Democrats in eastern Iowa have chosen a woman from Clinton to run for the state senate. Monday night party leaders in District 49 chose Patti Robinson as their candidate in November for the seat now held by Rita Hart of Wheatland.
Hart is giving up the seat to run for lieutenant governor with on the ticket with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Fred Hubbell.
District 49 covers all of Clinton County plus parts of northern and eastern Scott County.
Robinson is a case manager for the Salvation Army in Clinton, and previously worked for 19 years as director of the Medicaid program in Clinton County - until 2017 when the state program was privatized.
Her republican opponent is Chris Cournoyer from LeClaire, a small business owner and president of the Pleasant Valley School Board.