Ames Election Guide

As we look ahead to November’s elections, Ames Patch is devoted to bringing you the information you need about every race in town. Here are five races that are already contested in Ames.

President Barack Obama: Prognosticators call Iowa a battleground state in the presidential race, and two recent visits by President Obama to the Hawkeye State seem to bear that out. In April,  to talk about the need to keep student loan interest rates down, then in May he stumped in Des Moines on the economy, abortion rights, gays in the military and his desire to lead the country forward.

GOP Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney: The former Massachusetts governor has visited the state three times in the past month, usually focusing his comments on the economy. In a May Des Moines appearance, . On June 18 Romney campaigned in Dubuque and Davenport, criticizing President Obama’s policies with dragging down the economy, according to the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald.

Vilsack Vs. King: Ames Democrat Christie Vilsack and Congressman Steve KingKiron, have already been campaigning against each other in their race for Iowa's new U.S. Congressional District 4. Vilsack, Iowa's former first lady, moved to Ames to make a bid for Iowa's new 4^th Congressional District. She hopes to make history by becoming the first Iowa woman to represent the state in Washington D.C. King, R-Kiron, a Catholic conservative, has represented western Iowa for the past decade. He opened a campaign office here in Ames a town that isn't in his current district. Super PACs such as CREDO also hope to unseat King. In fact the group has opened a office right here in Ames.

Incumbent Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, a Democrat, will face Republican Dane Nealson for the district 45 seat in the in Iowa House of Representatives. Wessel-Kroeschell was first elected to her position in 2004. She is an Ames native, a former high school English teacher and has worked extensively for non-profits. Nealson, a West Liberty native, moved to Ames in 2008 to continue his studies at Iowa State University. After graduating he worked on some political campaigns and is a pharmacist in Nevada.

Incumbent Democrat Lisa Heddens will face Republican Stephen Quist for Iowa District 46. Heddens, an Iowa State University graduate, was first elected to her position in 2002. Quist who has blogged for Patch, grew up in Davenport and moved to Ames to attend Iowa State University. He expects to graduate next fall.

Democrat Lucy Martin Story County Auditor will also be challenged by Republican Ty Radford Stewart for her job.

These last three races may not be creating the most buzz, but with just 600 more Democrats than Republicans in the county they could be close.