Johnson seeks GOP's No. 2 post Tuesday Democrats retain Kibbie as senate president

Senate President Jack Kibbie

Senate Democrats, their numbers at the highest level ever, on Sunday rewarded top leaders with another two years in office and vowed to tackle a state budget that's struggling because of the economic slowdown.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, and Senate President Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, won new two-year terms without opposition.

Democrats in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature have rewarded their leaders for the strong election showing this month.

Last week, House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines, won new terms as Democrats in that chamber expanded their majority to 56-44.

In the House, Republicans ousted former Minority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, as the GOP again lost seats in that chamber.

The same scenario may or may not play out for Senate Republicans on Tuesday when the group meets to pick a new leader.

Senate Minority Leader Ron Wieck, R-Sioux City, said he wouldn't be surprised if he faces a challenge from members concerned about dwindling GOP numbers.

Assistant Minority Leader David Johnson [Click to enlarge]

State Sen. David Johnson of Ocheyedan is one of five Assistant Republican Leaders in the Iowa Senate but will not seek the party's top position.

Democrats now control the Senate by a 32-18 margin.

"In the Senate, I am not that disappointed because senate Democrat leadership said they were going to take five to six seats," Johnson said. "They were that confident and yet we only lost two."

Johnson did say he would like to be considered for the position of Senate Minority Whip, which is the No. 2 leadership post in the Republican Caucus.

"I've been elected three times by my peers as an assistant leader and since our previous whip is not returning, I am going to run for that spot," Johnson said.

Sen. Mark Zieman of Postville, the party's most recent Minority Whip, lost his Senate District 8 seat to Democrat Mary Jo Wilhelm earlier this month.

Johnson said he isn't sure what direction senate Republicans will take regarding the position held by Wieck.

"That's going to be up to the caucus," Johnson said on Monday. "What I care about is that we have a united caucus when we come out of our meeting tomorrow, that we are united on our message, that we are united in closing the gap in 2010 and united in the fact that we can take back the majority because we have a better message than the tax-and-spend message the Democrats have foisted on Iowans that last two years."

Some projections show lawmakers heading into next year's session with a shortfall of up to $600 million because of spending already on the books and a drop in state revenues in the face of tough financial times.

However, Gronstal said the state is in a good position to tackle its economic troubles.

"Thanks to our work during the last two years Iowa's state budget is in much better shape than those of other states," he said. "We will make the tough choices required to keep state government financially sound while continuing to move forward on jobs, education and health care."

Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Waterloo, is in the midst of a re-count, but has been re-elected by fellow Democrats to another two years as president pro tem of the Senate.

Democratic Sens. Stacy Appel of Ackworth, Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City, Jack Hatch of Des Moines, Bill Heckroth of Waverly and Amanda Ragan of Mason City, were elected assistant leaders. Sen. Tom Courtney of Burlington won another term as majority whip.

Kibbie, the Senate president, said Democrats scored a victory on Nov. 4 because they ran on their financial record.

"Our incumbents were re-elected because Iowa voters responded to their record of responsible budgeting and keeping their promises," he said.

Though both parties have met to elect new floor leaders, they plan to gather again next month to start discussing issues they will tackle when they convene in January.

Looking ahead to the 2010 general election, Johnson said Democrats will have 19 senate seats to defend. Republicans will have to defend six seats.