Rich Taylor (politician)
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Iowa State Senator Rich Taylor.jpg
| name = Rich Taylor
| state_senate = Iowa
| district = 42nd
| term_start = January 14, 2013
| term_end = January 2021
| preceded = Shawn Hamerlinck
| succeeded = Jeff Reichman
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1954}}
| birth_place = Mount Union, Iowa, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democratic
| spouse = Annette
| children = 2
| residence = Mount Pleasant, Iowa, U.S.
| alma_mater =
| occupation =
| branch = {{flag|United States Army}}
| unit = Iowa National Guard
}}
Rich Taylor (born 1954) is an American politician who served as a member of the Iowa Senate for the 42nd district from 2013 to 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=10735|title=State Senator|website=www.legis.iowa.gov|access-date=2020-02-06}} A Democrat, he also served as assistant Democratic leader.
Early life
Born and raised in Mount Union, Iowa he graduated high school before joining Iowa National Guard.{{Cite web|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|url=http://votesmart.org/|access-date=2020-02-06|website=Vote Smart}}{{Cite web|last=Eye|first=Laigha Anderson The Hawk|title=Meet the candidates for Iowa Senate District 42: Rich Taylor and Jeffrey Reichman|url=https://www.thehawkeye.com/story/news/2020/10/19/meet-candidates-iowa-senate-district-42/3711480001/|access-date=2021-07-23|website=The Hawk Eye|language=en-US}}
Career
After retiring from the National Guard, Taylor became an electrician. He worked for the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison for 26 years, where he was in charge of repairing and operating the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems.{{Cite web|date=2018-11-14|title=Taylor elected assistant leader for Senate Democrats|url=https://www.kilj.com/taylor-elected-assistant-leader-for-senate-democrats/|access-date=2020-02-06|website=KILJ Radio|language=en-US}}
Taylor assumed office 2013, flipping the district after the previous incumbent Shawn Hamerlinck lost renomination due to a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him.{{Cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-politics-insider/2014/10/16/iowa-senate-discrimination-suit/17354495/|title=Lawsuit accuses Iowa Senate GOP of firing staffer who complained of sexual harassment|last=Petroski|first=William|website=Des Moines Register|language=en|access-date=2020-02-06}}
Taylor served as the ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. He was also a member of the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision State Council.
Personal life
He resides near Mount Pleasant, Iowa with his wife Annette and their two children.
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change|title=Iowa Senate 42nd District election, 2012{{Cite web | url=https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/2012/general/canvsummary.pdf | publisher=Iowa secretary of state
| title=2012 General Election canvass summary | website=sos.iowa.gov}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Rich Taylor
|votes = 15,058
|percentage = 50.6%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Larry Kruse
|votes = 13,281
|percentage = 44.7%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Independent (politician)
|candidate = Michael Garmoe
|votes = 1,396
|percentage = 4.7%%}}
{{Election box gain with party link without swing
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)
|loser = Republican Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=Iowa Senate 42nd District election, 2016{{Cite web | url=https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/2016/general/canvsummary.pdf | publisher=Iowa secretary of state
| title=2016 General Election canvass summary - President and Vice President| website=sos.iowa.gov}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Rich Taylor
|votes = 13,434
|percentage = 50.31%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Danny Graber
|votes = 13,266
|percentage = 49.69%}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
|title = Iowa Senate, District 42 General Election, 2020{{cite web |url=https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/2020/general/canvsummary.pdf|title=General Election 2020 Canvass Summary|publisher= Iowa Secretary of State |access-date=December 2, 2020}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Jeff Reichman
| votes = 16766
| percentage = 59.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Rich Taylor (incumbent)
| votes = 11228
| percentage = 40.1
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 27994
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
| loser = Democratic Party (United States)
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}