# Ken Carlson

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Carlson
> Source revision: 1352720700
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{{Short description|American politician (born 1951)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Ken Carlson
| image               = Member of the Iowa House of Representatives Ken Carlson.jpg
| caption             = Carlson in 2022
| state_house1        = Iowa
| district1           = [13th](/source/Iowa's_13th_House_of_Representatives_district)
| term_start1         = January 9, 2023
| term_end1           = January 12, 2025
| predecessor1        = [Chris Hall](/source/Chris_Hall_(politician)) (redistricting)
| successor1          = [Travis Sitzmann](/source/Travis_Sitzmann)
| constituency1       = [District 13](/source/Iowa's_13th_House_of_Representatives_district) - (2023–present)
| birth_date          = {{birth year and age|1951}}
| birth_place         = [Whiting, Iowa](/source/Whiting%2C_Iowa), U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))
| spouse              = Carolyn
| children            = 3
| education           = [Buena Vista University](/source/Buena_Vista_University)
| occupation          = 
}}

'''Ken E. Carlson'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Ken E. Carlson {{!}} House {{!}} Freedom Index |url=https://freedomindex.us/legislator/4282/ |website=freedomindex.us |access-date=May 5, 2026}}</ref> (born 1951) is an American politician, retired teacher and retired farmer who represented the [13th district](/source/Iowa's_13th_House_of_Representatives_district) of the [Iowa House of Representatives](/source/Iowa_House_of_Representatives) from 2023 to 2025. Carlson's district included parts of southern [Plymouth County](/source/Plymouth_County%2C_Iowa), western [Cherokee County](/source/Cherokee_County%2C_Iowa), eastern [Woodbury County](/source/Woodbury_County%2C_Iowa) and the whole of [Monona County](/source/Monona_County%2C_Iowa). He is a member of the [Republican Party](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)).<ref name="Legislature">{{cite web |title=State Representative |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator/legislatorAllYears?personID=33967 |website=Iowa Legislature |access-date=March 23, 2024}}</ref>

==Early life==
Carlson was born in 1951 near [Whiting, Iowa](/source/Whiting%2C_Iowa), where he was raised. He graduated from [Whiting Senior High School](/source/Whiting_Community_School_District) and attended [Buena Vista University](/source/Buena_Vista_University).<ref name=Legislature/>

==Political career==
Following decennial redistricting in 2021, Carlson announced his intent to run for the open 13th district seat of the Iowa House of Representatives in March 2022.<ref name="Announce">{{cite web |last1=Gottburg |first1=Woody |title=CARLSON TO SEEK IOWA HOUSE DISTRICT 13 SEAT |url=https://kscj.com/2022/03/18/carlson-to-seek-iowa-house-district-13-seat/ |website=KSCJ 1360 |access-date=March 23, 2024 |date=March 18, 2022}}</ref> He was challenged in the Republican primaries on June 7, 2022, by Mark Peters, a farmer and truck driver, whom he defeated by over 300 votes, and defeated [Libertarian](/source/Libertarian_Party_(United_States)) candidate Amy Janowski in the general election on November 8 by over 8,400 votes.<ref name="Ballotpedia">{{cite web |title=Ken Carlson |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Ken_Carlson |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=March 23, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

Carlson served as vice chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, and was also a member of the Agriculture, Economic Growth and Technology, and Veterans Affairs committees.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ken Carlson - Iowa Legislature |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=90&personID=33967 |website=Iowa Legislature |access-date=March 23, 2024}}</ref>

Carlson endorsed [Ron DeSantis](/source/Ron_DeSantis) for president in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Isenstadt |first1=Alexander |title=Ron DeSantis rolls out a major slate of Iowa endorsements |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/12/desantis-iowa-endorsements-00096770 |website=Politico |access-date=March 27, 2024}}</ref> In 2024 he announced that he would not seek reelection.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gottburg |first1=Woody |title=SITZMANN TO SEEK IOWA HOUSE DISTRICT 13 SEAT |url=https://kscj.com/2024/03/17/sitzmann-to-seek-iowa-house-district-13-seat/ |website=KSCJ 1360 |access-date=March 23, 2024 |date=March 17, 2024}}</ref>

Carlson has described himself as a constitutional conservative. He opposes [abortion](/source/abortion) and supports the [Second Amendment](/source/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution).<ref name=Announce/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Dreeszen |first1=Dave |title=Newcomer Ken Carlson wins Iowa House District 13 GOP race against Mark Peters |url=https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/newcomer-ken-carlson-wins-iowa-house-district-13-gop-race-against-mark-peters/article_6cd00e82-c216-54e6-bf78-93383cf910d1.html |website=Sioux City Journal |access-date=March 23, 2024 |language=en |date=June 8, 2022}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Carlson has a wife, Carolyn, and three adult children. He resides in [Onawa, Iowa](/source/Onawa%2C_Iowa). He is a retired farmer and a former math and science public school teacher, having taught for 12 years. He is also an on-call preacher at the Onawa First Christian Church and is a member of the Monona County Farm Bureau, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association and Western Iowa Experimental Farm.<ref name=Legislature/>

==Electoral history==
{{Compact election box no change begin}}
{{Compact election box no change
|election_title     = Iowa House of Representatives Republican primary elections, 2022
|election_note      = District 13
|election_ref       = <ref name=Ballotpedia/>
|turnout_votes      = 2,636
|result             = (newly redistricted)
|winner             = Ken Carlson <!-- no incumbent -->
|winner_party       = Republican Party of Iowa
|winner_votes       = 1,488
|winner_percent     = 56.4
|candidate2         = Mark Peters
|candidate2_party   = Republican Party of Iowa
|candidate2_votes   = 1,140
|candidate2_percent = 43.2
|candidate3         = Other/Write-in votes
|candidate3_party   = 
|candidate3_votes   = 8
|candidate3_percent = 0.3
}}
{{Compact election box no change
|election_title     = [Iowa House of Representatives general elections, 2022](/source/2022_Iowa_House_of_Representatives_election)
|election_note      = District 13
|election_ref       = <ref name=Ballotpedia/>
|turnout_votes      = 11,897
|result             = (newly redistricted)
|winner             = Ken Carlson <!-- no incumbent -->
|winner_party       = Republican Party of Iowa
|winner_votes       = 10,157
|winner_percent     = 85.4
|candidate2         = Amy Janowski
|candidate2_party   = Libertarian Party (United States)
|candidate2_votes   = 1,703
|candidate2_percent = 14.3
|candidate3         = Other/Write-in votes
|candidate3_party   = 
|candidate3_votes   = 37
|candidate3_percent = 0.3
}}
{{Compact election box no change end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlson, Ken}}
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:Living people
Category:1951 births
Category:Republican Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Iowa General Assembly
Category:Farmers from Iowa
Category:21st-century American farmers
Category:Schoolteachers from Iowa
Category:21st-century American Christian clergy
Category:People from Monona County, Iowa
Category:Buena Vista University alumni

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ken Carlson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Carlson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Carlson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.