Jeff Danielson

Jeff Danielson
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 30th district
In office
2013–2019
Preceded byPat Ward
Succeeded byEric Giddens
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 10th district
In office
2005 – 2013 (redistricted)
Preceded byMerlin Bartz
Succeeded byJake Chapman
President Pro Tempore of the Iowa Senate
In office
2006–2012
Personal details
Born (1970-08-06) August 6, 1970 (age 54)
Waterloo, Iowa
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseKim
Children2
Residence(s)Waterloo, Iowa
Alma materHawkeye Community College (A.A.);
University of Northern Iowa (B.A., M.P.P.)
ProfessionFirefighter
WebsiteDanielson's website

Jeff Danielson (born August 6, 1970) is a former Democratic Iowa State Senator. Having served the 30th Senate District between 2013 and 2019, he had also previously served the 10th Senate District up until redistricting, between 2005 and 2013.

Danielson served on following committees: Appropriations (Vice Chair), Economic Growth, State Government (Chair), Transportation, Veterans Affairs (Vice Chair), and the Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee (Vice Chair). Permanent statutory committees he serves on include: Public Retirement Systems and State Government Efficiency Review. Danielson additionally serves on the Iowa Capital Investment Board.

His prior public service experience includes experience as the Commissioner of the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Waterloo Planning, Programming, and Zoning Commission. He is a U.S. Navy veteran and served the community of Cedar Falls as a professional firefighter, before resigning from his position as a firefighter and legislator and moving to Minnesota. He now works as the Vice President of Advocacy for the Clean Grid Alliance.

Iowa Senate

Danielson was first elected in 2004 with 16,712 votes (54%), defeating Republican opponent Frank Dowie.[1] He was re-elected in 2008 with 16,103 votes.[2] He defeated his opponent, Republican Walt Rogers, by only 22 votes, following administrative recounts in two precincts and a district-wide recount.[3]

Due to redistricting, most of Iowa Senate District 10 became District 30 in the 2012 election and became effective on January 13, 2013.

More recently Danielson has been exploring the legalization of online poker in the state of Iowa. The most recent legislation signed by Governor Terry Branstad explores the online gaming by instructing Iowa's Racing and Gaming Commission to submit a report on the issue.[4]

As Vice-Chair of the Veterans Affairs committee and a veteran of the United States Navy, Danielson is a consistent advocate for pro-veteran legislation.[5]

Danielson previously served as President Pro Tempore of the Iowa Senate from 2006 to 2012.

In early 2019 he resigned from the Senate, saying "I can't make the Senate service work given that I have to raise my family and pay the bills" after resigning his job as a firefighter.[6] He found a job working as a lobbyist for the American Wind Energy Association, which led to a special election.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Iowa Secretary of State - Paul D. Pate" (PDF). Sos.state.ia.us. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-01-04. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  2. ^ "Iowa Secretary of State - Paul D. Pate" (PDF). Sos.state.ia.us. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  3. ^ "Danielson declared winner in SD 10 | Iowa Independent". Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  4. ^ Bureau, ROD BOSHART, Lee-Gazette Des Moines. "Online poker would let Native American casinos expand, regulator says". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Retrieved 2017-09-28. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Jeff Danielson, Iowa State Senator - Primary News". Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  6. ^ "Sen. Jeff Danielson: "My leaving the senate is directly linked to leaving the firehouse"". KCRG-TV9 News. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  7. ^ "Jeff Danielson, who recently resigned from Iowa Senate, takes a job with national wind association". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
Iowa Senate
Preceded by 30th district
2013–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by 10th district
2005–2013 		Succeeded by