Iowa Senate district 41: Fairfield Mayor Ed Malloy considering it

A competitive Democratic primary may be coming in Iowa Senate district 41, one of the Democrats’ best pickup opportunities in next year’s state legislative elections. The district contains the population centers of Wapello and Jefferson counties, plus all of Davis and Van Buren counties. I’ve posted a map after the jump. The latest figures from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office indicate that the district contains 15,169 registered Democrats, 11,558 Republicans, and 13,698 no-party voters.

Last month Wapello County Supervisor Steve Siegel announced plans to run against first-term Republican Mark Chelgren, a surprise winner in the 2010 wave. Given the tilt of this Senate district, I’ve been wondering whether a Jefferson County-based Democrat might take a shot at this race too.

Former State Senator Becky Schmitz, now a Jefferson County supervisor, told me yesterday that she has ruled out running in Senate district 41 next year. She made that choice when she decided to run for supervisor last year.

Another name that has come up in conversations with Jefferson County Democrats is Ed Malloy. He served two terms on the Fairfield City Council before being elected mayor in 2001. He has since been re-elected twice and is seeking a fourth term this year. Msn.com named him one of the 15 greenest mayors in the country in 2009. Malloy also serves on the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and has been a trustee of the Maharishi University of Management.

Speaking to me by telephone yesterday, Malloy said he is interested in serving in the Iowa Senate and is considering becoming a candidate in Senate district 41. He is now focused on his re-election campaign for mayor but will give the Senate race serious thought after the local elections on November 5.

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Iowa Senate district 41 photo IowaSD41_zps747abb90.jpg

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desmoinesdem

  • Ed Malloy is a republican

    Ed Malloy is a registered republican… please tell me he isn’t trying to run in our dem primary

    • I confirmed with Malloy

      that if he runs, it would be in the Democratic primary.

      Don’t know his current party affiliation, but many Democrats become “Republicans for a day” to participate in a caucus or contested GOP primary.

  • Good point

    Valid concern.

    http://followthemoney.org/data…

    If that is the same Ed Malloy however, he gave money to John Whitaker, Francis Thicke (not exactly a squishy moderate) and the Iowa Democratic Party, possibly.  He could have just been greasing palms, but I suspect he’s a pretty reasonable guy.

    Our former mayor caucused for Dick Gephardt in 2004, endorsed Mike Blouin in 2006, endorsed Joe Biden for President in 2008.  He then endorsed Branstad over Culver in 2010.  He was always viewed as a moderate Republican in church and civic organizations, but I never got confirmation that he was a Republican.  

    • thanks for looking that up

      Others who mentioned his name as a possible candidate were thinking of him as a Democrat, and he confirmed to me that he’d be running as a Democrat.

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