Gov. Kim Reynolds’ appointees confirmed by slim margins in Iowa Senate

A handful of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ picks to lead state agencies and serve on state boards and commissions were confirmed to their roles with little to no bipartisan support under a new Republican super majority in the Iowa Senate.

Senate Republicans on Monday confirmed Reynolds’ picks over the objections of Democrats to lead Iowa's state education agency and serve on boards that govern its three state universities and nominate judges in the state.

Reynolds’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday evening.

Republicans hold a supermajority in the Senate, controlling 34 of 50 seats, which prevents Democrats from blocking gubernatorial appointees that require a two-thirds majority.

Robert Cramer appointed to Iowa Board of Regents

Reynolds’ nomination of Robert Cramer to the Iowa Board of Regents passed by the slimmest of margins on a 34-16 party-line vote, with all Democrats opposed.

Cramer previously was nominated to the board in 2013 by former Gov. Terry Branstad, but lost a confirmation vote in the Iowa Senate when Democrats held the majority.

Vice president of land development at road construction company Cramer & Associates in Grimes, Cramer finished second in a Republican congressional primary in 2014.

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames and ranking member of the Senate Education Committee, reiterated concerns that sunk Cramer’s nomination in 2013, namely his public opposition to marriage equality in the state.

  Buy Photo

“I asked him in recent conversation to describe how his views had changed. His response was, ‘Not that much,’” Quirmbach said on the Senate floor. “I don’t think that a sterile expression of respect for every student is sufficient to lead our great universities.

“Our universities have to be warm, welcoming, supportive places for all students of all backgrounds. I don’t think that Mr. Cramer is capable of doing that.”

Sen. Ken Rozenboom, a Republican from Pella who chairs the Senate Education Committee, praised Cramer for his “remarkable” public service on various civic boards, and values his “construction expertise.”

Cramer told The Gazette ahead of the confirmation vote his religious views "also compel me to love everybody and treat everybody the best I can.“

He said his experience in construction could help the regents in guiding their universities through growth and building, and hopes to “build bridges” and trust between the regent universities and conservative lawmakers.

Cramer since 2019 has given $37,871.36 to Republicans and Reynolds in cash and in-kind contributions — including more than $27,500 to Reynolds in the fall of 2021.

Sherry Bates, Nancy Dunkel reconfirmed to Board of Regents

The Senate also voted 48-2 to reconfirm Sherry Bates to the Board of Regents and reconfirmed Nancy Dunkel by a vote of 49-1. Senators also voted 48-2 to confirm James Risewick, who was appointed by Reynolds in 2022 to fill a vacancy and has been serving on the Board of Regents in the interim.

Chad Aldis confirmed to Iowa Department of Education

Democrats objected to Reynolds’ picks to lead the Iowa Department of Education and to serve on the Public Employment Relations Board and State Judicial Nominating Commission.

The Iowa Senate confirmed Chad Aldis — Reynolds pick to succeed Ann Lebo, who resigned as director of the Iowa Department of Education — in a 37-13 vote, with all but three Democrats voting against his confirmation.

  Buy Photo

Quirmbach told The Gazette last week he would vote to confirm Aldis in the interest of maintaining a working relationship moving forward.

Aldis has worked for multiple charter school and private school choice think tanks.

Democrats criticized Aldis for never having worked or taught in a public school.

“We are at a crossroads with our public schools” Sen. Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, said on the Senate floor, referring to a bill signed into law by Reynolds early this year allowing families to use taxpayer money to pay for private school tuition.

“We need somebody who is going to be running the Department of Education that is passionate about public education and knows public education,” Donahue said. “ … For the last 20 years, he has been focused on education reform,” including advocating in multiple states for charter school laws and private school choice legislation.

  Buy Photo

“That is not the resume of a pro-public school advocate who is looking to help navigate the rough seas ahead for our public schools,” Donahue said. “ … We need somebody, a director, who understands the public schools, public school funding, the needs of the majority of the students in our state, and somebody who is going to fight for this system that has been starved and strangled for the last 12 to 14 years.”

Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, said Aldis’ background advocating for education reform in Ohio “gives me more reason to support him.” Zaun, who met with Aldis ahead of the confirmation vote, said he is “interested in increasing the student performance of all the schools in the state of Iowa.”

Zaun, too, argued Aldis “is committed to speaking on behalf of the teachers as well as giving flexibility to school districts so they can improve student importance.”

  Buy Photo

“Yes, we did pass a school choice bill, and we need someone in there that understands and supports empowering parents in the state of Iowa,” Zaun said.

Bradley Hartkopf confirmed to State Judicial Nominating Commission

Democrats also objected to the nominations of Bradley Hartkopf to the State Judicial Nominating Commission and Cheryl Arnold, Public Employment Relations Board. Both were confirmed by a vote of 35-15, with all but one Democrat opposed.

Democrats objected to having a corporate lobbyist on the committee that interviews applicants and selects nominees for appointment to the Iowa Supreme Court and the Iowa Court of Appeals. Hartkopf is the director of public policy for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry.

Zaun said Iowa Code does not prohibit a lobbyist from serving on the commission, and called Hartkopf “a decent person” who exercises good judgment.

Iowa Public Employment Relations Board

As for Arnold, Sen. Bill Dotzler, a Democrat from Waterloo, said he did not object to her specifically, “but it’s time we address the issues surrounding the PERB” and erosion of collective bargaining rights in the state for public employees.

Strong support for reconfirming Debi Durham, Beth Townsend

The Senate voted unanimously to reconfirm Debi Durham as the director of Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority. Durham has led IEDA since 2011 and has led both agencies since 2019.

The Senate also voted overwhelmingly to reconfirm Beth Townsend as director of Iowa Workforce Development. She has served in that role since 2015. Several Democrats objected to Townsend’s renomination for recommending changes to Iowa’s child labor laws, and for what they saw as her inability to address the shortage of child care workers in the state.

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com