Iowa Endorsements—Republicans

The Republican presidential candidates look for endorsements from federal, statewide and local elected officials as well as former elected officials and prominent figures.  Some will be early endorsers, some late endorsers and some non-endorsers.  In 2011-12 Democracy in Action found 17 of the 24 Senate Republicans and 28 of 60 House Republicans made public endorsements before the caucuses.  In 2007-08 Democracy in Action found 13 of the 20 Senate Republicans and 26 of the 47 House Republicans made public endorsements before the caucuses.
Democrats  |  Republicans

updated January 31, 2016  
NATIONAL  |  IOWA  |  NEW HAMPSHIRE  |  SOUTH CAROLINA  NEVADA

Federal
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley     ...will not endorse (>)
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst    ...Dec. 17, 2014 interview with Radio Iowa (>)  ...will not endorse
U.S. Rep. Rod Blum (CD-1)
U.S. Rep. David Young (CD-3)
U.S. Rep. Steve King (CD-4)  CRUZ announced Nov. 16, 2015 +

State
Gov. Terry Branstad
Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds
Secretary of State Paul Pate
Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey
Auditor Mary Mosiman
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Senate Republicans (24) +
Name Position District - City/Town
County


Bill Dix
Minority Leader
25 - Shell Rock
Butler


Jack Whitver
Minority Whip 19- Ankeny
Polk
RUBIO (reported 05/04/15)
>
Rick Bertrand
Assistant Leader
7 - Sioux City
Woodbury
RUBIO (reported 06/06/15)

Randy Feenstra
Assistant Leader
2 - Hull
Sioux
WALKER (reported 03/03/15)
CRUZ (announced 09/30/15)
>
+
Tim Kapucian
Assistant Leader
38 - Keystone
Benton
GRAHAM (announced 11/09/15)
+
Charles Schneider
Assistant Leader 22 - West Des Moines
Dallas
BUSH (reported 06/16/15)
>
Dan Zumbach
Assistant Leader 48 - Ryan
Delaware
WALKER (reported 03/03/15)
RUBIO (reported 12/09/15)
>
>
Bill Anderson

3 - Pierson
Woodbury
CRUZ (announced 06/29/15)
+
Jerry Behn

24 - Boone
Boone
WALKER (announced 08/05/15)
CRUZ (announced 01/04/16)
+
+
Michael Breitbach

28 - Strawberry Point
Clayton


Jake Chapman

10 - Adel
Dallas
CRUZ (announced 04/29/15)
+
Mark Chelgren

41 - Ottumwa
Wapello


Mark Costello

12 - Imogene
Fremont
WALKER (announced 08/05/15) +
Julian Garrett

13 - Indianola
Warren
WALKER (announced 08/05/15) +
Dennis Guth

4 - Klemme
Hancock
CRUZ (announced 04/29/15)
+
David Johnson

1 - Ocheyedan
Osceola
PERRY (03/07/15 DMR letter to ed)
FIORINA (announced 10/13/15)

+
Tim Kraayenbrink

5 - Fort Dodge
Webster


Ken Rozenboom

40 - Oskaloosa
Mahaska


Jason Schultz

9 - Schleswig
Crawford
CRUZ (reported 03/24/15)
>
Mark Segebart

6 - Vail
Crawford
WALKER (announced 08/05/15) +
Tom Shipley

11 - Nodaway
Adams
WALKER (reported 03/03/15)
RUBIO (reported 12/09/15)
>
>
Amy Sinclair

14 - Allerton
Wayne
WALKER (announced 08/05/15) +
Roby Smith

47 - Davenport
Scott


Brad Zaun

20 - Urbandale
Polk
WALKER (reported 03/03/15)
TRUMP (announced 10/13/15)
>
+

14 of 24 active endorsements... Four
others endorsed Walker but have not re-endorsed.
BUSH
CRUZ
FIORINA
GRAHAM
RUBIO
TRUMP
Charles Schneider
Bill Anderson
Jerry Behn*
Jake Chapman
Randy Feenstra*
Dennis Guth
Jason Schultz
David Johnson* Tim Kapucian
Jack Whitver
Rick Bertrand
Tom Shipley*
Dan Zumbach*
Brad Zaun*
PERRY WALKER



D. JohnsonFIORINA Jerry BehnCRUZ
Mark Costello
Randy FeenstraCRUZ
Julian Garrett
Mark Segebart
Tom ShipleyRUBIO
Amy Sinclair
Brad ZaunTRUMP
Dan ZumbachRUBIO






House Republicans (57) +
Name Position District - City/Town
County


Kraig Paulsen
Speaker 67 - Hiawatha
Linn
CHRISTIE (08/20/15 DMR oped)
>
Linda Upmeyer
Leader 54- Clear Lake
Cerro Gordo


