Did you know? Iowa Democratic women holding down undefeated primary streak
It’s well known and frequently remarked on that Iowa has never elected a woman as governor or to any federal office.
Despite that lack of ultimate success, however, female candidates for federal and statewide office in Iowa are actually undefeated in Democratic primaries dating back to 1988 – a fact that may be weighing on the minds of candidates for three high-profile races in 2014.
The last woman to run on the Democratic ticket for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, attorney general or secretary of agriculture and lose in a primary appears to be Mathilda Timmermans, who placed fourth in a four-way race for Iowa’s 6th Congressional Seat in 1988.
(The seat is now defunct, but at the time covered 23 northwest Iowa counties; ’88 primary winner Dave O’Brien ultimately lost to incumbent Republican Fred Grandy.)
Since then, 12 Democratic female candidates have run for Congress and won their primary, eight have run for statewide office and won and two more have run in the U.S. Senate primary and won.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20131224/NEWS09/312240106/Did-you-know-Iowa-Democratic-women-holding-down-undefeated-primary-streak
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Women have edge in Iowa Democratic primaries
As could-be candidates consider bids for two 2014 political races following high-profile departures last week, they may want to brush up on the history of one of Iowa’s weirdest political anomalies.
Although Iowa has never elected a woman to Congress or the governor’s office, female candidates are actually undefeated in Democratic primaries for federal or statewide office dating to 1988.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20131225/NEWS09/312250064/Women-have-edge-in-Iowa-Democratic-primaries?Frontpage