Another Contender Explores Run for U.S. Representative First District Seat

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?

For Swati Dandekar, that answer is becoming more and more likely to be yes.

There have been rumors for weeks that Dandekar, a former State Senator who represented Marion before leaving to fill a utilities board post, might be pondering a run at Bruce Braley's soon to be vacant U.S. Representative First District seat.

It now looks like a Dandekar run is becoming more likely:

Dandekar Forming Committee to Explore Iowa U.S. House 1st District Campaign (KCRG)

After deflecting questions about her plans for months, former state Sen. Swati Dandekar is taking the first steps toward running for an open U.S. House seat in northeast Iowa.

The Marion Democrat confirmed today supporters are forming an exploratory committee and she will decide before fall whether she will run for the 1st District seat now held by Waterloo Democrat Rep. Bruce Braley.

“I know it is important to the people living in northeast Iowa to continue the strong representation established by Braley,” she said. “We must keep this seat in Democratic hands.”

If she does seek Bruce Braley's first district congressional seat, she may face questions about a controversial move a couple years ago to resign her state senate seat for an appointment by Republican Gov. Terry Branstad to a lucrative post on the Iowa Utilities Board.

The vacancy could have cost Democrats the majority in the senate, which would have put key issues in jeopardy, but former news anchor in a special election, and then re-election.

Another interesting facet if Dandekar runs: Iowans have never elected a woman to the U.S. Congress or to the position of governor, one of only two states in the nation to have this dubious distinction.

Current contenders for the seat are Democrat Pat Murphy and Republicans Rod Blum and Steve Rathje.

Read more:

Democrat Pat Murphy Will Run for Braley's First Congressional Seat

Rod Blum Enters First Congressional District Race

Cedar Rapids Republican Steve Rathje to Run for Braley's Congressional Seat

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