Iowa State Senate District 30 special election, 2019

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Cedar Falls School Board member Eric Giddens (D) defeated former state Rep. Walt Rogers (R) in a special election on March 19, 2019, for the District 30 seat in the Iowa State Senate. Giddens received 57 percent of the vote, while Rogers received 42 percent of the vote. The seat became vacant after Jeff Danielson (D) resigned on February 14, 2019. In the announcement of his resignation, Danielson said, "I’m closing two wonderful chapters in my life, 25 years as a firefighter and 15 years as a state senator, and I’m opening a new exciting chapter for which we’ll be able to share at a later date.” Candidates in this race were chosen by party conventions rather than through primary elections.

The appearance of current and potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidates in the district helped this race garner national attention. To read more about the involvement of national politicians, click here. The district voted Democratic in the past two presidential elections. In 2012, Obama won the district by 7.4 percent. In 2016, Clinton won the district by 3.5 percent.

Heading into the election, Republicans held a 32-17 majority in the Iowa State Senate. A party needs 34 votes in the Senate in order to override a gubernatorial veto, so the outcome of this election did not impact either partisan control or vetoproof supermajority status.

This election was a battleground race. Other 2019 battlegrounds included:

City elections in Chicago, Illinois (2019) Los Angeles Unified School District, California, elections (2019) Public advocate election in New York, New York (2019)

Candidates

General election

Special general election for Iowa State Senate District 30

Eric Giddens defeated Walt Rogers and Fred Perryman in the special general election for Iowa State Senate District 30 on March 19, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Eric Giddens (D)	56.8	7,611
		Walt Rogers (R)	42.1	5,635
		Fred Perryman (L)	1.1	143

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 13,389
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Candidate profiles

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages

Eric Giddens

Party: Democratic

Incumbent: No

Political office: Cedar Falls School Board (Assumed office: 2017)

Biography: Giddens earned degrees in civil & environmental engineering, community & economic development, and math education. His professional experience includes leading energy programs at the University of Norther Iowa.

Key messages

• Giddens highlighted improving public education as the reason for his initial school board run and also the reason for his senate campaign. He said he wants to ensure K-12 public schools are fully funded and opposes private school vouchers.

• Giddens promised to revert what he calls the privatization of Medicaid in the state. He said he wants to expand healthcare and mental health services in the state and that "[h]ealthcare is a right."

Walt Rogers

Party: Republican

Incumbent: No

Political office: Iowa House of Representatives District 60 (2011-2019)

Biography: Rogers earned his B.S. in manufacturing and management technology from the University of Northern Iowa. His professional experience includes working as a leadership consultant and concert/event planner.

Key messages

• Rogers said the biggest reason he wants to run is to represent the district based on conservative principles. He said he "believe[s] Iowa really is at its heart conservative."

• Rogers suggested that his affiliation as a Republican would give the district better representation. He said that members of the "minority party in Des Moines . . . really don’t make any decisions" and would not be able to help the local towns.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.

Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Campaign themes

Eric Giddens

“	Education My wife and I have both taught in Iowa’s public schools and understand the value of education as well as the challenges Iowa’s students and teachers face. Making public education a priority is one of the reasons I ran for a seat on the Cedar Falls School Board and it’s why I’m running to represent the Cedar Valley in the Iowa Senate. I will fight to fully fund K-12 public education and will oppose private school vouchers. I promise to stand up for our public school teachers so our children have all the resources they need to succeed. I know that we must extend those resources for our students post high school too. Iowa’s community colleges, technical training programs, and state universities all provide paths to success and I will fight to get Hawkeye Community College and UNI the funding they need to make higher education in Iowa accessible and affordable for all. Healthcare The privatization of Medicaid has been a disaster, making healthcare less accessible and more costly for many of the most vulnerable Iowans. I promise to work to reverse the Medicaid privatization and will stand against anyone who tries to make healthcare more expensive. I will work hard to expand access to healthcare insurance and mental health programs so more Iowans can get the care they need. Healthcare is a right, and our work is not done until every Iowan is able to see a doctor when they are sick. Environment As a program manager at the Center for Energy and Environmental Education at UNI, I work every day to find green solutions to the environmental problems our communities face. I will work across the aisle to find solutions to our water quality issues and sustainable practices for our future. I believe that unsustainable choices have a negative effect on our local economy, so I will fight hard to expand green infrastructure that will create local jobs and make us leaders in energy efficiency. Community Our community leaders are elected to serve the community, not wealthy lobbyists or special interests. I will stand up against those who rig the system in their favor because I believe the interests of everyday Iowa families should come first. I will always advocate for all of the Cedar Valley, making sure that Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Hudson have another strong Democratic voice in the Iowa Legislature.	”
—Eric GIddens

Walt Rogers

As of March 14, 2019, Rogers did not have campaign themes listed on his website. The following excerpts are taken from an article on Rogers' website about a March 8 candidate forum. If you are aware of other campaign themes we can include here, click here to let us know.

“

The candidates were asked whether taxes are too low or too high. “I think taxes are always probably too high,” Rogers said. He was one of the legislators in the Iowa House of Representatives who voted for the largest tax cut in Iowa history in 2018. Rogers agreed that wind energy should be continued, and as well as ethanol production. He wants to see renewable energy expand through the free market. “Fossil fuels are a good thing, they have have held up our economy for many many years,” Rogers said. “There’s no reason we should go away from fossil fuels just like that. It would destroy our economy.”

