Iowa Sen Chaz Allen drops 2018 re-election bid

Iowa Sen. Chaz Allen, D-Newton, unexpectedly announced Friday morning he was dropping out of his 2018 re-election bid for the Iowa Senate.

Jasper County Party Chairwoman Michelle Smith confirmed Allen's departure in a phone interview Friday. Smith said she was notified of Allen's decision just hours before the senator sent a letter out to Democrats Friday morning.
In the letter, Allen said he was leaving the Iowa Senate for a new "business opportunity."

“I am announcing today that because of a new business opportunity, I will not be seeking re-election to the Iowa Senate this November,” Allen wrote. “The end of this year will mark 14 years of elected service for me. That’s something I would have never thought possible 14.5 years ago. … As Teri, our daughters and I start a new chapter in our lives, we want to thank everyone for the opportunity to serve the people of Iowa.”

The letter also detailed what Allen considered his priorities while in office, such as passing the Drug Endangered Child Act into law, and focusing on job creation and “the right for women to make their own health care decisions.”

Smith said she had no prior knowledge of Allen’s plans and had not spoken with the senator as of 10:30 a.m. Friday. Smith met with fellow party leaders Friday to discuss a path forward. Allen has not responded to the Newton Daily News’ phone call for comment.

Allen was slated to face Newton Republican Tim Shay in Novemeber. His Senate seat encompasses Newton, the western half of Jasper County and extends into Polk County, including the Des Moines suburb of Altoona. Allen is the former mayor of Newton and just completed his first term in the Iowa Senate, elected in 2014.

This comes at a time when Democrats are struggling to regain control of the Iowa Senate, after losing the majority in the 2016 elections. Smith said the Jasper County Democrats are looking at several names who could fill the seat but none have yet been released.

The party had already planned to reconvene its county nominating convention Aug. 9 to vote on a replacement for Jasper County Attorney Mike Jacobsen, who was appointed to the Iowa District Court bench by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds earlier this month. The new convention will now also serve as a venue to nominate Allen’s replacement.

“We want to put our best foot forward,” Smith said. “We will reconvene our county convention, and the delegates will decide our nominee.”

Allen was scheduled to appear with fellow Democratic incumbent Rep. Wes Breckenridge of Newton, Saturday at Baxter’s Blue Ribbon Cafe to meet with constituents and voters. Allen posted about the event on his Facebook account as late as Thursday but did not attend the constituent coffee.

In an interview Friday, Breckenridge said Allen’s announcement “caught the party by surprise.”

When asked if he would consider putting his name in for the party’s new nomination for the Senate seat, Breckenridge said it’s still too early to tell.

“It’s so early on with what’s going on. I haven’t had the chance to look at it. I’m sure that (the Democratic party) will look at everything. There’s a lot to consider for that. As I move forward right now, I can’t give a hard ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ which direction I might go.”

Contact Mike Mendenhall at 641-792-3121 ext. 6530 or at mmendenhall@newtondailynews.com