Here is an urgent call to action from Democratic Senator Joe Bolkcom. Follow Senator Bolkcom on Facebook and Twitter High Stakes Iowa Senate Elections “Republicans already hold the governor’s office and are expected to retain a majority in the Iowa House this fall. They are pressing to win additional seats in the Iowa Senate, where Democrats currently hold a 25-23 edge with one Democratic-leaning seat vacant.” “Gaining a majority in the Senate would allow Republicans to fully wrest control of the state’s legislative agenda. That would allow them to slash state spending and cut corporate taxes, tighten access to abortions, rewrite public employees’ bargaining statutes, and lessen the state’s burden for public employees’ pension programs. Legislative Democrats oppose all of those changes. Senate Democrats are being out spent two-to-one as a result of truckloads of cash coming from the Koch Brothers and friends of WI. Governor Scott Walker. [bold italics BFIA’s}

Republican take over of state government will be a disaster for education, mental health care, fair taxes, civil rights and women’s health. Wake Up! Support your Democratic State Senator this fall!” Also this:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2016/10/03/independent-could-block-gop-controlling-iowa-capitol-agenda/

An independent Iowa lawmaker who bolted from the Republican Party to protest Donald Trump’s presidential nomination could stop the GOP from gaining complete control at the Iowa Capitol in the 2017 legislative session.

Republicans already hold the governor’s office and are expected to retain a majority in the Iowa House this fall. They are pressing to win additional seats in the Iowa Senate, where Democrats currently hold a 25-23 edge with one Democratic-leaning seat vacant.

Gaining a majority in the Senate would allow Republicans to fully wrest control of the state’s legislative agenda. That would allow them to slash state spending and cut corporate taxes, tighten access to abortions, rewrite public employees’ bargaining statutes, and lessen the state’s burden for public employees’ pension programs. Legislative Democrats oppose all of those changes.

But the departure of state Sen. David Johnson of Ocheyedan from the GOP and his switch to independent status places a bigger hurdle for Republicans to achieve their goals. Under Iowa’s Constitution, a bill can’t pass the Senate without having 26 votes. That means Republicans now need to win at least three seats in November’s elections to gain control. If they only win two seats, Johnson could join Senate Democrats in preventing his former party from implementing its legislative goals. Several campaigns in Iowa Senate districts are being intensely fought, and both Democrats and Republicans have said they are optimistic about the Nov. 8 election.

“I haven’t changed my values or my principles,” said Johnson, a former newspaper editor and publisher. “I am taking this one day at a time. Even though I have no official research staff, I have my experience to back it up and I try to stay informed about the issues to the best of my ability.”

Johnson differs sharply with Democrats by staunchly opposing legalized abortion and he sides with Republicans on most state budget issues. But he has criticized Gov. Terry Branstad’s decision to privatize management of Iowa’s Medicaid health care program. He also supports raising the state’s sales tax by three-eighths of one cent to generate revenue for a the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund with a key goal of improving water quality. Most Senate Republicans have opposed raising the sales tax.

Whether he sides with Republicans or Democrats on legislation will depend upon the particulars of a specific bill, he added.

Johnson told The Des Moines Register he intends to serve out his term through the 2018 legislative session, although he has not decided whether to seek re-election. He added that he won’t caucus with Republicans or Democrats when the Legislature convenes in January for the 2017 session, but he is confident he can do a good job of representing his 60,000 constituents. He’s no political novice, having been elected to the Iowa Legislature six times — twice to the House and four times to the Senate, serving a total of 18 years. He had no opponent in his last two campaigns.

Johnson stunned and angered many of his fellow Republicans in June when changed his voter registration to “no party” in an anti-Trump protest. He generated widespread news coverage when he blasted Trump as a “bigot” unqualified to lead the United States and the free world.