District 77’s Stutsman not running for re-election

JOHNSON COUNTY - After two terms as on Iowa's House of Representatives, Sally Stutsman, District 77, has announced she will not seek another term.

Stutsman, 69, who was first elected to the House in 2012 following 18 years as a Johnson County Supervisor, said Wednesday she felt it was time to step down.

'It's just time. I've given 21 years to public service,” she said. I feel I've had an impact and it's time to spend more time with my husband.”

With Stutsman's term ending at the close of the year, North Liberty Mayor Amy Nielsen has already announced plans to run for the soon-to-be-open seat.

Nielsen, who was elected mayor in 2014, ousting incumbent Gerry Kuhl, said she had been approached shortly after that election to keep an eye on the District 77 seat, but admitted Stutsman's announcement not to seek re-election came as a little bit of a surprise.

'The idea was kind of planted maybe right after I was elected mayor,” Nielsen said. 'It's a little sooner than I maybe would have planned on, but when the opportunity comes you have to take it, whether you planned for it or not.”

District 77 is largely rural and covers most of Johnson County west of Interstate 380, North Liberty and the portion of the county south of Iowa City.

Nielsen said her experience as mayor will help her bring a local government perspective to the statehouse.

'What I learned being mayor here in North Liberty is there are a lot of things we depend on to happen at the state level,” she said. 'I'd say the highest priority for me is funding of schools, education is one of my very top passions.”

For Stutsman, her time as an Iowa Representative has been a mix of pride and frustration, having spent her four years as a Democrat in the minority party.

'I tell people I wasn't prepared to be in a position where being in the minority doesn't really have much say in things, the majority really controls the agenda,” she said. 'That's been a source of frustration, it really has.”

That said, Stutsman said she was proud to represent District 77 and bring her experience as a local elected official to the state level.

'I was able to, I think, add a lot to the discussion from the point of local government,” she said. 'That's been a positive.”

District 77 party candidates will be selected in the June primary, with the next Representative chosen in this November's election.