Mike Vondran
State house 1Iowa
District 194th
Term start 1January 9, 2023
Predecessor 1Gary Mohr (redistricting)
Constituency 1District 94 - (2023–present)
Birth date1961 (age 65–66)
Birth placeDubuque, Iowa, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseKathleen
OccupationSmall business owner

Michael Vondran (born 1961)[1] is an American politician and businessman who has represented the 94th district of the Iowa House of Representatives since January 2023, which consists of parts of central Scott County, including most of Eldridge and much of central Davenport. He is a member of the Republican Party.[2]

Early life

Vondran was born in 1961 in Dubuque, Iowa, where he was raised. He graduated from Hempstead High School.[2]

Political career

Vondran ran against Democratic incumbent Phyllis Thede for the 93rd district of the Iowa House of Representatives in 2020, but lost by over 1,900 votes.[3][4]

Vondran announced his candidacy for the then-newly drawn 94th district of the Iowa House in late 2021, shortly after decennial redistricting.[5] He won the Republican primaries unopposed on June 7, 2022, and defeated incumbent Phyllis Thede by over 1,700 votes in the general election on November 8.[4][6]

Vondran endorsed Ron DeSantis for president in 2023.[7]

In 2024, Vondran filed to run for reelection.[8] He won the Republican primaries unopposed on June 4, 2024, and will face Democrat Tracy Jones in the general election on November 5, 2024.[4]

Vondran currently serves on the Agriculture, Commerce, and Public Safety committees, the lattermost of which he is vice chair.[9]

Personal life

Vondran has a wife, Kathleen, and five adult children, four of whom are stepchildren. He resides in Davenport.[2] He has been the owner of TAG Communications, a communications firm, since 1990, and is the founder and CEO of the HAVlife Foundation, a fundraising organization for at-risk youth, which was inspired by the death of his 13-year-old son Hunter in 2004.[10][11] He has also served as chairman of Junior Achievement of the Heartland, president of the Mississippi Valley Fair Board, and director of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce.[2]

Electoral history

* = incumbent

References

  1. ^ "Hunter Vondran Obituary (1990 - 2004) - Legacy Remembers". Legacy.com. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  2. ^ "State Representative - All Years". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  3. ^ "Vondran running for Iowa House". WHBF. 30 July 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  4. ^ "Mike Vondran". Ballotpedia. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  5. ^ Barton, Tom (4 November 2021). "Davenport Republican who lost in 2020 announces campaign for new Iowa House District". The Quad-City Times. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  6. ^ Watson, Sarah (8 November 2022). "Mike Vondran unseats six-term lawmaker Phyllis Thede". The Quad-City Times. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  7. ^ Isenstadt, Alexander. "DeSantis rolls out a major slate of Iowa endorsements". Politico. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  8. ^ "primarycandidatelist.pdf". Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  9. ^ "State Representative - Bills & Committees". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  10. ^ Davis, Andy. "HAVlife opens Johnson County chapter in Iowa City". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  11. ^ "Decision 2020: Mike Vondran, candidate, Iowa House of Representatives District 93". KWQC. 5 October 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2024.