Liz Mathis Wins State Senate District 18
By James Q. Lynch, Reporter
Democrat Liz Mathis smiles as she celebrates her victory in the Iowa Senate District 18 race Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011 at the Campbell-Steele Gallery in Marion, Iowa. Mathis' victory over Republican Cindy Golding maintains democratic control of the Iowa Senate. (Brian Ray/ SourceMedia Group News)
By
Aaron Hepker
Story Created:
Nov 8, 2011 at 9:04 PM CST
Story Updated:
Nov 9, 2011 at 12:04 AM CST
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Linn County voters extended Democratic control of the Iowa Senate by electing Liz Mathis to fill a vacant seat in Iowa Senate 18.
According to unofficial results from the Linn County Auditor’s Office, Mathis defeated Republican Cindy Golding 13,184 (55.8 percent) to 10,283 (43.5 percent) in the district that wraps around northern and western Linn County. Jon Tack of the Constitution Party received 151 votes.
Mathis, 53, best known for more than a quarter century as an Eastern Iowa television news reporter and anchor, made jobs, improving the business climate and education the basis of her campaign. Now she is the chief information officer for Four Oaks, a child welfare and juvenile justice agency where she oversees legislative advocacy, public relations, marketing and development.
Throughout the campaign for the seat vacated when Marion Democrat Swati Dandekar resigned to accept Republican Gov. Terry Branstad’s appointment to the Iowa Utilities Board, Mathis talked about ending gridlock in the Senate, where Democrats will maintain a 26-24 advantage.
Without offering specifics, Mathis touted a five-point plan to create Iowa jobs and promised to work with Republicans to enact her proposals.
She called for giving Iowa companies first crack at state and local contract, “so our tax dollars create jobs here — not in China;” cutting small business property taxes by $300 million; offering businesses a $2,000 tax credit for each new Iowa hire; more tax incentives to attract high-tech employers; and stopping “cuts to our classrooms.”
Mathis and her husband, Mark, who owns the advertising agency ME&V, live near Robins and have two children. She grew up on an Iowa farm and is a University of Iowa graduate.
The race was expected to be expensive and campaign finance reports show nearly $1 million has been spent to capture the seat that pays $25,000 a year. According to reports filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Finance Disclosure Board Tuesday, Mathis raised $690,036 in cash and in-kind contributions, mostly from the Iowa Democratic Party. Golding raised $250,325 in cash and in-kind contributions. The candidates’ final reports aren’t due until Jan. 19.
Senate 18 includes parts of Marion, Cedar Rapids and Walford as well as Fairfax, Palo, Hiawatha, Robins, Alburnett, Center Point, Walker, Central City, Coggon and Prairieburg.
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