Chris Hagenow
Whip
43 - Windsor Heights
Polk


Matt Windschitl Speaker Pro Tem
17 - Missouri Valley
Harrison
JINDAL (announced 08/17/15)
+
Joel Fry
Assistant Leader
27 - Osceola
Clarke


Lee Hein
Assistant Leader 96 - Monticello
Jones
WALKER (announced 08/05/15)
FIORINA (announced 10/13/15)
+
+
Jarad Klein
Assistant Leader 78 - Keota
Keokuk


Walt Rogers
Assistant Leader 60 - Cedar Falls
Black Hawk
SANTORUM (anncd 03/16/15)
+
Rob Bacon

48 - Slater
Story
BUSH (reported 10/05/19; announced 10/19/15)
+
Chip Baltimore

47 - Boone
Boone
CHRISTIE (anncd 10/29/15)
+
Clel Baudler

20 - Greenfield
Adair
FIORINA (announced 10/13/15)
+
Terry Baxter

8 - Garner
Hancock
WALKER (announced 08/05/15)
CRUZ (announced 11/12/15)
+
+
Brian Best

12 - Glidden
Carroll
WALKER (announced 08/05/15)
RUBIO (announced 01/05/16)
+
+
Darrel Branhagen

55 - Decorah
Winneshiek


Josh Byrnes

51 - Osage
Mitchell
FIORINA (announced 10/13/15) +
Gary Carlson

91 - Muscatine
Muscatine
CHRISTIE (announced 11/11/15)
+
Peter Cownie

42 - West Des Moines
Polk


Dave Deyoe

49 - Nevada
Story
WALKER (announced 08/05/15)
CHRISTIE (anncd 12/10/15)
+
+
Cecil Dolecheck

24 - Mount Ayr
Ringgold


Tom Moore

21 - Griswold
Cass


Dean Fisher

72 - Garwin
Tama
SANTORUM (01/15/16 tweet)
WALKER
(announced 08/05/15)

+
Greg Forristall

22 - Macedonia
Pottawattamie
BUSH (announced 01/06/16)
+
Tedd Gassman

7 - Scarville
Winnebago
HUCKABEE (ann'ced 08/16/15)
+
Pat Grassley

50 - New Hartford
Butler


Stan Gustafson

25 - Cumming
Madison


Mary Ann Hanusa

16 - Council Bluffs
Pottawattamie
KASICH (announced 07/24/15)
+
Greg Heartsill

28 - Melcher Dalls
Marion
CRUZ (announced 04/2915)
+
David E. Heaton

84 - Mt. Pleasant
Henry
BUSH (announced 01/06/16) +
Jack Highfill

39 - Johnston
Polk
CHRISTIE (anncd 12/22/15)
+
Steven Holt

18 - Denison
Crawford
CRUZ (announced 04/29/15)
+
Daniel A. Huseman

3 - Aurelia
Cherokee


Megan Jones

2 - Sioux Rapids
Clay
RUBIO (facebook 11/17/15)

Ron Jorgensen

6 - Sioux City
Woodbury
BUSH (reported 06/16/15) >
Bobby Kaufmann

73 - Wilton
Cedar
RUBIO (at 07/08/15 event)

Kevin Koester

38 - Ankeny
Polk


John Kooiker

4 - Boyden
Sioux


John Landon

37 - Ankeny
Polk
WALKER (announced 08/05/15) +
Dave Maxwell

76 - Gibson
Poweshiek

Linda J. Miller

94 - Bettendorf
Scott
BUSH (announced 08/13/15)
+
Norlin Mommsen

97 - DeWitt
Clinton


Brian Moore

58 - Bellevue
Jackson


Zach Nunn

30 - Bondurant
Polk
BUSH (reported 06/16/15) >
Ross Paustian

92 - Walcott
Scott
FIORINA (announced 08/12/15)
+
Dawn E. Pettengill

75 - Mount Auburn
Benton
PERRY (at 07/11/15 event)
>
Ken Rizer

68 - Cedar Rapids
Linn
BUSH (reported 06/16/15) >
Sandy Salmon

63 - Janesville
Bremer
CRUZ (in Waverly 01/09/16)

Thomas R. Sands

88 - Wapello
Louisa


Mike Sexton

10 - Rockwell City
Calhoun
FIORINA (announced 06/05/15)
+
Larry Sheets

80 - Moulton
Appanoose
CRUZ (announced 04/29/15)
+
David Sieck

23 - Glenwood
Mills
KASICH (announced 10/29/15)
+
Chuck Soderberg

5 - Le Mars
Plymouth


Quentin Stanerson

95 - Center Point
Linn


Rob Taylor

44 - West Des Moines
Dallas
CARSON (09/18/14 and 03/15)
1,2
Guy Vander Linden

79 - Oskaloosa
Mahaska


Ralph C. Watts

19 - Adel
Dallas
CRUZ (announced 04/29/15)
+
John Wills

1 - Spirit Lake
Dickinson
RUBIO (announced 01/05/16)
+
Gary Worthan

11 - Storm Lake
Buena Vista


Tom Moore won Dec. 9, 2015 special election to fill District 21 seat that had been held by Jack Drake, who died in October.
David Sieck won Feb. 11, 2015 special election to fill District 23 seat that had been held by Mark Costello, who was elected to the Senate.

