CLEAR LAKE – Clear Lake City Councilman Bennett Smith said this morning he is exploring a possible candidacy for the Iowa Legislature in House District 54, the seat held for one more session by Speaker Linda Upmeyer.
Mr. Smith released the following statement:
I want to take this opportunity to announce that I am exploring the possibility of becoming an independent candidate for the Iowa Legislature in House District 54 for the upcoming 2020 fall election. Over the next few weeks I look forward to hearing from citizens in the district regarding the various legislative issues that are of important concern to them and having the opportunity to share some of my views on public policy.
I believe in a politics that values problem-solving over partisanship with the goal of enhancing the quality of life for all Iowans. I am committed to public service and I believe that I have the ability, experience and judgement to make a positive difference in the Iowa Legislature.
If I enter the race my goal will be to build a coalition of Republicans, Democrats and Independents that want to move Iowa forward with a positive vision for conserving our natural resources, improving our educational outcomes, reforming our healthcare system, and promoting economic development across the State of Iowa. Feel free to contact me at bennett.smith@gmail.com with comments or questions regarding my potential candidacy for the House District 54 seat.
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Bennett Smith is an instructor in history and political science at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC). He is also an instructor in various lifelong learning programs including the NIACC Lifelong Learning Institute; the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Iowa State University and the LIFE program at Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, Minnesota. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in speech communication and a Master of Arts degree in history from Iowa State University. He has also done graduate work at the University of Iowa in Social Foundations of Education. He is from Clear Lake, IA and currently serves on the Clear Lake City Council.
