Rita Hart elected to lead Iowa Democratic Party as chair, focuses on 'winning elections'

Also: Iowa Democrats pick ex-House candidate as new state leader (Associated Press)

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Source: Des Moines Register

Rita Hart elected to lead Iowa Democratic Party as chair, focuses on 'winning elections'

Brianne Pfannenstiel
Des Moines Register

Published 2:02 p.m. CT Jan. 28, 2023 | Updated 2:05 p.m. CT Jan. 28, 2023

Rita Hart will lead the Iowa Democratic Party as its next chair, promising to help steer the party through a tumultuous period that has included steep election losses and a national threat to its first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses.

"My focus is squarely on helping our party begin winning elections again," she told members of the party's State Central Committee Saturday.

The group voted to name her chair over two other candidates, former state legislator Bob Krause and campaign operative Brittany Ruland.

After about an hour and a half of tabulations that frustrated many members of the committee, leaders announced that Hart won 34 votes, Ruland won 14 and Krause had one.

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Read more: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/28/rita-hart-elected-to-lead-iowa-democratic-party-as-chair/69841518007/

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Source: Associated Press

Iowa Democrats pick ex-House candidate as new state leader

January 29, 2023

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Democrats chose a failed Congressional candidate to lead their state party as they grapple with a series of election losses and an effort from the national party to take away its first-in-the-nation status in the presidential race.

Rita Hart, the former state senator who lost a 2020 U.S. House race by just a handful of votes, was chosen Saturday over two other candidates

“My focus is squarely on helping our party begin winning elections again,” she said.

Hart said her experience raising $5 million for the congressional race and winning in a district that former President Donald Trump carried will serve her well as she works to help other Democrats win.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/politics-iowa-state-government-donald-trump-iowa-elections-dfab626c9b29891c84b625dbfe0936a1