Iowa elections, 2014

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Iowa on November 4, 2014. All of Iowa's executive officers were up for election as well as a United States Senate seat, all four of Iowa's seats in the United States House of Representatives, 25 (half) of the seats in the Iowa Senate, and all 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on June 3, 2014.^[1]

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

Incumbent Republican Governor Terry Branstad ran for re-election to a second consecutive and sixth overall term as Governor.^[2]

He was challenged in the Republican primary by Tom Hoefling, a political activist and the America's Party and American Independent Party nominee for President in 2012.^[3]

State Senator Jack Hatch is running for the Democrats.^[4]

In Iowa, nominees for Lieutenant Governor are chosen at party conventions. They then run on a ticket with the gubernatorial nominee. Incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds is running for re-election to a second term in office.^[5]

Attorney General

Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller, who has served in the position since 1995, and previously from 1979 to 1991, is running for re-election to a sixth consecutive and ninth overall term in office.^[6]

Attorney and lobbyist Adam Gregg is running for the Republicans.^[7]

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Tom Miller (D)	Adam Gregg (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	November 1–3, 2014	1,265	± 2.8%	55%	36%	—	10%
Iowa Poll	October 28–31, 2014	701	± 3.7%	50%	39%	2%	9%
Suffolk University	October 11–14, 2014	500	± 4.4%	54.6%	31.4%	—	14%
Public Policy Polling	September 25–28, 2014	1,192	± 2.8%	53%	33%	—	14%
Suffolk	August 23–26, 2014	500	± 4%	48%	28.4%	—	23.6%
Public Policy Polling	August 22–24, 2014	915	± 3.2%	55%	31%	—	14%

Secretary of State

Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Matt Schultz, who has served in the position since 2011, did not run for re-election to a second term in office. He instead ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Iowa's 3rd congressional district.^[8]

Former Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate^[9] and Democratic political consultant and former gubernatorial aide Brad Anderson are running.^[10]

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Paul Pate (R)	Brad Anderson (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	November 1–3, 2014	1,265	± 2.8%	38%	44%	6%[11]	13%
Iowa Poll	October 28–31, 2014	701	± 3.7%	44%	41%	3%	12%
Loras College	October 21–24, 2014	1,121	± 2.93%	39%	39.9%	1.3%	19.7%
Gravis Marketing	October 20–21, 2014	964	± 3%	38%	42%	—	19%
Suffolk University	October 11–14, 2014	500	± 4.4%	33.2%	31.6%	3.6%[12]	31.6%
Gravis Marketing	September 29–30, 2014	522	± 4%	40%	40%	—	21%
Public Policy Polling	September 25–28, 2014	1,192	± 2.8%	36%	33%	6%[13]	25%
Suffolk	August 23–26, 2014	500	± 4%	31.4%	31.4%	4%[14]	33.2%
Public Policy Polling	August 22–24, 2014	915	± 3.2%	35%	34%	7%[15]	24%
Gravis Marketing	July 17–18, 2014	1,179	± 3%	38%	38%	—	24%
Public Policy Polling	May 15–19, 2014	914	± 3.3%	32%	34%	—	34%

Treasurer

Incumbent Democratic State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald, who has served in the position since 1983, is running for re-election to a ninth term in office.

The Republican nominee is Sam Clovis, a radio host who finished second in the Senate primary, before being nominated as the Republican candidate for Treasurer.^[16][6]

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Michael Fitzgerald (D)	Sam Clovis (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	November 1–3, 2014	1,265	± 2.8%	48%	38%	5%[17]	8%
Loras College	October 21–24, 2014	1,121	± 2.93%	46.5%	34.8%	1.4%	17.3%
Gravis Marketing	October 20–21, 2014	964	± 3%	46%	33%	—	21%
Suffolk University	October 11–14, 2014	500	± 4.4%	46.6%	31.6%	2.6%[17]	19.2%
Gravis Marketing	September 29–30, 2014	522	± 4%	48%	32%	—	20%
Public Policy Polling	September 25–28, 2014	1,192	± 2.8%	47%	35%	5%[17]	13%
Suffolk	August 23–26, 2014	500	± 4%	41.4%	27.8%	2.2%[17]	28.6%
Public Policy Polling	August 22–24, 2014	915	± 3.2%	47%	33%	5%[17]	16%
Gravis Marketing	July 17–18, 2014	1,179	± 3%	50%	34%	—	17%

Auditor

Incumbent Republican State Auditor Mary Mosiman, who was appointed to the position in 2013 after incumbent State Auditor David A. Vaudt resigned, is running for election to a first full term in office.^[18]

Attorney and former Des Moines School Board member Jon Neiderbach is running for the Democrats.^[19]

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Mary Mosiman (R)	Jon Neiderbach (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	November 1–3, 2014	1,265	± 2.8%	46%	41%	—	14%
Loras College	October 21–24, 2014	1,121	± 2.93%	37.1%	30.3%	2.3%	30.2%
Suffolk University	October 11–14, 2014	500	± 4.4%	39.6%	35%	—	25.4%
Public Policy Polling	September 25–28, 2014	1,192	± 2.8%	41%	35%	—	24%
Suffolk	August 23–26, 2014	500	± 4%	31.6%	29.8%	—	38.6%
Public Policy Polling	August 22–24, 2014	915	± 3.2%	39%	35%	—	26%

