomer. Eric Rosenthal did not run for re-election.

Second District

• Mariannette Miller-Meeks
• Jarad Klein
• Trudy Caviness
• David Barker 

Trudy Caviness has also served on the State Central Committee in the past. David Barker is a newcomer and I’m not familiar with him. Judy Davidson and David Hartsuch decided not to run.

Third District

The most turnover happened in the Third District who sent back only one incumbent.

• Dan Dawson
• Paul Dykstra
• Bill Gustoff
• Cheryl Weisheit

State Senator Dan Dawson (R-Council Bluffs) has been growing in popularity since his upset of former Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstall (D-Council Bluffs). Paul Dykstra has served on the State Central Committee in the past. Cheryl Weisheit is the co-chair of the Polk County Republican Party.

Ernie Rudolph and Heather Stancil who served on the State Central Committee lost re-election finishing 6th and 7th in the voting respectfully. Brenna Bird did not run for re-election.

Fourth District

• Kolby DeWitt
• Craig Williams
• Barbara Hovland
• Andy Cable

Kolby DeWitt is a well-known Republican activist in Northwest Iowa. Barbara Hovland also is well known and ran unsuccessfully against State Representative Sharon Steckman (D-Mason City) in Iowa House District 53. Gary Nystrom and John Thompson both lost re-election placing 5th and 6th respectfully.

Heartbeat Bill Resolution passed in Third District

Caffeinated Thoughts was also told that a resolution calling on the Iowa House to pass the Fetal Heartbeat Abortion Ban passed by voice vote. The resolution was based on a resolution that passed in the Polk County Republican Central Committee.

Here is the text of the Polk County resolution:

RESOLUTION TO SEND THE ATTACHED LETTER FROM THE POLK COUNTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER OF THE IOWA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ENCOURAGING THAT THE HEARTBEAT BILL BE BROUGHT TO THE FLOOR OF THE IOWA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR A VOTE.

WHEREAS, the right to life is a central tenet of the Republican Party and its members.

WHEREAS, the Iowa House of Representatives currently has an active bill that would serve to protect the sanctity of life in Iowa.

WHEREAS, the aforementioned bill, referred to as the “Heartbeat Bill”, has yet to be scheduled on the Iowa House calendar for debate and a vote in the Iowa House. 

WHEREAS, the Speaker of the Iowa House has the authority to bring the bill to the floor of the Iowa House for debate and a vote by the Iowa House.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Polk County Republican Party Central Committee, that the following letter be approved by this body, signed by its members, and delivered to the Office of the Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, encouraging the House Republicans to bring the “Heartbeat Bill” to the floor of the Iowa House for debate and a vote.

“Honorable Representative Upmeyer,

As Republicans, we proudly proclaim that we are members of the party that values the sanctity of human life. This is why we, as members of the Polk County Republican Central Committee, implore you to bring the Heartbeat Bill to the floor for a vote.

We ask that you would please give our representatives and all of your colleagues the opportunity to proclaim support for life in the 2018 legislative session.

Polk County Republicans implore you and your leadership team to be bold in the face of resistance from the left on this crucial issue. We believe that it is time to act for the sanctity of all life in Iowa. We believe that Republicans have an unprecedented opportunity to take a stand for the sanctity of life in legislative policy in a way that we have only been able to dream of before. We encourage you to allow Republican lawmakers to make that stand by bringing the Heartbeat Bill to the floor, and we encourage your colleagues to support it.

Respectfully,
We, the members of the Polk County Republican Party Central Committee”