Barb Kniff McCulla

{{Short description|American politician (born 1956)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Barb Kniff McCulla |image = Barb Kniff McCulla.jpg |state_house1 = Iowa |district1 = 37th |term_start1 = January 9, 2023 |term_end1 = |predecessor1 = Jon Thorup |successor1 = |constituency1 = District 37 - (2023–present) |birth_date = {{birth year and age|1956}} |birth_place = Michigan, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |spouse = Greg |children = 4 |education = William Penn University (BA) |occupation = Small business owner }}

'''Barbara Kniff McCulla{{efn|The surname is Kniff McCulla}}''' (born 1956) is an American politician and entrepreneur who has represented the 37th district in the Iowa House of Representatives since January 2023, which consists of most of Marion County, parts of southern Jasper County and parts of western Mahaska County. She is a member of the Republican Party.<ref name="Legislature">{{cite web |title=State Representative |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator/legislatorAllYears?personID=33977 |website=Iowa Legislature |access-date=March 24, 2024}}</ref>

==Early life== Kniff McCulla was born in 1956 in Michigan, where she was raised. She received a bachelor's degree from William Penn University.<ref name=Legislature/>

==Political career== Kniff McCulla announced her candidacy for the 37th district of the Iowa House of Representatives following decennial redistricting in 2021. Endorsed by Governor Kim Reynolds,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gruber-Miller |first1=Stephen |title=In unusual move, Gov. Kim Reynolds endorses an Iowa Republican lawmaker's primary opponent |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2022/05/18/kim-reynolds-endorses-primary-challenger-iowa-republican-rep-jon-thorup-election-primary-2022/9822382002/ |website=The Des Moines Register |access-date=March 24, 2024}}</ref> she defeated incumbent Jon Thorup{{efn|Thorup was redistricted into the 37th district during his term in 2021; he had previously been representing district 28}} in the Republican primaries on June 7, 2022, with over 70 percent of the vote. She defeated Democrat Mike Overman in the general election on November 8 with over 74 percent of the vote. She assumed office on January 9, 2023.<ref name="Ballotpedia">{{cite web |title=Barb Kniff McCulla |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Barb_Kniff_McCulla |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=March 24, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

Kniff McCulla serves on the Commerce, Economic Growth and Technology, Health and Human Services, Labor and Workforce, and Ways and Means committees, the lattermost of which she is the vice chair.<ref>{{cite web |title=Barb Kniff McCulla - State Representative |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=90&personID=33977 |website=Iowa Legislature |access-date=March 24, 2024}}</ref>

In March 2024, Kniff McCulla announced that she is running for reelection.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iowa House Reps. Kniff McCulla and Dunwell submit re-election papers |url=https://www.newtondailynews.com/news/local/2024/03/11/iowa-house-reps-kniff-mcculla-and-dunwell-submit-re-election-papers/ |website=Newton Daily News |access-date=March 24, 2024 |language=en |date=11 March 2024}}</ref> She won the Republican primaries unopposed on June 4, 2024, and will run in the general election unopposed on November 5, 2024.<ref name=Ballotpedia/>

Kniff McCulla has said that her priorities include economic growth and small business. She supports school choice and opposes abortion.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Braunschweig |first1=Christopher |title=Iowa House District 37 Candidates Q&A - Barb Kniff McCulla |url=https://www.newtondailynews.com/news/local/2022/10/27/iowa-house-district-37-candidate-qa/ |website=Newton Daily News |access-date=March 24, 2024 |language=en |date=27 October 2022}}</ref>

==Personal life== Kniff McCulla has a husband, Greg, four children, and 12 grandchildren. She resides in Pella, Iowa. She is a former Sunday school teacher and owns a construction company.<ref name=Legislature/>

==Electoral history== <nowiki>*</nowiki> = incumbent {{Compact election box no change begin}} {{Compact election box no change |election_title = Iowa House of Representatives Republican primary elections, 2022 |election_note = District 37 |election_ref = <ref name=Ballotpedia/> |turnout_votes = 3,868 |result = (newly redistricted) |winner = Barb Kniff McCulla  |winner_party = Republican Party of Iowa |winner_votes = 2,715 |winner_percent = 70.2 |candidate2 = Jon Thorup* |candidate2_party = Republican Party of Iowa |candidate2_votes = 1,150 |candidate2_percent = 29.7 |candidate3 = Other/Write-in votes |candidate3_party = |candidate3_votes = 3 |candidate3_percent = 0.1 }} {{Compact election box no change |election_title = Iowa House of Representatives general elections, 2022 |election_note = District 37 |election_ref = <ref name=Ballotpedia/> |turnout_votes = 14,196 |result = (newly redistricted) |winner = Barb Kniff McCulla  |winner_party = Republican Party of Iowa |winner_votes = 10,593 |winner_percent = 74.6 |candidate2 = Mike Overman |candidate2_party = Iowa Democratic Party |candidate2_votes = 3,591 |candidate2_percent = 25.3 |candidate3 = Other/Write-in votes |candidate3_party = |candidate3_votes = 12 |candidate3_percent = 0.1 }} {{Compact election box no change end}}

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kniff McCulla, Barb}} Category:Date of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:1956 births Category:Republican Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Iowa General Assembly Category:Women state legislators in Iowa Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century American businesswomen Category:Businesspeople from Iowa Category:Businesspeople from Michigan Category:People from Pella, Iowa Category:William Penn University alumni