Democratic state representative J.D. Scholten is exiting the Iowa House District 1 seat at the end of this year, and two Democrats from Sioux City are running to succeed him.
Kenneth Kroll and Shawn Olorundam are the candidates seeking to get the Democratic nomination at the conclusion of June 2 primary election voting.
Kroll is a former television reporter. He criticized a bill passed this year that gives medical professionals the option to not provide services that are in opposition to their conscience.
Kroll said that law “is punching down on LGBTQ people” and others.
“I am really tired of this culture war that is being perpetrated," he said.
Kroll said his prime issues to address include water quality and health care access.
Olorundami is a Sioux City North High School teacher, who is advocating for the power of organized union workers and the working class. He said it is time to realize the limits of Republican legislative control.
“We have been ruled by a party who have been concerned with thinking that if we hurt enough people, if we hurt the right people, we will create for ourselves prosperity and happiness. But we have seen that has brought us nothing but despair and hardship…nothing that has been a common good,” Olorundami said in an introduction speech after becoming a candidate.
The primary winner will vie for the seat in November with Republican Josh Steinhoff of Sioux City.
Scholten defeated Steinhoff in 2024.
