3 seek GOP nomination in House 33

By James Q. Lynch

The Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Linn County Republicans may nominate a former Democrat as a candidate for a special election in Iowa House 33 Thursday evening.

At least two of three party newcomers who have expressed interest in the vacant House 33 seat have been registered as Democrats in the past.

That's all right with Linn County GOP Chairman Tim Palmer.

“We need to be in the business of converting people,” he said. “The last thing we want to do is ostracize somebody because they once were a Democrat.”

The GOP nominating convention will be at 6 p.m. at Wilson Middle School, 2301 J St SW.

The candidates hoping to run in a Nov. 24 special election to replace Democrat Rep. Dick Taylor, who resigned earlier this month, are Ken Childress, Josh Thurston and John King.

Only King, 38, didn't have to change his party affiliation to seek the nomination. He's been registered as a Republican, but according to the Linn County Auditor's Office, was registered as a Democrat for the 2006 primary election.

Childress, a former Cedar Rapids school board member, was actively involved in the Democratic Party, including a stint on the Linn County Democratic Central Committee. He switched his party registration from Democrat to Republican last week.

Thurston, 27, also has union ties. He switched from having no party affiliation to being a member of the Republican Party of Iowa this week.

Palmer sees the trio of hopefuls as part of a trend.

“We see a lot of ‘no parties' declaring themselves as Republican,” Palmer said, adding he's seen more new members in recent months than in the previous year.

Still, he said, given House 33's history of electing Democrats – Taylor, who served five terms, won with nearly 70 percent of the vote in 2008, winning there will be an uphill fight.

“It doesn't mean we can't stand up a good candidate,” he said.