Urbandale school board member will seek Iowa House seat in 2024
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An Urbandale school board member will seek a seat in the Iowa House next year.
Democrat Jason Menke launched his campaign for House District 44 on Tuesday. The district covers Urbandale and parts of Des Moines.
Why is Jason Menke running for the Iowa Legislature?
“We’re at a tipping point in Iowa,” Menke said in a news release. “The extreme policies adopted by the legislature in the last two years are devastating to public schools and the communities they serve."
In his campaign announcement, Menke said Iowa's new law, which allows families to use state funds for private school tuition, "must be repealed." Menke also called for protecting reproductive rights for women, economic policies that defend Iowa's workforce, and social and health policies that "don't ostracize marginalized, vulnerable Iowans."
Who else is running for Iowa House District 44?
Menke is the second Democrat to announce his candidacy for the district, setting up a primary battle with Urbandale City Council member Larry McBurney.
Iowa Rep. John Forbes represented House District 44 since 2013. Forbes, a Democrat, will step away from the Iowa Capitol in 2024, instead seeking election to the Polk County Board of Supervisors.
Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa House District 44: Democrat Jason Menke to run
