Pat Grassley to seek-relection

DES MOINES - State Rep. Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, has announced he will seek re-election to the Iowa House this fall.

Grassley had been reported as a potential candidate for state agriculture secretary, if - and when - Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey is confirmed for a federal post, a process tied up in Congress.

Instead, Grassley said he plans to seek a seventh two-year term in the Iowa House.

Grassley, 34, said he was approached about running for state ag secretary and discussed it with his family, but he decided instead to run for re-election to the House, where he can make an impact as chairman of the budget-writing committee.

'At the end of the day I just came to the conclusion that this is a good place for me to be,” Grassley said. 'We have opportunities to do things here in the Statehouse, in my position as appropriations chair, that we can impact a lot of things that come through and probably have the most impact on my district.”

A farmer from New Hartford and the grandson of Iowa's longtime U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Pat Grassley represents House District 50, which includes Grundy County and portions of Hardin and Butler counties.

Grassley was first elected to the Iowa House in 2006.