Linn County voters hold  key to Iowa Senate power

A special legislative election today could give Republicans a big boost toward their efforts to overturn Iowa?s gay marriage law and change the state?s tax system, but the candidates maintain that they?re focused on local issues and the economy.

The special election in Linn County?s 18th Senate District will be between Republican Cindy Golding and Democrat Liz Mathis.

A win by Golding would leave the state Senate evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, making it easier for the GOP to take action on a range of issues, most notably gay marriage and proposed cuts to business taxes but also restrictions to abortion and efforts to weaken Iowa?s collective bargaining system. Both Republican Gov. Terry Branstad and the GOP-led House have supported such changes, but have been blocked by Senate Democrats.

Despite that, the candidates said they?re focused on issues that they believe are more important to voters.

?My message is still what it has been from the very first day and that?s business growth, job growth and looking at making our classrooms better,? said Mathis. ?There have been groups who have tried to take our eye off the prize, but the people have asked us to keep our eye on that prize.?

Golding has taken a similar stand, though she has said that split control of the Senate could be good for the state.

?This is an opportunity to end the gridlock in Des Moines,? Golding said.

The vote will fill a seat left vacant when Branstad appointed Sen. Swati Dandekar, D-Marion, to an $85,000 a year post on the Iowa Utilities Board. Republicans hold a slight edge in voter registration in the district, but independents outnumber those affiliated with either party.

Golding and her husband own several businesses that do consulting work, manage real estate and produce maple syrup and jellies. Mathis is a former television news anchor who now works for a nonprofit child advocacy agency.

Senate Republicans said shared control would improve their odds of getting GOP proposals through the chamber, especially measures that deal with economic issues.

?All you need to do if it?s 25 to 25 is have one or two Democrats from the other side of the aisle join us,? said Sen. David Johnson, R-Ocheyedan, an assistant floor leader. ?There are some Democrats who are pro-growth, pro-business, pro-jobs and pretty much along the Republican line of thinking.?

Sen. Jerry Behn, R-Boone, conceded things could get a bit chaotic if neither party held a majority.

?If we get a tie, either side could bring up whatever they jolly well pleased,? said Behn.

The parties last shared control of the Senate after the 2004 election. Back then, lawmakers agreed to share power and only debated issues after each party leader consented. The two sides alternated weekly in presiding over the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, hinted that things might be different this time because the shared majority would come in the middle of the Legislature?s general assembly, not after the general election.

?There is a presiding officer in the Senate right now and it takes 26 votes to remove a presiding officer,? said Gronstal. ?The negotiations would be a little bit different.?