SPENCER, Iowa (KTIV) -
A Siouxlander will become one of the youngest people to serve in the Iowa legislature. 25-year old Republican Megan Hess of Spencer won the race for Iowa House District 2, covering Clay, Palo Alto, and the southern third of Dickinson County.
By Iowa law, you must be 25 years old to be elected to the state senate, 21 to be elected to the state house.
Hess believes she'll be the third-youngest member when sworn in at the Iowa House in January. Despite her youth, she already has quite a resume in politics, having worked for a congressman, a senator and a president.
For more than a year, Megan Hess and her father Jamie were on the campaign trail. Up until the results became official Tuesday, she was knocking on doors.
"I think it surprised a lot of people. They'd say, 'What are you doing here? And I'd say, 'I want to make sure that you made it to the polls,'" said Hess.
She says the trip was therapeutic.
"So, that kind of got a little bit of the nerves out. It got me out of the car for a little bit and away from the TV," said Hess.
The victory might come as a shock to some, but her father says it's not, especially not after the years Megan spent working for different campaigns.
"Just getting her feet wet and it kind of escalated from there, until she actually got a page job down in the capitol," said Jamie Hess.
"Working in the legislature you get to know the state level issues and the parties and the opinions on each side," said Megan Hess.
She was endorsed by US Senator Charles Grassley after working in his office. She also worked for U.S. Representative Steve King and at the White House under President George W. Bush.
"One place Megan has spent a lot of her time lately is inside her Chevy Malibu. Since she got the car last August, she says she's driven more than 33,000 miles, while traveling across the district.
Now, the third youngest member of the Iowa House, Hess says she won this vote because she saw how the people in her district are looking for stability and structure.
"We ran this campaign on smaller government and smarter spending," said Hess. "And I think that really resonates with a lot of people here and that's what they want to see."
She says her work as a page has her prepared well to work with all kinds of people.
"You just kind of have to get over your differences, and sometimes it gets pretty personal, and you don't want to work with that person. But you know that you have to, because that's what's best for Iowa," said Hess.
Though these final signs are coming down, Hess says her work is just beginning.
Hess's opponent, Steve Bomgaars is a long-time teacher in Spencer. He taught her AP Government class at Spencer High School.
Megan Hess removes political signs a day after being elected to a seat in the Iowa Legislature.
