Gloria Mazza has been elected chair of the Polk County Republican Party. The largest GOP county party in the state held leadership elections Tuesday evening at the downtown Desmoines Holiday Inn.

 
The new chairwoman told Iowa Field Report that she’s ready and excited for the new role and held up Gov Kim Reynolds as a role model,

As past President of the Capital Region Republican Women and then State President of the Iowa Federation of Republican Women I have helped grow the number of women involved.  Women in the suburbs were important and targeted voters in the 2020 election when many left the Republican Party and became Independents.  I hope to connect a message through leadership for them to reevaluate that decision.   Kim Reynolds, our first female Governor, is a tremendous role model for all women interested in politics, and I do get inspiration from the way she has led our state this last year.  

Polk County GOP Chair Gloria Mazza

When asked about her immediate plans, she quickly detailed several, including registering more Republicans, bringing those that have left back into the fold, and working to ensure the party improves diversity.

This leadership team looks at the organization of the House Districts as a key to electing Republicans in this Democrat County.  We need to identify and register more Republicans, which will happen by being on the ground with the people.  We will start this process at our first central committee meeting in April.  With more registered Independents in the county, we need to bring the Republicans who left back in. Addionalally, It is important to the Republican Party both at the state level and more importantly here in Polk to draw more diversity to our party.

In addition to Mazza, Polk County Republicans elected Bonnie Hall as Co-Chair, Joe Hueretz as secretary, and Bryan Kraber as Treasurer.  The team is well known in Republican circles. Bonnie Hall has more than 30 years of political experience and is the past Chair in Boone County; Joe Hueretz started in politics as President of Drake College Republicans and helped Polk County organize caucuses and conversions many times. Bryan Kraber is a political operative with both Governor Kim Reynolds and Senator Joni Ernst’s campaigns.

The new executive board replaces Chairman Nick Van Patten and as Co-Chair Connie Schmett. Terms are for two years.