Suburban and rural voters could decide Iowa House control
DES MOINES — Voters in Iowa’s suburbs and rural eastern counties figure to play a large role in deciding which political party controls the lawmaking agenda in the Iowa House over the next two years.
Democrats, who have not outnumbered Republicans in the Iowa House since 2010, believe a majority is within their grasp despite going into this fall’s midterm elections at an eight-seat disadvantage.
Democrats believe there are enough House districts in play — roughly two dozen — and that they can win enough races in order to surpass Republicans and gain an agenda-setting majority in the House.
Republicans acknowledge they face some political headwinds in the upcoming election, but feel they are well-positioned to maintain their majority.
The key races that are likely to decide who controls the Iowa House in 2019 and 2020 mostly are in suburban areas of the state’s biggest cities, and in rural counties in Eastern Iowa, especially along the Mississippi River.
Voters in those areas have been shifting their political allegiances in recent years, voting results show. How they vote this November could impact any number of races, including the collective race for control of the House.
“Some of those areas are coming back our direction or coming our direction,” said Rep. Mark Smith of Marshalltown, leader of the House Democrats. “Part of our (path to victory) is we win back places like that in the 2018 elections.”
https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government/suburban-and-rural-voters-could-decide-iowa-house-control-20180902