Democrats nominate Running-Marquardt in House 33

By James Q. Lynch

The Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Linn County Democrats have nominated Kirsten Running-Marquardt to run in a special election Nov. 24 in House 33 where a vacancy was created by the resignation of Rep. Dick Taylor, D-Cedar Rapids earlier this month.

Running-Marquardt, 32, works in 2

^nd

District Rep. Dave Loebsack's Cedar Rapids office, and has been involved in a number of political and union campaigns. A second-generation candidate, she is the daughter of former Cedar Rapids Rep. Rich Running.

She was selected at a special nominating convention Wednesday, defeating Norm Sterzenbach, 63, on the first ballot, 5,407 to 3,866. Each precinct delegate cast weighted ballots. Sterzenbach is a longtime Democratic and union activist. He's second vice chairman of the county party has been a lobbyist for the IBEW at the State Capitol. He's also the father of Iowa Democratic Party Executive Director Norm Sterzenbach.

Running-Marquardt will face off a Republican to be nominated Thursday night. So far, three Republicans have expressed interest in the seat despite the fact Taylor won re-election in 2008 with nearly 70 percent of the vote. They are Ken Childress, Josh Thurston and John King.

House 33 that covers Precincts 1-11 in southeast and southwest Cedar Rapids.

First elected in January 2000 to replace current Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran, Taylor was re-elected five times. He had been planning to stand for re-election in 2010, but family health concerns changed those plans, Taylor said.