Just days after her former opponent died, Democrat Andrea Phillips announced Monday she would run for the vacancy his passing created, before the funeral, even before a special election was called.

Representative John Landon passed away last Thursday from cancer. Landon represented the 37th district – covering much of Ankeny. Remembered as a kind and committed public servant, his family announced that he would be laid to rest on Wednesday morning.

Republican and Democratic legislators issued statements mourning the loss of their friend and colleague. One of those who took the time to remember Landon was his former opponent Andrea Phillips. Phillips tweeted about Landon’s passing. However, A little more than 90 hours later, she was at a Democratic party event in downtown Des Moines. It was there that the left-wing liberal blog Iowa Starting Line reported she was now running for Landon’s seat, whose funeral was still three days away.

At Finkenauer event in Des Moines, Polk County Democrats note that Andrea Phillips is running for the Ankeny house seat again (which should have a special election soon) pic.twitter.com/zRWGrTbWXP

— Iowa Starting Line (@IAStartingLine) August 2, 2021

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced today there would be a special election to fill Landon’s seat. State statute requires the announcement to take place five days after the vacancy is created. 

Reached by phone, the day before Landon’s funeral, Andrea Phillips confirmed to Iowa Field Report she would be running. Phillips has run twice to represent the 37th. Once in 2016 and again in 2020, losing to Landon each time.

When asked what had changed in the eight months that had passed since her most recent loss, besides the death of her two-time opponent, Phillips cited the GOP “monopoly” in the state. When she tried to elaborate further, she mentioned that Republicans had passed a school choice bill but could not recall if Republicans had passed an elections reform bill. Still, she cited that if they had, that was an additional reason she was running (Reporter’s note: they did).

In a tweet, Tuesday, Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kauman issued the following statement.

.@kaufmannGOP statement on @AndreaJPhillips‘ announcement for House District 37: pic.twitter.com/DFuUbDZHaz

— Iowa GOP (@IowaGOP) August 3, 2021

When reached via phone Tuesday, Phillips conceded that the timing was not ideal and apologized if she offended anyone.

Per today’s declaration, the date set for the special election in the 37th is September 14th, 2021.