House Speaker Paulsen To Step Down

Iowa House Speaker Kraig Paulsen says he will not run for reelection in 2016.  The Hiawatha Republican says he will step down as Speaker at the start of the 2016 legislative session, and serve out the remainder of his two-year term. Paulsen has served in the Iowa House for 13 years. He served as Minority Leader from 2008 to 2010 and has been Speaker of the House since 2011.  He said in a statement that this is, “…the right time for me to step aside as leader and allow someone else to lead the caucus,”  Gov. Terry Branstad called Paulsen, “…one of the most effective legislative leaders I have had the privilege of working with at the state capitol”.