Iowa House Democrats elect new assistant leaders

The 56 Democrats in the Iowa House are meeting in private today in Grinnell.  They’ve elected two new assistant leaders to replace Representative Mike Reasoner, a Democrat from Creston who resigned from the job of assistant leader last spring, and (former) Representative John Whitaker, a Democrat from Hillsboro who resigned from the House to take a job in the U.S.D.A.  Whitaker is now serving as the head of the Farm Service Agency in Iowa.

Whitaker and Reasoner are being replaced by Representatives Dave Jacoby of Coralville and Sharon Steckman of Mason City.  (Read the news release below about Steckman & Jacoby.)

Representative Polly Bukta of Clinton remains as House Speaker Pro Tempore.  Representatives Ako Abdul-Samad of Des Moines and Representative Eleisha Gayman of Davenport remain as assistant leaders.  (Gayman has ruffled some feathers with her consulting work for the Iowa Federation of Labor, but she did not lose her leadership post.)

JACOBY, STECKMAN ELECTED AS ASSISTANT MAJORITY LEADERS

Des Moines, Iowa –At their fall planning caucus today in Grinnell, House Democrats elected State Representatives Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, and Sharon Steckman, D-Mason City, to be assistant majority leaders in the Iowa House of Representatives.

“It’s a great honor to be selected by my peers in the House to serve as Assistant Majority Leader.  I look forward to working together in January to balance the budget and create good-paying jobs for Iowans,” said Steckman.

“After her first year in the Iowa House, Rep. Steckman has earned the trust and respect of her colleagues.  She has impressed us all with her work ethic and strong voice for the people of Mason City,” said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines.

Rep. Steckman is serving her first term in the Iowa House.  She is a retired teacher and has two grown children.  She’s been an active volunteer in the Mason City for decades and is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

“I’m grateful to be elected to the House leadership team.  Over the last three years, we’ve made great progress expanding health care to all Iowa kids and keeping higher education affordable for Iowa families.  My new role will ensure the people in the Iowa City-Coralville-Cedar Rapids corridor have a strong voice in the Iowa House,” said Jacoby.

“I look forward to having Rep. Jacoby on the leadership team next session.  All Iowans will benefit from his commitment to job creation and support for middle class families,” said House Speaker Pat Murphy of Dubuque.

Rep. Jacoby is serving his fourth term in the Iowa House.  He is a small business owner who has served two terms on the Coralville City Council and was director of a job training initiative for 23 years.  He and his wife, Lynette, have two children, attend St. Thomas More Catholic Church, and live in Coralville.