(Radio Iowa) — The opening day of the 2020 Iowa legislature features what the Iowa G-O-P’s chairman calls “a new generation of leadership” in the Iowa House. Thirty-six-year-old Pat Grassley of New Hartford was installed as House Speaker today (Monday). U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley and his wife, Barbara — his grandparents — were in Des Moines to mark the moment.  “I’m very proud of Pat not only for being selected speaker, but I’ve seen him grow over the years that he first approach me 14 years ago saying he’d like to run for the state house of representatives,” Senator Grassley says. “I don’t recall a single political conversation I had with him before that point.”

Thirty-six-year-old Matt Windschitl, of Missouri Valley, is now the majority leader in the Iowa House. “We’ve been in the majority since 2011,” Windschitl says. “What we’re going to do this session is continue to give Iowans every reason to give us that majority back in the November elections. It’s as simple as that.” Windschitl and other G-O-P leaders spoke early this (Monday) morning at a party fundraiser in Des Moines. Forty-six-year-old Charles Schneider of West Des Moines has been president of the Iowa Senate for nearly two years. He says lowering taxes and cutting red tape are core G-O-P promises. “We know that our approach is what Iowans want because they sent us there to accomplish that and they kept us there in 2018,” Schneider said at the GOP breakfast, “and I believe they’ll keep us there in 2020 as well.”

Democrats had a private fundraiser Sunday evening. Members of the House and Senate are unable to collect campaign contributions during the legislative session.