”

Social media

Twitter accounts

Tweets by Eric Giddens Tweets by Walt Rogers

Facebook accounts

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Eric Giddens

Walt Rogers

Campaign tactics and strategies

Involvement from 2020 Democratic presidential candidates

Beginning in early March, national political figures interested in seeking the 2020 Democratic nomination for president began campaigning with Giddens. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Gov. Steve Bullock (D-Mont.), and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-TX) each appeared at events with Giddens, while other candidates planned campaign events in the district and others sen campaign staff to canvass on Giddens' behalf. Alexandra Jaffe of Associated Press said that the Democrats were doing these things to prove they were committed to building up the state party. They are hoping to leverage this into support from local officials and party operatives in the Iowa caucus, which is the first presidential primary on the calendar.

Kevin Giken, the executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party, said the candidates coming to the district "shows that they're committed to actually seeing Iowa Democrats succeed, and giving back resources rather than taking resources." Rogers said that the campaign visits would help spark interest among Republicans in the district and create an opportunity to nationalize the race. Rogers called his opponent an "avowed socialist" for donating to the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and said that the race was "sort of a microcosm of what's happening in the country because I think socialism is going to be an issue in the coming election as well."

District election history

2016

See also: Iowa State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Iowa State Senate were held in 2016. The primary election took place on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 18, 2016.

Incumbent Jeff Danielson defeated Bonnie Sadler in the Iowa State Senate District 30 general election.

Iowa State Senate, District 30 General Election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Jeff Danielson Incumbent	58.72%	19,568
	Republican	Bonnie Sadler	41.28%	13,754
Total Votes				33,322
Source: Iowa Secretary of State

Incumbent Jeff Danielson ran unopposed in the Iowa State Senate District 30 Democratic primary.

Iowa State Senate, District 30 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate
	Democratic	Jeff Danielson Incumbent (unopposed)

Bonnie Sadler ran unopposed in the Iowa State Senate District 30 Republican primary.

Iowa State Senate, District 30 Republican Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate
	Republican	Bonnie Sadler  (unopposed)

This district was included in the Republican State Leadership Committee's list of "16 in '16: Races to Watch." Read more »

2012

See also: Iowa State Senate elections, 2012

Elections for the office of Iowa State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 5, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 16, 2012. Incumbent Jeff Danielson (D) defeated Matt Reisetter (R) in the general election. Neither candidate faced opposition in their primary.

Iowa State Senate, District 30, General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Jeff Danielson Incumbent	51%	16,946
	Republican	Matt Reisetter	49%	16,265
Total Votes				33,211

Background

How vacancies are filled in Iowa

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

If there is a vacancy in the Iowa General Assembly, the vacant seat must be filled by a special election. The governor of Iowa is required within five days of a vacancy in the General Assembly to call for a special election. If the vacancy happens in session or within 45 days of the session convening, the governor must call for an election as soon as possible with at least an 18-day notice. All other special elections require a 40-day notice as long the election does not happen on the same day as a school election within the district.

See sources: Iowa Code § 69.14

About the legislature

The Iowa General Assembly consists of the lower House of Representatives and the upper State Senate. The boxes below show the partisan composition of both chambers directly before and after the November 2018 general election. For the most up-to-date numbers on partisan composition in this legislature, see here (Senate) and here (House).

Partisan breakdown

The boxes below show the partisan composition of both chambers directly before and after the most recent general elections in 2018. For the most up-to-date numbers on partisan composition in this legislature, see here (Senate) and here (House).

Iowa State Senate
Party		As of November 6, 2018	After November 7, 2018
	Democratic Party	20	18
	Republican Party	29	32
	Independent	1	0
Total		50	50

Iowa House of Representatives
Party		As of November 6, 2018	After November 7, 2018
	Democratic Party	41	46
	Republican Party	58	54
	Vacancy	1	0
Total		100	100

State profile

See also: Iowa and Iowa elections, 2019

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of May 7, 2019

Presidential voting pattern

• Iowa voted for the Republican candidate in four out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Congressional delegation

• Following the 2018 elections, both U.S. Senators from Iowa were Republicans.
• Iowa had three Democratic and one Republican U.S. Representatives.

State executives

• Democrats held three and Republicans held four of Iowa's 14 state executive offices. Elections for the other offices are nonpartisan.
• Iowa's governor was Republican Kim Reynolds.

State legislature

• Republicans controlled the Iowa State Senate with a 32-18 majority.
• Republicans controlled the Iowa House of Representatives with a 53-47 majority.

Iowa Party Control: 1992-2025
Four years of Democratic trifectas  •  Eleven years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	S	S	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Iowa quick stats

• Became a state in 1846
• 29th state admitted to the United States
• Members of the Iowa State Senate: 50
• Members of the Iowa House of Representatives: 100
• U.S. senators: 2
• U.S. representatives: 4

More Iowa coverage on Ballotpedia:

• Iowa elections, 2019
• Presidential voting trends in Iowa
• United States congressional delegations from Iowa
• Public policy in Iowa
• Influencers in Iowa
• Almanac of American Politics state profile
• More...

Demographic data for Iowa
	Iowa	U.S.
Total population:	3,121,997	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	55,857	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	91.2%	73.6%
Black/African American:	3.2%	12.6%
Asian:	2%	5.1%
Native American:	0.3%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.1%	0.2%
Two or more:	2%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	5.4%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	91.5%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	26.7%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$53,183	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	13.8%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Iowa. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

See also

• Iowa state legislative special elections, 2019
• State legislative special elections, 2019
• State legislative special elections, 2018
• State legislative special elections, 2017
• State legislative special elections, 2016
• Iowa State Legislature