32 of 57 active endorsements
...  Five others made an endorsement of a candidate who has since withdrawn and have not re-endorsed.
BUSH
CARSON
CHRISTIE
CRUZ
FIORINA
HUCKABEE
Greg Forristall
Dave Heaton
Ron Jorgensen
Linda J. Miller
Zach Nunn
Ken Rizer
Rob Taylor
Kraig Paulsen
Chip Baltimore
Gary Carlson
Dave Deyoe*
Jack Highfill
Terry Baxter*
Greg Heartsill
Steven Holt
Sandy Salmon
Larry Sheets
Ralph C. Watts
Clel Baudler
Josh Byrnes
Lee Hein*
Ross Paustian
Mike Sexton
Tedd Gassman

JINDAL
KASICH
PERRY
RUBIO
SANTORUM
WALKER
Matt Windschitl
Mary Ann Hanusa
David Sieck
Dawn Pettengill
Brian Best*
Megan Jones
Bobby Kaufmann
John Wills
Dean Fisher*
Walt Rogers
Terry BaxterBUSH
Brian BestRUBIO
Dave DeyoeCHRISTIE
Dean FisherSANTORUM
Lee HeinFIORINA
John Landon

Ed. note. 
The red asterisk indicates the legislator had previously endorsed another candidate.  Before he suspended his campaign on Sept. 21, Gov. Scott Walker had led the field in endorsements by state legislators, securing support of nine Senators and six Representatives.  It is interesting to see the paths these 15 legislators are now taking.  Rep. Terry Baxter (Garner) appeared to shift to Bush, introducing Bush at an event in Mason City later on the very day that Walker withdrew; however on Nov. 12 the Cruz campaign announced Baxter's endorsement.  Ten former Walker supporters have gone in various directions:

Sen. Randy Feenstra (Hull)  ...CRUZ  9/30
Sen. Brad Zaun (Urbandale)  ...TRUMP  10/13
Rep. Lee Hein (Monticello)  ...FIORINA  10/13
Rep. Terry Baxter (Garner)  ...CRUZ  11/12
Sen. Dan Zumbach (Ryan)  ...RUBIO  12/09
Sen. Tom Shipley (Nodaway)  ...RUBIO  12/09
Rep. Dave Deyoe (Nevada)  ...CHRISTIE  12/10
Sen. Jerry Behn (Boone)  ...CRUZ  01/04/16
Rep. Brian Best (Glidden)  ...RUBIO 01/05/16
Rep. Dean Fisher (Garwin)  ...SANTORUM 01/15/16



*  *  *

Republican Party of Iowa State Central Committee
Members signed neutrality pledge on Nov. 22, 2014. +

RNC Members
Steve Scheffler
Tamara Scott

Chelle Adkins
1
Black Hawk

David Chung
1
Linn

Ron Herrig
1
Dubuque

Loras Schulte
1
Benton

Marinnette Miller-Meeks
2
Wapello

Trudy Caviness
2
Wapello

Judy Davidson
2
Scott

Jarad Klein
2
Washington

Brenna Bird
3
Guthrie

Ryan Frederick
3
Adair

Bill Gustoff
3
Polk

Sherill Whisenand
3
Polk

Andy Cable
4
Hardin

John Thompson
4
Greene

Gary Nystrom
4
Boone

Craig Williams
4
Carroll


Changes to SCC in 2015
- Jamie Johnson (Webster Co./4th CD)...resigned mid-March 2015 to join Rick PAC; succeeded by John Thompson (elected May 2, 2015).
- Gabe Haugland (Cerro Gordo Co./4th CD) ...resigned to take a position with the Iowa National Guard; succeeded by Andy Cable (elected May 2, 2015).
- Bob Anderson (Johnson Co./2nd CD) ...resigned June 27 to move; succeeded by Marinnette Miller-Meeks (elected Aug. 1, 2015).
- Loras Schulte (Benton Co./1st CD) ...announced resignaton on Nov. 20, 2015 (+) to support Ted Cruz.



County GOP Leaders



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