David Dawson (politician)
David Dawson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 14th district | |
| In office January 14, 2013 – January 8, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Josh Byrnes |
| Succeeded by | Timothy Kacena |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Alan Dawson October 5, 1973 Cherokee, Iowa, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Liza |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Iowa State University (BS) University of California, Los Angeles (JD) |
David "Dave" Alan Dawson (born October 5, 1973) is an American politician and lawyer from Iowa. A Democrat, he served in the Iowa House of Representatives representing the 14th district from 2013 to 2017. He has a bachelor's degree in sociology and psychology from Iowa State University and a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law.
As of January 2013, Dawson served on several committees in the Iowa House – the Commerce, Human Resources, Judiciary, and Public Safety committees. He also serves as a member of the Justice System Appropriations Subcommittee.
Early life and education
Dawson was born in Cherokee, Iowa, and raised in Washta, Iowa. He graduated as Valedictorian from Willow Community High School in 1992. Dawson obtained his degree in Sociology and Psychology from Iowa State University in 1996 and received his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1999.[1]
Career
After graduating law school, Dawson worked as an attorney with the Law Firm of Winston & Strawn in Chicago. After his time here, Dawson became a prosecutor for the Woodbury County Attorney's Office, a position he held for eighteen years.[2][3] In 2010, he started his own law office focussing on children and families, and continued privately practicing law for five years.[4][3] Since 2015, he has served as an Assistant County Attorney in the Juvenile Division of the Woodbury County Attorney's Office in Iowa.
U.S. House campaign
On August 27, 2025, Dawson announced his campaign for the United States House of Representatives in Iowa's 4th congressional district.[4][5]
Electoral history
| Election | Political result | Candidate | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa House of Representatives primary elections, 2010 [6] District 1 | Democratic | David Dawson | Democratic | unopposed | |||
| Iowa House of Representatives general elections, 2010 [7] District 1 Turnout: 8,841 | Republican gain from Democratic | Jeremy Taylor | Republican | 4,645 | 52.54% | ||
| David Dawson | Democratic | 4,013 | 45.39% | ||||
| Iowa House of Representatives primary elections, 2012 [8] District 14 | Democratic | David Dawson | Democratic | unopposed | |||
| Iowa House of Representatives general elections, 2012 [9] District 14 Turnout: 11,111 | Democratic (newly redistricted) | David Dawson | Democratic | 6,617 | 59.55% | ||
| Greg Grupp | Republican | 4,494 | 40.45% | ||||
Organizations
Dawson is a member of the following organizations:
- Iowa State Bar Association
- Woodbury County Bar Association
- Redeemer Lutheran Church[3]
Family
Dawson is married to his wife Liza and they have three children. Dawson resides in Lawton, Iowa.
References
- ^ "Representative Dave Dawson". Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ "Dave Dawson announces candidacy for Iowa's 4th Congressional District". KTIV. August 27, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Biography". Dawson for Iowa. Archived from the original on September 3, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ a b McNett, Jared (August 27, 2025). "Former Iowa State Rep. Dave Dawson running for Iowa's Fourth Congressional District". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ Prieto-Rivero, Alex (August 27, 2025). "Dave Dawson announces run for U.S. House". KWIT. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ "Official Results Report, 2010 Primary Election held Tuesday, June 8th 2010" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. July 1, 2010. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ "Official Results Report, General Election held Tuesday, November 2nd 2010" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. November 23, 2010. p. 42. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ "2012 Primary Election Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. p. 87. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ "2012 General Election Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. p. 60. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
External links
- Campaign website
- Representative Dave Dawson official Iowa General Assembly site
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Financial information (state office) at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
- Iowa House Democrats Archived January 14, 2014, at the Wayback Machine