The Democratic field of candidates for the 3rd District grows ever larger today, with Eddie Mauro officially launching an exploratory committee. The baseball coach from the well known Des Moines South Side family had been considering a run for several weeks now, and is now pitching his experience as a community activist and business owner as a good contrast to Republican Congressman David Young.

“Despite the demand for change that Iowans wanted in 2016, Donald Trump and David Young have failed to deliver,” Mauro said in a press release. “They said what they needed to say to win the vote, yet issue after issue, the policies Trump and Young are now supporting will make the struggles of the average Iowan worse.”

Mauro criticized Young specifically on the healthcare vote, rising college costs and Young and Donald Trump’s insufficient support for clean energy jobs.

“Iowans are tired of being lied to by their elected leaders in order to win their vote. It is not enough to vent about these problems or politicians; we need to step up and get involved. That is why I am exploring a run for Congress,” Mauro added.

Mauro is a longtime baseball coach, which included coaching Dowling High School to state championships in 1999 and 2001. He was a school teacher in Seymour and Des Moines for several years before starting his own insurance firm that specializes in auto, home and business insurance. His community roots are like many in the South Side Italian community – attended Dowling Catholic, serves on the South Suburban YMCA board, is a member of the Iowa Catholic Conference and is now the head coach of the Lincoln High School baseball team.

Like many of his fellow family members, Mauro has been active in Iowa politics and policy issues for some time. He is one of the founding members of AMOS, a progressive issue organizing group in Central Iowa.

Mauro’s first run for office was in 2016 when he tried to defeat State Representative Jo Oldson in a Democratic primary. He came up significantly short in that effort, only getting about 33% of the vote, but this time he’ll be in a large field of first-time candidates and won’t be challenging an incumbent one-on-one. And in his race with Oldson he was still able to put up very large margins of victories in the handful of South Side precincts within that house district. For 2018 he’ll have the entire South Side that he can turn out, an area that will already be targeted heavily by other campaigns, especially if Polk County Supervisor Johnny Mauro draws a tough reelection primary challenge.

The 3rd District Democratic candidates officially running or exploring now include Mauro, Cindy Axne, Pete D’Alessandro, Theresa Greenfield, Paul Knupp and Heather Ryan, while Austin Frerick is considering a run. A field that large may make it difficult for any one candidate to hit 35% in the primary, the amount needed to avoid the nomination from being decided at a convention.

Mauro’s new campaign website is here.

by Pat Rynard

Posted 7/26/17