Another Republican jumps into HD5 race

An Iowa House district that doesn't exist yet already has a contested election race.

Zach Dieken, of rural Granville, on Monday announced his candidacy for the Republican Party's nomination in the new Iowa House District 5. Dieken, a married father of one, is an Iowa State Trooper who has worked in law enforcement for 10 years.

"As a state trooper and substitute teacher I care deeply for our communities and the future of our great state," Dieken said in a news release. "Within the last two years we have seen our freedoms eroded away by an intrusive government. Now more than ever we must stand up for what is right and stand up ourselves."

House District 5 will include all of Osceola and O'Brien counties as well as parts of Cherokee and Buena Vista counties. It is the product of new redistricting maps approved recently by both legislative bodies and the governor that are required following the decennial U.S. Census results.

Dieken trumpeted his pro-Second Amendment and anti-abortion beliefs in his campaign announcement. He also highlighted his Christian faith and parental rights in education.

"We need courageous, Christian, conservatives in the state legislature," he said. "It will need to be these courageous, Christian, conservatives at the state level stopping overreach from the federal government whose Washington values are diametrically opposed to the values of the voters in Iowa House District 5."

Dieken graduated from Northwestern College in 2012 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology/Criminal Justice. He has no prior political experience and has never run for public office. In his free time, he enjoys exercising, reading and being involved in his local church.

"Our district deserves a representative who will unashamedly and courageously advance the conservative principles of the Republican Party," Dieken said. "As a state trooper I have already taken an oath to uphold and protect the constitution and I will continue to do so as your next state representative."

No sitting state representatives currently reside within District 5's boundaries; however, there will be an incumbent lawmaker living there soon.

Rep. Dennis Bush, R-Cleghorn, announced this month that he plans to move off his rural Cherokee County farm soon and into the City of Cherokee. Doing so will allow him to continue representing his current district for the remainder of his term while also placing him in District 5 when the maps change. The move was prompted by an upcoming shoulder replacement surgery, Bush said, which will extremely limit what he can physically lift on the farm.

Bush intends to seek the GOP's nomination in District 5. The primary election is slated for June 7.