Tinsman to run for another term

Maggie Tinsman, Bettendorf, who has served in the Iowa Senate for 17 years, announced her intention to run for yet another term.

Tinsman, a moderate Republican, is expecting a primary challenge this year, though there has been no announcement yet.

Four years ago, activist Niky Bowles ran against her, and in 1998 businessman Phil Allen ran a spirited challenge that roused social conservatives. Tinsman won both primaries and she said Tuesday that she is up to a 2006 primary race, too.

"I’m used to primary challenges. I’ve had them most of my life," she said.

Scott County Republican Party Chairman Susan Frazer said a person expressed an interest to her last summer in mounting a challenge, and since then she has heard indirectly that he would run. That person could not be reached for comment Tuesday by the Quad-City Times.

Taking questions from reporters, Tinsman said she continues to oppose the death penalty, and would oppose a proposal to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage. She noted the state already puts convicted murders in prison for life and that state law defines marriage as a union between men and women, which she said she supports. Some Republicans have said they intend to bring up those issues in the coming legislative session, which could make them fodder for a primary campaign.

Before going to the state legislature, Tinsman served on the Scott County Board of Supervisors for 11 years, and also was its chairman. She made an unsuccessful bid for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate in 1996.

Who is the as-yet-unnamed challenger? Anyone have an idea?