Sioux City Democratic Rep. Chris Hall passes on run for Iowa governor

SIOUX CITY — The Iowa gubernatorial race has winnowed a bit more.

After flirting with a possible run, Democratic state Rep. Chris Hall of Sioux City says he won't seek his party’s nomination for governor this year. Laura Belin's “Bleeding Heartland” political blog first reported Hall's decision Monday.

Hall said he opted against challenging incumbent Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds because he had concerns about being able to commit the necessary financial resources and because he didn't believe he had high enough name recognition in the state.

"Ultimately, the timeline is one that makes it difficult for a candidate to enter this late and be competitive," Hall told the Journal.

Hall said he chatted with close friends and family about the prospect of running before making his final decision.

"They were supportive, but also wanting me to make sure I’m looking at my best interests and running a competitive campaign also," he said.

With Hall's decision, there remains just one declared Democratic candidate for governor — Deidre DeJear, a Des Moines business person, activist and former candidate for Iowa secretary of state. In late January, The Gazette’s Des Moines Bureau reported DeJear's campaign had $8,500 cash on hand versus $4.8 million for Reynolds. DeJear has said her funds have started to tick up.

In 2022, if Democrats hope to win, Hall said they need to not take any part of the state for granted.

"When the Democratic Party has had broad support, we have been mindful of the fact that we need to represent communities small and large. We need to compete in Sioux City just as much as in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. It is inclusive and has a big tent," Hall said.

Earlier in January, Ras Smith, a Democratic state legislator from Waterloo, announced he was ending his campaign for governor due to "overwhelming disappointment" with the process.

"Folks do not want the donor class making all the decisions as to who’s viable, who’s not, what race is worth investing in," Smith said in a statement at the time. "For me, what we’ve seen are things you can only see from the ground."

Hall, a six-term incumbent, has not yet announced whether he will seek re-election in the newly-drawn House District 13, which covers northern and western portions of Sioux City.

"I don’t expect to get too far from public service throughout my life," Hall said.

The candidate filing period for the June 7 primary for state and federal offices begins Feb. 28 and ends March 18, according to the Iowa Secretary of State.