Democrats Walker and Hogan seek District 2 seat

CEDAR RAPIDS - Without an incumbent running, the District 2 seat on the five-member Linn County Board of Supervisors is open for the taking this November election.

But before that, Linn County voters in the June 7 primary will choose which Democrat - Dick Hogan, 75, or Stacey Walker, 28 - will receive the party nomination.

Without a Republican in the running, the winner of Tuesday's primary very well could become the next supervisor, filling a seat currently held by appointed supervisor Amy Johnson.

The primary race pits former Gazette reporter Dick Hogan, who covered Linn County government for more than 15 years, against Walker, who serves on a newly formed Cedar Rapids task force aimed at addressing community violence.

Hogan, who worked 29 years at The Gazette, said his experience covering local politics would translate well into becoming an active politician.

'It was a long shot, but I felt I have, as far as dealing with government, more experience than anyone else that was running,” Hogan said. 'I could pretty much hit the ground running.”

Walker, a Cedar Rapids native who graduated from the University of Iowa in 2010 with a degree in political science, said he's always been interested in helping his community.

'I think all elected officials, whether on a school board, a city council or a board of supervisors, have a responsibility to address the hard issues in our community,” Walker said. 'The Board of Supervisors, we help govern the entire county. It's really a good opportunity to kind of dig in and help solve some difficult problems in our community. It's really a position in which I'd be able to help all 215,000 residents of the county.”

However, Hogan argued that his approach is more grounded than his competitor's.

'Most of the stuff I've heard (Walker) talk about, the supervisors don't have much control over. I'm trying to focus on the issues that I know the county can do something about,” Hogan said.

Hogan said issues he wants to address as a supervisor include fiscal responsibility and better roads, but he also said he wants to reexamine waste management in the county, which he said is not currently cost effective.

Walker said he wants to help the county work through the ongoing Medicaid transition, raising the minimum wage and addressing causes of violence within the community.

Both Walker and Hogan also agree that the county should work to provide a senior center.

While Hogan said his campaign has been a grass roots effort, Walker, who has pulled in endorsements from several sitting officials including Supervisors Brent Oleson and Ben Rogers, said he has been active in all forms of campaigning, from social media to door-knocking.

'I feel encouraged. I like to say that our campaign operates with high confidence and low ego,” he said.

Walker and Hogan are running for the supervisor seat left vacant earlier this year when former Supervisor Linda Langston resigned. County officials appointed Supervisor Johnson- who is not running this coming election - to hold that seat for the remainder of the term.

The county's District 2 covers most of southern Cedar Rapids, including parts of downtown, Oak Hill Jackson, New Bohemia, College Township and parts of Ely.

More on the candidates:

Dick Hogan

Age: 75

Professional background: Reporter with The Gazette for 29 years

Education experience: Brown Institute of Broadcasting and Electronics in Minneapolis

Community service: Member of Cedar Rapids Veterans Memorial Commission, past president of Metro Veterans Council and in third term as commander of Marion's American Legion Post 298 and commander elect of American Legion's Second District

Quote: 'It was a long shot, but I felt I have, as far as dealing with government, more experience than anyone else that was running.”

Stacey Walker

Age: 28

Professional background: chief of staff for the holding company of Hawkeye Hotels

Education experience: Bachelors in political science from University of Iowa

Community service: On the Cedar Rapids Community Schools Foundation board of trustees, Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success and chair of the Safe, Equitable and Thriving Communities Task Force

Quote: ''The Board of Supervisors, we help govern the entire county. It's really a good opportunity to kind of dig in and help solve some difficult problems in our community.”