Former state lawmaker (Ron Corbett) wins Cedar Rapids mayor race

Radio Iowa ^ | November 4, 2009 | Matt Kelley

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A former state lawmaker will become the mayor of Cedar Rapids, as the city strives to recover from last year’s devastating flood. Ron Corbett overwhelmingly defeated his main challenger, city council member Brian Fagan on Tuesday. Mayor Kay Halloran did not seek re-election. Corbett says this election proves Cedar Rapids residents are dissatisfied with how city government responded to the flood.

“It’s been 17 months, still no buyouts,” Corbett says. “Very little of the local option sales tax is getting into the pockets to help the flood victims, so a lot of frustration.” Corbett got about 62-percent of the vote, which he says reflects that Cedar Rapids residents have had it with what he calls a “culture of delay.”

“This is about people, not about process,” Corbett says. “I put together a flood assistance plan that includes getting the local option sales tax out to the flood victims and starting these buyouts and holding the city government accountable for the buyouts. I’d like to start seeing a weekly buyout report so people can turn the page and get on with their lives.”

Corbett, a Republican, says the election was widely seen as a referendum on the city’s response to last year’s disaster. He says the city council needs to assert a greater leadership role, adding, the city manager has too much power. “We have some daunting tasks in this community to tackle but I’m up to the challenge,” he says. “I hope over the next four years, I make people proud.”

Corbett represented Cedar Rapids in the Iowa House for 13 years, serving five of them as Speaker. He resigned from the legislature in 1999 to become president and C.E.O. of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. He’s currently a vice-president at a Cedar Rapids trucking company.

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Ron Corbett is a very sharp and dynamic figure who led the Republican takeover of the Iowa Legislature in the 1990's. Many of us were sad in 1999 to see him leave the legislature, because he had small children at home. The Dems have since retaken the Legislature.

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http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/covering-iowa-politics/2009/11/04/gop-chairman-corbett-win-sets-%e2%80%98solid-framework%e2%80%99
“”GOP chairman: Corbett win sets ‘solid framework’
Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn pointed to Ron Corbett’s win in Cedar Rapids’ mayoral race Tuesday as helping set a “solid framework” for Republicans at all levels in Iowa heading into next year’s election.

Corbett, a Republican, is the former speaker of the Iowa House.

Strawn said to be successful in the governor’s race next year, the GOP must improve its performance among voters in eastern Iowa. He called Cedar Rapids and Linn County crucial in that effort.

“Ron Corbett’s election is just the latest in a string of GOP victories in Linn County that indicate a clear trend that voting groups of independents, and even Democrats, are moving our way,” Strawn said.

He cited the gain of two Iowa House seats from Linn County with the election of Republicans Renee Schulte of Cedar Rapids and Nick Wagner of Marion
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http://iowaindependent.com/21698/anti-incumbent-mood-effects-iowa-local-elections
“”Anti-incumbent mood permeates Iowa local elections
Incumbents were sharply rebuked Tuesday night in elections all over Iowa, matching a national trend that’s giving Republicans a glimmer of hope going into 2010.

Iowa’s municipal elections are non-partisan, so it will be hard for either party to claim victory. But after years of Democratic dominance of election night, an evening where most high-profile races saw incumbents roundly rebuked is being celebrated in Republican circles, even for races where it was Democrats doing the ousting.

In Cedar Rapids, former Republican House Speaker Ron Corbett defeated City Councilman Brian Fagan to become the city’s mayor. While there was technically no incumbent in the race, Corbett ran a distinctly anti-incumbency campaign, focusing on the current city council’s “culture of delay.”

Indianola voters ousted Mayor Jack Kelley, who has led the suburb on Des Moines’ south side since 1995. Kelley came in third in a three-way race, with Kenan Bresnan, a Democrat, emerging victorious.

The long-time mayor of Pleasant Hill, Phil Hildebrand, a Democrat, also came in third place in a three-way contest, ending his 17-year tenure.

Norwalk voters overwhelmingly chose Doug Pierce over incumbent Mayor Pat Wahl. Pierce received more votes than his two competitors combined.

In Des Moines, 20-year incumbent councilman Tom Vlassis barely edged 23-year old Halley Griess, but not by enough to avoid a runoff Dec. 1.

Waukee incumbent Mayor Bill Peard managed to squeak out a victory against city councilman and Republican Central Committee member Isaiah McGee.

The Iowa Secretary of State released updated voter registration figures Tuesday as well. The figures showed Democrats continue to outnumber Republicans by more than 100,000 voters.””