A southeast Iowa man announced his candidacy for the Iowa House.
Tom O’Donnell, a resident of Keosauqua, will be running for the House seat in District 87 which covers Van Buren County and parts of Henry and Jefferson counties, including Mount Pleasant and Fairfield. O’Donnell vied for the same seat in 2024 as a Democrat and lost to Republican Jeff Shipley.
In a press release, O’Donnell shared the reasons why he is seeking a place in the Iowa House.
“We prize our children, want them to succeed and thrive, and hopefully, remain or return to help our area grow,” O’Donnell said. “We’re a community that helps each other, where we’re safe, where we can enjoy natural beauty and resources like forests, rivers, lakes and fields full of wildlife. We care for and respect our elderly and veterans. We love our small towns and want them to succeed and offer things that make them even better places to live.
“But we can feel our rural life and special people and places slipping away,” O’Donnell continued. “Food, housing and utilities costs are rising. Wages aren’t keeping up. Population and school enrollment are falling. Hospitals are struggling. Seniors risk injury or death in poorly monitored care centers. Family, friends and neighbors die too young from preventable diseases, especially cancer. We can preserve and improve our unique and wonderful rural lifestyle and places. It takes all of us, working together.”
O’Donnell says he will formally launch his campaign in February.
