Sen. Behn running to lead Iowa Senate GOP
State Sen. Jerry Behn (R-Boone) will run for the position of Iowa Senate Republican Leader, a post vacated Wednesday when State Sen. Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) stepped down and announced he won’t seek re-election to a fourth term.
Behn, first elected to the Iowa Senate in 1996, is a farmer. He’s the ranking member on the Senate Commerce Committee, and also serves on the Ethics, State Government, and Natural Resources and Environment committees.
Jerry Behn
“As Senate Republican Leader, I will work to ensure we win a Republican Senate majority in 2012,” Behn said in a written statement. “I am committed to raising the resources needed to win, recruiting strong conservative candidates and aggressively promoting our pro-growth agenda of more jobs and less spending.”
Senate Republicans will elect new leadership at a Nov. 10 meeting in Des Moines.
Republicans picked up six seats in the Iowa Senate in 2010, bringing the balance to 26-24 in favor of Democrats. A pending special election in Senate District 18 following the resignation of State Sen. Swati Dandekar (R-Marion) could result in a split chamber.
