Former State Senator Bill Heckroth announced today that he will run as a Democrat in Iowa House district 63 next year. Heckroth owns a financial planning business in Waverly, the largest town in the district. To my knowledge, Heckroth does not have a campaign website up yet. I’ve posted the Iowa House Democrats’ press release after the jump, along with a district map.

The new district 63 includes all of Bremer County and parts of northern Black Hawk County, outside the Waterloo and Cedar Falls city limits. Republicans outnumber Democrats in the district, but independents have a plurality. As of April 2011, the district contained 5,225 registered Democrats, 6,395 registered Republicans and 9,128 no-party voters.

Aside from a few Black Hawk County precincts, the entire territory in the new House district 63 was part of the old Iowa Senate district 9, which Heckroth represented from 2007 through 2010. Here’s a map of that district. Over the past two decades, Heckroth has been involved with a wide variety of community organizations in Waverly; his press release lists them below. In his successful 2006 race, Heckroth outpolled Republican Tom Hoogestraat in both the Bremer and Black Hawk portions of the district. Heckroth lost his 2010 re-election bid to Bill Dix, who also had a strong base in Waverly, but even then Heckroth outperformed Governor Chet Culver in Bremer.

No current state representative lives in the new district 63. As far as I know, no Republican has announced plans to run in this district. Three-term House member Pat Grassley represents part of Bremer County; he could move to this district as a way to resolve being paired with fellow Republican Annette Sweeney in the new House district 50. However, that scenario seems unlikely. House district 50 has a much larger GOP voter registration advantage than district 63. Also, Sweeney voted against the redistricting plan while Grassley voted for it, suggesting that he will be able to stay put.

Friday, May 6, 2011                              For More Information, Contact:

                                                          Bill Heckroth, 319-231-9606

Heckroth Announces Bid for House District 63

Waverly, Iowa – Long-time Waverly community leader and small business owner Bill Heckroth  announced today that he will run for State Representative in the new House  District 63.  Heckroth already knows the people of Bremer County and northern Black Hawk County well after serving for four years in the Iowa Senate.

“A strong rural Iowa economy depends on thriving small businesses, a strong agricultural economy, and a skilled workforce ready for the jobs of the 21st Century,” said Heckroth, who owns Financial Architects in Waverly. “I will focus on those three key areas, while also keeping the state’s fiscal house in order.”

In addition to operating his business, Heckroth is a member of the Waverly Rotary club and the Knights of Columbus.  Since moving to Waverly in 1987, he has also been active in leadership rolls with the Waverly-Shell Rock High School Booster Club, United Way of Waverly-Shell Rock, the Waverly Parks and Recreation Board, St. Mary’s Catholic Church Parish Council, and the Bartels Lutheran Retirement

Community Board of Directors and Strategic Planning Committee and several other organizations.

“I have always appreciated the many opportunities I have had over the years to actively serve

our community and our State. This is one more way that I can take an active leadership role to help

make our state a great place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Heckroth. “I am extremely excited about

this opportunity!”

Bill was raised in Dysart, a farming community just south of Waterloo and is a graduate of the

University of Iowa where he earned his Financial Management degree and played

baseball for the Hawkeyes.  He is married to Jan Heckroth, who is a chaplain in

a Waterloo hospital, and they have three grown sons.

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