Gronstal ally is new Iowa Democratic Party director

DES MOINES - Newly elected Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Andy McGuire has tapped a party staffer with ties to Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, and her 2006 campaign for lieutenant governor to lead the party.

McGuire is expected to announce Ben Foecke as executive director. He'll replace Troy Price, who McGuire said will be 'transitioning out of the party” before March 3.

Deputy director Kevin Geiken also is leaving, reportedly to join an Iowa political consulting firm. He'll stay on to help with the State Central Committee's March 7-8 retreat,

'I want to thank both of them for their outstanding service to the party and wish them all the best in their next endeavors,” McGuire told State Central Committee members during a telephonic meeting Tuesday evening.

The changes were not unexpected in the wake of defeats Democrats suffered in the November election. Most notably, the party was unable to hang on to the seat held for 40 years by Sen. Tom Harkin. Instead, Iowans elected Republican state Sen. Joni Ernst rather than Democratic U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley.

Democrats also lost Braley's 1st District seat to Dubuque Republican Rod Blum. In the 3rd District, an open seat, Staci Appel lost to the GOP's David Young, and Democrats were unable to defeat 4th District Republican Rep. Steve King.

McGuire hinted at the changes when she was elected state party chairwoman last month, succeeding Scott Brennan. At the time, she said she was 'undecided” about retaining staff members.

Foecke has served as deputy director of the Senate Majority Fund since 2009, helping to maintain the Senate majority for Gronstal, who endorsed McGuire in the race for party chair.

Before that, Foecke was a door-to-door canvasser for the party's 2001 coordinated campaign. In 2004, he was caucus director and was Mike Blouin's political director when he ran for the party's gubernatorial nomination in 2006. McGuire was Blouin's running mate in his unsuccessful race against Chet Culver.

With the changes, McGuire said, 'I am confident that together we will bring victory to Iowa Democrats up and down the ticket this next cycle.”

In 2016, the party will be trying to keep Iowa in the Democratic fold in the presidential election, defeat GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, and pick up congressional seats and the Iowa House.