March 29, 2024

Heartsill sent back to capitol for second term in House District 28

KNOXVILLE — Iowa House District 28 Representative Greg Heartsill (R-Melcher-Dallas) easily surpassed Democratic challenger Megan Suhr, of Knoxville, in Tuesday night’s election. The campaign pit the Republican incumbent against a party-line Democrat in a conservative part of the state.

After the votes were totaled Tuesday, Heartsill said that he wanted to continue his small government agenda in Des Moines, but addressed issues like rural road and bridge infrastructure.

“My focus is growing Iowa’s economy and not Iowa’s government,” Heartsill said. “Tax reform and regulatory reform are key to the effort — continuing effort in human trafficking and dealing with public safety. Dealing with the aging population would be a third priority. Seniors in nutrition programs have to have adequate funding.”

The largely rural and conservative district 28 — which includes Jasper County south of Interstate 80 through Marion County — is a traditionally conservative part of the state which created an uphill climb for Suhr. Heartsill took 60 percent of the vote Tuesday to Suhr’s 39.9 percent. In actual votes, Heartsill tallied 7,063 to his challenger’s 4,702. This was Suhr’s second attempt at the house seat.

According to the Iowa Secretary of State Office’s voter registration information on Election Day, Republicans hold a 1,623 registered voter majority in house district 28. Independent or non-party voters outnumber both majorly parties in the district with 7,119 registered voters.

Heartsill did not only have the voter advantage in district 28, but he also had a large fundraising advantage to Suhr. The incumbent had $11,534 cash on hand going into Tuesday night’s vote. Suhr, who ran a boots-to-the-pavement style campaign, ended Oct. 31 with $1,139 in cash reserves available. The Democrat said she and her volunteers knocked on 1,100 doors in the district throughout the race.

Suhr said that she would not run again for the district 28 seat. She is concerned with “ballot drop-off” in electoral politics, where voters will cast their ballot in the big ticket races but neglect the state and local races.

“It was a Republican sweep in many races tonight,” Suhr said. “I think we’re in a tea party elbow of the state where women’s rights are not preferred, where gay marriage is not always welcome. We (Democrats) will come back in two years with a swing in the other direction.”