Smith

Rep. Mark Smith, D-Marshalltown, said he plans to step down as the chamber’s Democratic leader.

Democrats didn’t win a majority in the Iowa House in 2018, but Smith won re-election and oversaw Democratic gains in the chamber. In an interview prior to the election, Smith said he was hoping Democrats would win the majority and in doing so make him the first Speaker of the Iowa House from Marshalltown to increase his “ability to do things for people of this community.”

Now, he said he wants to focus more on local needs.

“Very pressing on me is work that still needs to be done to rebuild Marshalltown,” Smith said, referring to tornado recovery efforts.

He said being the top Democrat in the House gave him the opportunity to meet several candidates and learn about key issues impacting all Iowans.

“I also spent several days door-knocking from about 16th Street in Marshalltown to 15th Avenue in Marshalltown … There is so much to be done,” Smith said.

Some personal matters also weighed into his decision to step down as the Democratic leader in the House.

“My mother is turning 92 in January and when you do the leader role, you have to put family and a lot of other things on hold,” he said.

Smith did not have a comment about which Democratic representative will replace him as the House Minority Leader. The House Democratic Caucus will choose a new leader this week.

“Saturday will be the election, we’ll see how it goes,” he said.

Smith was elected as his party’s leader in the House in August 2013 and has served in the chamber since 2001.

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Contact Adam Sodders at

(641) 753-6611 or

asodders@timesrepublican.com