Today is the deadline for candidates seeking statewide or legislative offices to file nomination papers with Iowa’s Secretary of State.
One of the candidates filing nomination papers late this week was Democrat Patty Judge, who filed her papers Thursday.
She’s already held the Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Agriculture offices, and served in the State Senate.
Judge is running against incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Charles Grassley. First, she faces a June primary election against three fellow Democrats: State Senator Rob Hogg, former State Senator Tom Fiegen, and former State Representative Bob Krause, who also want the party’s nomination to run against Grassley. Hogg and Fiegen filed their papers several weeks ago. Krause filed his Friday afternoon.
Two of Iowa’s incumbent Republican Congressmen are facing opposition from within their own political party to even get on November’s ballot for re-election.
One of them is Fourth District Congressman Steve King, who is serving his 14th year in the House of Representatives, and seeking another two years.
Sioux City State Senator Rick Bertrand is challenging Congressman King in June’s Republican primary election.
In addition to Sioux City, northwest Iowa’s Fourth Congressional district includes Ames, Mason City, Fort Dodge, and a wide expanse of more rural communities.
The other Republican Congressman who must first get through a primary election against a fellow Republican is David Young. He’s in the final year of his freshman term, and is being challenged by former elementary school physical education teacher Joe Grandanette of Des Moines.
Two years ago, when Fourth District Republicans were choosing their candidate for the seat being vacated by then incumbent Tom Latham, Congressman Young defeated Grandanette and other contenders in an open nominating convention.