Smith faces challenge for Iowa House Democratic leadership post

CEDAR RAPIDS - Iowa House Democrats will meet Saturday to lay plans for the 2015 legislative session that begins in two months.

Unlike their colleagues in the three other legislative caucuses - Senate Democrats and the House and Senate Republicans - House Democrats may select a new leader.

'There may be some changes, but I'm definitely running again,” House Minority Leader Mark Smith said Friday.

Smith, a Marshalltown social worker, was elected minority leader in August 2013 after Rep. Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines resigned to join the Iowa Attorney General's staff.

Smith is being challenged by freshman Rep. Brian Meyer, a Des Moines attorney, who was elected to succeed McCarthy. Meyer is a former Des Moines City Council member and McCarthy's legislative counsel for six years.

Smith, who led the 47-member Democratic caucus during the 2014 session, said he would continue to push the agenda House Democrats laid out during this fall's campaign.

'Those things we thought would improve the lives of Iowans would be what I would promote,” he said, adding that whether Democrats are in the majority or the minority 'we are pushing the causes that we believe are good for the people of Iowa.”

House Democrats lost four seats in the November election.

Meyer did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Senate Democrats have re-elected Council Bluffs Sen. Mike Gronstal as majority leader and Sen. Pam Jochum of Dubuque as President. Senate Republicans re-elected Sen. Bill Dix of Shell Rock as minority leader.

Speaker Kraig Paulsen of Hiawatha and Rep. Linda Upmeyer of Clear Lake, as majority leader.

The 2015 session opens Jan. 12.

l Comments: (319) 398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com