(Radio Iowa) – Senate Republican Leader Mike Klimesh says it could be possible to reverse the Senate’s rejection of the governor’s pick to head the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Last week Senate Democrats blocked interim director Larry Johnson’s appointment to be the agency’s permanent. There are not enough Republicans in the Senate to reach the 34 votes necessary for confirmation. Two Republican senators are battling health issue, so Klimesh will have to recruit at least three Democrats to join Republicans to confirm Johnson before the legislature adjourns.
“We’ll have to have a conversation and retool,” Johnson says. It’s not unprecedented for Senators from the party that opposes the sitting governor to refuse to confirm a governor’s appointments, but Klimesh says Democrats broke Senate tradition by failing to notify Reynolds in advance that they did not support Johnson’s nomination. “Tradition’s always been if there’s a concern with a nominee, that concern’s relayed to the governor,” Klimesh said, “…and then the governor has some choices to make in regards to that.”
That gives governors who’ve been faced with similar situations the option to withdraw nominees before a confirmation rejection vote is held. Johnson’s rejection last week came immediately after the Senate failed to confirm Todd Abrahamson of Arnolds Park to a seat on the Iowa Board of Education. Abrahamson recently retired after serving as superintendent of the Okoboji School District. Senator Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Marion, says Abrahamson’s public support of Governor Reynolds’ 2024 reorganization of Area Education Agencies is the reason for her no vote.
“His record shows a willingness to undermine the very system that keeps our public schools functioning, especially in rural Iowa,” Donahue said. “By supporting efforts that weakened our Area Education Agencies, he has contributed to dismantling essential services like special education support, educator training, and shared resources that small districts simply cannot replace on their own.” Senator Lynn Evans, a Republican from Aurelia who’s chairman of the Senate Education Committee, says Abrahamson has been a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent over his 25 year career as an educator.
“I’ve worked with Todd Abrahamson on many issues,” Evans said. “He’s known across the state for his student-centered initiatives in every stop he’s made.” Before his nine-year stint in the Okoboji school district, Abrahamson worked at Pocahontas Area Community Schools, Grinnell-Newburg, Sigourney, Tri-County in Thornburg, West Central in Maynard and Manson-Northwest Webster.
The Senate’s Republican Leader has used a parliamentary hold that means Abrahamson’s nomination also could be revived if a few Democrats change their votes. Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner says so far this year Democrats have voted to confirm all but two of the 161 nominees Reynolds appointed to serve on state boards and commissions and to lead state agencies.
Weiner says rejecting someone for a leadership role in the largest state agency is not unprecedented. In 2010, Senate Republicans blocked Eugene Gessow, Governor Chet Culver’s choice to lead the Department of Human Services.
