Gronstal, Paulsen take leadership roles in national legislative caucuses

CEDAR RAPIDS - Leaders from the Iowa Legislature - just one of eight in the country where control is split between Democrats and Republicans - are taking prominent roles in national campaign organizations.

With Republicans in control of more legislative seats - 4,100 out of 7,383 or 56 percent - since 1920, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, will lead the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee's efforts to expand Democrats' control of legislative seats. The DLCC helps drive Democrats' nationwide strategy to win state legislative elections.

At the same time, Speaker Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, will take the reins at the Republican State Leadership Committee, the largest caucus of Republican state leaders in the country, the RLCC is the only national organization whose mission is to elect down-ballot, state-level Republican officeholders.

Gronstal said the Democratic group will be working on making gains in legislatures across the country 'especially as we look ahead to redistricting at the end of the decade.”

Paulsen said the GOP legislative group has no intent on loosening its grip on legislative chambers.

'Republicans now control 69 of 99 legislature (chambers) across the country,” Paulsen said at a news conference Dec. 10.

To him, that means 'greater opportunities for all families and middle-class families to keep more of their own money, grow jobs, improve education, and, of course, ease burdensome regulations.”

Republican control of state legislatures translates into 'opportunities for those individual citizens and their families to go out and have success,” Paulsen said.

As a result of the 2014 election, Republicans control 69 of 99 legislative chambers. That includes the one-chamber Nebraska legislature, which, although technically non-partisan, is for all intents and purposes under GOP control. That's the highest number since 1900.

The GOP also controls 31 of 50 governor's office - the highest since 1929-30 and just one less than the previous high of 32 seats.

Sen. Wally Horn, D-Cedar Rapids, also will sit on the DLCC board of directors.