Former Mount Vernon mayor running against Zumbach for Iowa Senate District 48 seat

Former Mount Vernon Mayor Scott Peterson wants to help Democrats hold onto the Iowa Senate.

That's one reason he's running for Iowa Senate District 48 against Ryan farmer Dan Zumbach.

Peterson, a Mount Vernon Democrat and North Liberty city attorney, said he decided to run against Zumbach, a Republican elected in 2012, because he's tired of partisanship in the Legislature.

'The rancor you see doesn't serve us well,” Peterson said.

Peterson said he will focus on providing economic opportunity for all Iowa families, rebuilding infrastructure and investing in public education.

District 48 wraps around the northern and eastern sides of Cedar Rapids and extends into Delaware, Jones and Buchanan counties.

Peterson, 63, grew up in rural Linn County and served in the U.S. Navy and Iowa National Guard, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in the Guard after 26 years of military service.

He graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law and has worked in the Linn County Attorney's Office, in private practice and as a city attorney for several cities. Peterson has been North Liberty city attorney since 2006.

Peterson served on the Mount Vernon City Council from 2008 to 2012, when he became mayor, serving in that role until 2014.

Peterson said he filed paperwork last month to run for Senate District 48 after seeing no other Democrats stepping up to take on Zumbach, who is ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and serves on committees for appropriations, commerce natural resources and environment.

Neither Peterson nor Zumbach faces a primary challenger.

Democrats have had a 26-24 majority grip on the Senate for the past six legislative sessions.

Peterson and his wife, Susan, have two sons and two grandchildren.