Strawn re-elected as Iowa GOP leader

Top Iowa Republicans have decided to stick with their current leadership team after a successful 2010 election season that saw their party reclaim the governorship for the first time in 12 years, recapture control of the Iowa House with a dominating 60-40 edge and whittle Democrats' majority in the Iowa Senate to the 26-member minimum.

Officials with the Republican Party of Iowa State Central Committee announced Saturday that the panel had re-elected Matt Strawn to a second term as party chairman. The committee also re-elected Jim Kurtenbach as Iowa GOP co-chair, Craig Williams as the party's treasurer, and Bill Schickel as secretary.

Strawn had no challengers. His re-election comes after Iowa Republicans scored Nov. 2 victories that included electing Terry Branstad as governor for a fifth time, electing Matt Schultz as Iowa's secretary of state, picking up six seats in the Iowa Senate, winning the majority in the Iowa House, and electing dozens of Republicans at the county level.

“I thank the committee members for their confidence, and I promise to continue delivering results for Iowa Republicans,” Strawn said in a statement. “My mission for the next two years is to organize a successful Iowa Straw Poll, GOP presidential debates, the first-in-the-nation caucuses and make sure Iowa elects a Republican president in 2012.”

Strawn, an Ankeny attorney who also is co-owner of the Iowa Barnstormers arena football team, was first elected chairman in January 2009.