Half of Gronstal's Senate district is represented by a fellow Democrat and the other half by a Republican.

To some degree, the Pottawattamie GOP's effort to sideline Gronstal will depend on Democratic misfortunes at the national level, Jorgensen said.

"I don't see things getting better for Obama. As a matter of fact, I see a Jimmy Carter ending to his presidency," he said.

"That can only help us at the local level," he added.

Pottawattamie Republicans may get some help from outside the area.

Rep. Kent Sorenson, R-Indianola, who was elected to the Senate in November, has declared war on Gronstal, telling a radio audience he's not going to the Senate to make friends with Gronstal who has served in the Legislature since 1985.

"I'm going up there to take him on," Sorenson said on WHO Radio's Deace in the Afternoon.

Sorenson plans to organize opposition to Gronstal in Senate 50 and "expose Mike Gronstal to the people of his district."

Iowa GOP Executive Director Chad Olsen said Gronstal will be one of several Democrats "who will be held to account for their liberal voting records" in the next election.