A Sioux City man who runs a media consulting firm has been picked as the Republican nominee for the special election next month for the vacated Iowa Senate District 1 position.
Christopher Prosch was selected in a special nominating convention by the Woodbury County Republican Party Executive Committee at a Tuesday evening position in Sioux City.
The party’s release said Prosch understands the challenges facing hardworking Iowans.
“We are confident that Christopher will be a strong advocate for economic growth in our State because he understands the negative impact government overreach and overregulation has had on our economy,” the release said.
Prosch is married and has two children,
Another Republican who was considered by delegates, but did not win, was Dan Bittinger, who is chairman of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors.
The special election will be on August 26. That is needed because of the late June death of state senator Rocky DeWitt, a Republican of Lawton, at age 66.
The Woodbury County Democratic Party nominating convention will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the downtown Sioux City Public Library, then the ballot will be set for next month.
*In other election news, a Democrat from Storm Lake is now running for Iowa’s 4th Congressional seat after former Democratic candidate Ryan Melton dropped out in June.
Ashley WolfTornabane announced her campaign on Tuesday, saying she is ready to listen to the concerns of rank-and-file Iowans, not the special interests of billionaires.
“There are so many issues I care about, and basically, if an issue has an underdog, like with Big Ag versus Family Farms, you can bet I'll be supporting the underdog. I care about revitalizing our small towns so our families stay rooted here, and the issue I'm most passionate about is health care,” she said.
WolfTornabane , a stay-at-home mother of two children, has organized two recent anti-Trump rallies.
Current 4th District Congressman Randy Feenstra is running for governor, and earlier this eweek the number of Republicans running grew to two, as state representative Matt Windschitl joined Chris McGowan, who is President of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce.
*In other news, a decision is coming at the end of the month on whether new University of Northern Iowa students from the six states bordering Iowa would pay the same in-state tuition rate as Iowa residents.
Back in May, UNI President Mark Nook told Siouxland Public Media News that proposal would soon be going to the Iowa Board of Regents for a final decision.
It is a potential way to get the college enrollment more towards the 12,000 figure that had been the norm had been for decades, before declining the last few years below 10,000.
What is called the UNI’s Neighboring State Rate could help students from Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin access affordable education.
Anticipated tuition and fees for in-state students and new students from the six states bordering Iowa will be $10,200 for the 2025-26 academic year.
In a Tuesday release, Nook said families taking advantage of UNI’s Neighboring State Rate will save over $12,000 annually compared to paying traditional non-resident tuition.
*Additionally, a special South Dakota panel has recommended a men’s state prison in Sioux Falls, at a maximum $650 million price tag.
Back in May, Governor Larry Rhoden asked a task force three questions. Does the state need a new men’s penitentiary? If yes, what should be built? And where should it be built?
After a long process, South Dakotans have answers to those questions.
The Project Prison Reset Task Force on Tuesday recommended the state build a 1,500-bed men’s prison in Sioux Falls for a maximum $650 million at its final summer meeting Tuesday. The members decided 1,200 beds is not enough.
The task force set the two possible options near Sioux Falls, after some weeks of also considering four locations, with Mitchell and Worthing, plus perhaps expanding one of two prison facilities in Sioux Falls and Springfield on adjacent land.
A special legislative session was originally scheduled for July 22, but has been postponed. When lawmakers have that special session, rules say a decision can only be reached by two-thirds affirmative votes in both South Dakota chambers,
*IN related news, the state of Iowa is considering hiring a private company to provide health care services in prisons.
The Iowa Department of Corrections is issuing a request for proposals to explore privately-run health services and replace the electronic health record system. The agency is looking for cost savings and solutions to challenges like staff shortages.
AFSCME Council 61 President Todd Copley said the proposal is a slap in the face to the more than 200 current prison health workers, who he said are underpaid.
