Ankeny Republican Matt Smith announces candidacy for Iowa House District 41

A second Republican has announced his candidacy to run for an Iowa House seat covering northern Ankeny.

Matt Smith, who has retired from the banking industry, declared his candidacy for Iowa House District 41 on March 15. He officially filed March 4 for the June 4 primary election. Democrat Molly Buck is the incumbent.

Another Republican, former Ankeny School Board President Ryan Weldon, has also filed for the primary. Buck was the only Democrat to file. Whoever wins the Republican nomination in the June primary is expected to face Buck in the Nov. 5 general election.

Smith has a bachelor's of business administration in finance from the University of Iowa and a master's in business administration from Drake University, according to a news release. He spent 34 years in banking, including leading Mercantile Bank in Ankeny as president.

"After his retirement from banking, Smith wanted to find a way to give back," the release says. "Smith wants to take his financial experience and his ability to build relationships to the Iowa House to continue to work on ways to streamline state government ensuring that we deliver quality services in an efficient manner."

Smith's priorities would include reducing taxes, delivering best-in-class education, creating jobs with a focus on economic activity and mental health solutions. He is a fiscal conservative and pro-life, his campaign website says. Smith is a political newcomer.

Smith, a long-time Ankeny resident, graduated from Ankeny High School in 1984 and he raised his daughters Kate and Abby in Ankeny with his wife Jane, who is a school counselor in Ankeny. Kate is a physician assistant, and Abby is a mental health counselor.

"I am proud of the Ankeny community and pleased to call it my home," Smith said in the release. "I’m excited to work hard, listen to voters and govern on behalf of the Ankeny constituents. I believe in a citizen legislature where experienced individuals from all backgrounds take their talents to state government, work hard and then turn it over to the next in line."

Buck won the 2022 election with 50.4% of the vote to Republican Marvis Landon's 49.6%, a difference of 129 votes.

Chris Higgins covers the eastern and northern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Ankeny Republican Matt Smith running for Iowa House District 41