Elinor Levin

Elinor A. Levin
Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
from the 89th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 9, 2023
Preceded byMonica Kurth (redistricting)
Personal details
Born1987 (age 36–37)
Palatine, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseKevin Lawrence
EducationCornell College (BA)
OccupationWriting tutor

Elinor A. Levin (born 1987) is an American politician, tutor and former teacher who has represented the 89th district of the Iowa House of Representatives since January 2023, which consists of parts of central Johnson County, including much of southern Iowa City. She is a member of the Democratic Party.[1]

Early life

Levin was born in 1987 in Palatine, Illinois, where she was raised. She graduated from William Fremd High School in 2005. She received a Bachelor of Arts in secondary education and English from Cornell College, and moved to Coralville, Iowa, in 2009 shortly after graduating. She moved to Iowa City in 2010.[2][1]

Political career

Levin announced her candidacy for the open 89th district of the Iowa House of Representatives in November 2021, following decennial redistricting. She won the Democratic primaries on June 7, 2022, with over 63 percent of the vote, and defeated Republican Jacob Onken in the general election on November 8 by over 7,000 votes.[3]

In 2024, Levin filed for reelection.[4] She defeated Ty Bopp in the Democratic primaries on June 4, 2024, by over 1,100 votes, and will run unopposed in the general election on November 5, 2024.[3]

Levin currently serves on the Agriculture, Environmental Protection, Natural Resources, Public Safety, and Veteran Affairs committees.[5]

Levin primarily runs on a grassroots campaign. She has said that her priorities include sustainable energy and combatting rural flight. She does not support the use of eminent domain for the construction of CO2 pipelines. She is pro-choice.[6][7]

Personal life

Levin is married to Kevin Lawrence, a United States Navy officer. They reside in Iowa City. She is a private writing tutor and a former public school teacher.[1]

Levin is of Jewish descent though is not religious.[8] She has described herself as queer.[9][10]

Electoral history

Election Political result Candidate Party Votes %
Iowa House of Representatives Democratic primary elections, 2022  [3]
District 89
Turnout: 2,686		Democratic (newly redistricted) Elinor Levin Democratic1,69463.1
Tony Currin Democratic98736.7
Other/Write-in votes 50.2
Iowa House of Representatives general elections, 2022  [3]
District 89
Turnout: 10,907		Democratic (newly redistricted) Elinor Levin Democratic8,96582.2
Jacob Onken Republican1,93717.8
Other/Write-in votes 50.05

References

  1. ^ a b c "State Representative - All Years". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  2. ^ Dunlap, Natalie. "Democrat Elinor Levin looking to bring new ideas to Iowa Statehouse". The Daily Iowan. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Elinor Levin". Ballotpedia. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  4. ^ Murphy, Erin. "Meet the candidates: Levin running for re-election, Republicans vying to fill open NE Iowa seat". The Gazette. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  5. ^ "State Representative - Bills & Committees". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  6. ^ "Q&A with Iowa House 89 candidate Elinor Levin". The Gazette. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  7. ^ Jordan, Erin. "One Iowa House 89 candidate wants to be loud, the other wants to listen". The Gazette. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  8. ^ Levin, Sarah (April 29, 2024). "Representation Matters: State Representative Elinor Levin". TheHumanist.com. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  9. ^ Levin, Elinor [@LevinforIowa] (January 26, 2024). "Thank you victoryfund, for your faith a SECOND TIME AROUND! This endorsement means such a great deal to me, because the queer community BELONGS in Iowa. We've always been here, we always will be here, and we make this a better place" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ^ Belin, Laura (November 17, 2022). "Elections bring more diversity to Iowa Legislature". Iowa Capital Dispatch. Retrieved June 1, 2024.