Secretary of Agriculture

Incumbent Republican Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, who has served in the position since 2007, is running for re-election to a third term in office.^[20]

Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioner Sherrie Taha is running for the Democrats.^[21]

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Northey (R)	Sherrie Taha (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	November 1–3, 2014	1,265	± 2.8%	51%	33%	5%[22]	10%
Loras College	October 21–24, 2014	1,121	± 2.93%	49.5%	29.4%	1.5%	19.6%
Suffolk University	October 11–14, 2014	500	± 4.4%	51.6%	30.2%	2.2%[22]	16%
Public Policy Polling	September 25–28, 2014	1,192	± 2.8%	49%	29%	6%[22]	15%
Suffolk	August 23–26, 2014	500	± 4%	41.4%	27.6%	1.8%[22]	29.2%
Public Policy Polling	August 22–24, 2014	915	± 3.2%	46%	28%	6%[22]	19%

United States Senate

Incumbent Democratic Senator Tom Harkin is retiring rather than run for re-election to a sixth term in office.^[23]

U.S. Representative Bruce Braley is the only Democratic to file to run and thus the de facto nominee.^[24]

Five Republicans filed to run: radio host Sam Clovis,^[25] State Senator Joni Ernst,^[26] former CEO of Reliant Energy Mark Jacobs,^[27] businessman Scott Schaben^[28] and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and nominee for Treasurer of Iowa in 2002 Matthew Whitaker.^[29] Joni Ernst won.

United States House of Representatives

All of Iowa's four seats in the United States House of Representatives will be up for election in 2014 and are contested.

Iowa General Assembly

The 25 odd-numbered Iowa Senate seats are up for election in 2014, as are all 100 Iowa House seats. As of the primary filing deadline for the two major parties, there are 11 Senate seats and 58 House seats that only have candidates from one party, though several of these seats have contested primaries.^[30] These numbers are from the primary election candidate listing,^[31] so do not take into account candidates nominated by third parties, candidates nominated by petition, or candidates nominated by a major party after the primary. Such candidates file during the general election filing period, which runs from July 28 – August 15, 2014..^[32]

References

1. "Branstad open to considering run-off election law change". The Gazette. November 18, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
2. "Governor Terry Branstad announces gubernatorial run, tours Iowa". KWWL. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
3. "HAYWORTH: Republican Hoefling aiming to challenge Branstad in 2014". Sioux City Journal. March 4, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
4. Noble, Jason (September 16, 2013). "State Sen. Jack Hatch officially enters 2014 race for Iowa governor". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
5. "Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds expected to be No. 2 on GOP ticket". The Gazette. January 21, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
6. "Final Candidate Listing by Office" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
7. "Lobbyist Adam Gregg to run for Iowa attorney general". The Des Moines Register. June 2, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
8. Jacobs, Jennifer (January 9, 2014). "Elections chief Matt Schultz jumps into race for Congress". Des Moines Register. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
9. "Paul Pate Announces Bid for Secretary of State". KCRG.com. January 9, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
10. "Democrat announces bid for Iowa secretary of state". WCF Courier. January 11, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
11. Spencer Highland (NIP) 3%, Jake Porter (L) 3%
12. Spencer Highland (NIP) 2.4%, Jake Porter (L) 1.2%
13. Spencer Highland (NIP) 3%, Jake Porter (L) 3%
14. Spencer Highland (NIP) 2.6%, Jake Porter (L) 1.4%
15. Spencer Highland (NIP) 5%, Jake Porter (L) 2%
16. http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/elections/2014/06/13/sam-clovis-treasurer/10417859/
17. Keith Laube (L)
18. Kevin Hall (May 13, 2013). "Branstad Names Mary Mosiman New State Auditor". The Iowa Republican. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
19. Christinia Crippes (February 25, 2014). "Neiderbach vying for state Auditor". WCF Courier. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
20. "AG SECRETARY: Northey Seeking Re-Election". whotv.com. March 11, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
21. O. Kay Henderson (August 27, 2013). "Des Moines Democrat running for state ag secretary". Radio Iowa. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
22. Levi Benning (NIP)
23. Ed O’Keefe (January 26, 2013). "Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) won’t seek reelection". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
24. Blake, Aaron (February 7, 2013). "Iowa Rep. Bruce Braley to run for Senate". The Fix. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
25. Jacobs, Jennifer (10 June 2013). "Sioux City radio host Sam Clovis joins U.S. Senate race". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
26. Jacobs, Jennifer (10 July 2013). "Republican Joni Ernst joins U.S. Senate race". Retrieved 11 July 2013.
27. Emily Cahn (November 13, 2013). "Iowa’s GOP Senate Field Grows Again". Retrieved November 13, 2013.
28. Burns, Douglas (5 July 2013). "Kuemper alum Schaben plans U.S. Senate bid". Daily Times Herald. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
29. Trygstad, Kyle (May 7, 2013). "GOP Senate Candidate Announces in Iowa". Roll Call. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
30. Deeth, John (March 17, 2014). "Filing By The Numbers". John Deeth Blog. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
31. Iowa Secretary of State's Office (March 26, 2014). "Final Candidate Listing By Office, June 3, 2014 Primary Election" (pdf). Retrieved April 3, 2014.
32. The Office of the Iowa Secretary of State. "Candidate's Guide to the General Election, November 4, 2014" (pdf). pp. 1–2. Retrieved April 3, 2014.

External links