This group of support comes on the heels of news Chad Airhart and other Walker supporters are now supporting Jeb, and  previous announcements of Jeb’s Iowa County Chairs, Iowa Business Leaders for Jeb, Jeb’s Iowa Farm Team, and more.

Polk County Leadership Team:

City Councilman Tom Cope, Johnston

Polk County Chair

Tom is a small business owner and also serves on the Johnston City Council.  He was first elected to the Council in 2011.  Cope has been active in the Des Moines area community, coaching numerous youth sports teams, and serving on his church Board of Trustees.  He is originally from Aurelia, a small town in northwest Iowa, and is a graduate of the University of Iowa and Drake University Law School. Tom and his wife, Lynn, have two children, Davis and Harper.

Former Representative Janet Metcalf, Des Moines

Polk County Co-Chair 

A former State Representative, Metcalf currently serves as the Broadlawns Medical Center Board Chairman and on the board of "50-50 in 2020", a group dedicated to recruiting women to run for public office. As Chairman of Broadlawns, she brought fiscal restraint to a medical facility that was hemorrhaging money.

Cynthia Wanamaker, Des Moines

Polk County Co-Chair

Wanamaker is the owner of a local interior design business and has served on the board of the Greater Des Moines Botanical Center.

Heath Lee, Des Moines

Polk County Co-Chair

An accomplished historian and author, she was awarded the 2015 Colonial Dames of America Annual Book Award as well as a Gold Medal for Nonfiction writing from the Independent Publisher 2015 Book Awards. In addition, Lee recently served as the Coordinator of the History Series for Salisbury House & Gardens, a 1920’s house museum in Des Moines.

Kristine Bartley, Des Moines

Polk County Co-Chair

A Des Moines activist, Kristine is heavily involved in local Women's and Historic Preservation groups. Bartley has served on the Boards of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Lewis Ferry House. 

Bob Gleason, West Des Moines

Polk County Co-Chair

Gleason is a long-time Republican activist who served on the Veteran Coalitions for Gov. Terry Branstad, Sen. Joni Ernst, and Gov. Mitt Romney. He is a retired Financial Analyst with the FDIC, Sergeant (ret.) in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War, and a Department of Defense appointed KW60 Ambassador.

Marilyn Book, Des Moines 

Polk County Co-Chair

Marilyn has been an extremely active member for the Des Moines community for decades. Between helping lead the Roosevelt High School boosters organization to being an active member of the University of Iowa alumni group, Marilyn has kept a keen focus on education.

Dorie Fisher, West Des Moines

Polk County Co-Chair 

A West Des Moines resident, Dorie has been a steadfast and active supporter of Iowa Republicans. A former Des Moines Public Schools teacher, she focuses her energy toward causes including the World Food Prize, The Iowa Heart Foundation, and the University of Iowa Foundation’s President Club.

Ruth and Marv Hiddleson, West Des Moines

Polk County Co-Chairs

The Hiddlesons has been deeply involved in the communities of West Des Moines and Windsor Heights for many years. Between supporting students through charitable programs at St. Olaf College and the University of Iowa, advocating for education reform, and volunteering at the Windsor Heights Lutheran Church, Ruth and Marv are passionate about a charitable life.

Barbara Willey, Des Monies

Polk County Co-Chair

A Southside Des Moines resident, Willey has worked in the Iowa State Senate for many years. In her community, she is active in her PEO women’s group and other various charitable organizations.

Jacqueline Riekena, West Des Moines

Polk County Co-Chair

From West Des Moines, Riekena is a long-time community activist who has raised money for such organizations as the United Way, Puppy Jake Foundation, and the Special Olympics. Riekena is an Executive with Wells-Fargo and helps lead their charitable giving and community involvement programs. 

Jena Newell, Des Moines

Polk County Co-Chair

A long-time resident of Des Moines, Jena has been an active member of the community donating her time to such causes as Children and Families of Iowa and the Roosevelt High School Foundation. Newell is a former unaffiliated voter, but became a passionate and active Republican in 2012 in response to the lack of strong leadership exhibited in Washington.

Jim Lobaito

Altoona City Chair 

Jim is the founder and President of Performance Group – a sales development company located in West Des Moines. Known as a prominent expert in sales, Lobaito is a member of the National Speakers Association and hosts BizTalk on WHO Radio.

Erin Strawn 

Ankeny City Chair

Strawn is the mother of three young children and a leading professional in a successful consulting firm.  As a member of the Polk County Central Committee and the Republican Third District Executive Committee, Erin has been active in recruiting and supporting candidates for state, local and federal office.  Erin also chairs the Board for the St. Paul Lutheran Preschool in Ankeny.

LuAnne Towers

Bondurant City Chiar 

A devoted Republican, LuAnne has been involved in numerous campaigns through the past two decades. In addition, her roots run deep in the community where she works in the Ankeny School District and volunteers with the YMCA.

Mark Timmerman 

Clive City Chair 

A Financial Advisor with Principal Global Investments, Mark is passionate about creating a vibrant economy here in Central Iowa.

Bill Scherle, Jr.

Des Moines City Chair

A Greenwood native and current Des Moines attorney, Scherle has been involved in local elections since his father Congressman Bill Scherle, Sr. served in Congress. Additionally, Bill has served as the Polk County GOP Chairman.

Jonathan Lochman

Grimes City Chair

Lochman is a U.S. Army Veteran and former candidate for the Iowa State Senate in 2014. Currently he is a member of the United States Army Reserve and serves as a signal officer. Lochman also serves the State Director for Team Rubicon, a veterans group that helps with disaster relief and emergency management.

Marsha Lappin

Johnston City Chair

Lappin is a former small business owner and current sales professional in the Des Moines area. Lappin has served on the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce and other local business groups. She also donates her time to volunteering for numerous charity organizations and teaching piano lessons.

Amerist and Tony Chambers

Mitchellville City Chairs 

The Chambers are active members of the Mitchellville and surrounding community being involved in the local Lions Club, coaching their children’s’ sports, various other civic groups, and serving in law enforcement.

Dee Johnson

Pleasant Hill City Chair

Dee has been an active part of the Pleasant Hill and Iowa community for the last four decades. Between working for the State of Iowa and volunteering for various charitable groups in the area, she is now retired and committed to electing Jeb.

John Amato

Polk City City Chair 

A marketing and business professional working across Iowa, Amato is focused on electing a President who will make it easier to successfully operate a business. He also operates Amato Charitable Investments and is involved with The Rotary Club of Des Moines AM.

Councilman Creighton Cox 

Urbandale City Chair 

Creighton Cox has been on the Urbandale City Council since November 2011 and is the President at C2 Policy Advocates, Inc which works with construction projects to limit regulatory hurdles. Since 2009 Cox has been a board member of the Polk County Housing Trust Fund. Cox was also the campaign manager for Latham for Congress during the 2002 election cycle, as well as the Finance Director of the Republican Party of Iowa for 1998-1999. 

Matt McDermott

West Des Moines City Chair

McDermott is a Des Moines attorney at Belin McCormick, P.C.  In 2008 Business Record included McDermott in the Forty Under 40.  He is also the former president of the Bull Moose Club of Des Moines. McDermott previously served as Legal Counsel for the Republican Party of Iowa.

Beverly Poncin

Windsor Heights City Chair

Poncin is a well-known Republican activist and volunteer in Iowa since 1982. She has served on the Polk County GOP central committee, the board of her church, and as a city chair for Mitt Romney.