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Iowa, State House, District 55

Iowa House of Representatives District 55
Current incumbentMichael Bergan Republican Party

Iowa's fifty-fifth state house district is represented by Republican Representative Michael Bergan.

Iowa state representatives represent an average of 30,464 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 29,293 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Iowa House of Representatives serve two-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Iowa legislators assume office the first day of January after their election.

Qualifications

The Iowa Constitution states, "No person shall be a member of the house of representatives who shall not have attained the age of twenty-one years, be a citizen of the United States, and shall have been an inhabitant of this state one year next preceding his election, and at the time of his election shall have had an actual residence of sixty days in the county, or district he may have been chosen to represent."

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$25,000/year$168/day

Vacancies

If a vacancy occurs in the house, the Governor must call for a special election within five days of the vacancy. If the vacancy happens in session, the Governor must call for an election as soon as possible with a minimum 18 day notice. All other special elections require a 45 day notice as long the election does not happen on the same day of a school election.

2016 pivot county

206 Pivot Counties Logo.png

This district is one of 710 state legislative districts that intersects with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.

The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. The partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties is slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Iowa House of Representatives will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for June 2, 2020. The filing deadline is March 13, 2020.

2018

General election
General election for Iowa House of Representatives District 55

Incumbent Michael Bergan (R) defeated Kayla Koether (D) in the general election for Iowa House of Representatives District 55 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Michael Bergan (R)
50.0
6,924

Kayla Koether (D)
49.9
6,915
Other/Write-in votes
0.1
7

Total votes: 13,846
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 55

Kayla Koether advanced from the Democratic primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 55 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Kayla Koether (D)
100
1,494

Total votes: 1,494
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 55

Incumbent Michael Bergan advanced from the Republican primary for Iowa House of Representatives District 55 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Michael Bergan (R)
100
675

Total votes: 675

2016

Elections for the Iowa House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 18, 2016. Incumbent Darrel Branhagen (R) did not seek re-election.

Michael Bergan defeated Pat Ritter in the Iowa House of Representatives District 55 general election.

Iowa House of Representatives, District 55 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Michael Bergan 57.18% 8,943
Democratic Pat Ritter 42.82% 6,697
Total Votes 15,640
Source: Iowa Secretary of State

Pat Ritter defeated Steve McCargar in the Iowa House of Representatives District 55 Democratic primary.

Iowa House of Representatives, District 55 Democratic Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Pat Ritter 51.95% 881
Democratic Steve McCargar 48.05% 815
Total Votes 1,696

Michael Bergan defeated Alex Popenhagen in the Iowa House of Representatives District 55 Republican primary.

Iowa House of Representatives, District 55 Republican Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Michael Bergan 60.15% 714
Republican Alex Popenhagen 39.85% 473
Total Votes 1,187

This district was included in the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee's list of "2016 Essential Races." Read more »


2014

Elections for the Iowa House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 14, 2014. Rick Edwards was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Darrel Branhagen was unopposed in the Republican primary. Edwards faced Branhagen in the general election. Branhagen defeated Edwards in the general election.

Iowa House of Representatives District 55, General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDarrel Branhagen 50.1% 5,962
Democratic Rick Edwards 49.9% 5,935
Total Votes 11,897

2012

Elections for the Iowa House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on June 5, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 16, 2012. Incumbent Roger Thomas (D) defeated Michael T. Klimesh (R) in the general election and was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Klimesh defeated Marshall A. Nessa and Dustin Noble in the Republican primary.

Iowa House of Representatives, District 55, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngRoger Thomas Incumbent 50.6% 7,781
Republican Michael T. Klimesh 49.4% 7,585
Total Votes 15,366

Iowa House of Representatives, District 55 Republican Primary, 2012

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngMichael T. Klimesh 47.3% 892
Marshall Nessa 31.5% 593
Dustin Noble 21.2% 399
Total Votes 1,884

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Iowa House of Representatives District 55 raised a total of $1,736,908. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $96,495 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Iowa House of Representatives District 55

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $587,068 4 $146,767
2014 $448,995 2 $224,498
2012 $310,312 4 $77,578
2010 $19,375 1 $19,375
2008 $45,462 2 $22,731
2006 $33,698 1 $33,698
2004 $31,492 1 $31,492
2002 $22,067 1 $22,067
2000 $238,439 2 $119,220
Total $1,736,908 18 $96,495