As the DLCC kicks off the ‘Summer of the States‘, a major focus will be flipping both chambers of the Arizona legislature in November
WASHINGTON — Today, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) announced seven 2024 Spotlight candidates in Iowa running to combat Republican extremism running rampant in the state’s majorities. Republican power in the House and Senate has posed grave threats to Iowans’ fundamental freedoms, and the following candidates provide opportunities to return strong Democrats and flip competitive seats.
The Spotlight candidates unveiled today in Iowa are:
- Rep. Josh Turek (HD-20)
- Heather Sievers (HD-40)
- Tiara Mays-Sims (HD-43)
- Aime Wichtendahl (HD-80)
- Matt Blake (SD-22)
- Sen. Eric Giddens (SD-38)
- Nannette Griffin (SD-50)
Dangerous extremism in the Iowa legislature has been on full display over the past several sessions and Iowa Democrats have been on the frontlines of the fight against the extreme and out-of-touch legislation coming out of the GOP majorities, including when Democrats stopped a dangerous IVF personhood bill earlier this year. The voices of these Spotlight candidates will be instrumental in that fight as Democrats work to change the trajectory of their state.
This announcement continues the momentum of the “Summer of the States” campaign that was launched this week to call attention to the critical window to build the infrastructure for Democrats to push past Republican efforts and boost our chances for victory in November. These strong Iowa candidates join hundreds of candidates who are mounting campaigns in every corner of the country to build Democratic power and counter MAGA control of state legislatures.
DLCC Board Member and Iowa House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst issued the following statement:
“Iowans are tired of politics and want lawmakers to listen and do what’s best for them. They’ve watched the Governor and GOP lawmakers here in Iowa focus on division and partisanship while ignoring the struggles they face everyday in real life. I’m so proud of the candidates who have stepped up this year to bring balance back to the Iowa Legislature and put people over politics.”
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued the following statement:
“Iowa Republicans made national headlines this year for their egregious threats to reproductive rights, and Democrats have the candidates this year to fight back and win targeted races. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is proud to announce our Spotlight candidates in Iowa, whose fierce support of fundamental freedoms and democracy will be instrumental for combatting the GOP agenda.
“These candidates represent some of the best opportunities to build Democratic power in Iowa amidst major GOP threats and we’re thrilled to uplift these bold candidates. As the only committee setting the agenda for the national landscape of state legislatures, our long-term strategy to build Democratic power includes highlighting champions of fundamental freedoms in every corner of the country. Victory for these Iowa candidates would put the state on a brighter path and the DLCC is excited to shine a light on their stories.”
The DLCC is the official arm of the Democratic Party with the sole mission of building Democratic power in the states and setting the national agenda at the state level. Over the last decade, we have fought cycle-over-cycle to gain a dozen new legislative chamber majorities and we are leading the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
###
