(Radio Iowa)- Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Rita Hart says the party is focused on reaching out to over 92-thousand Iowans who voted as Democrats in 2018, but did not cast ballots in the 2022 election. “We didn’t lose them to Republicans,” Hart says. “….That’s what we have to turn around and that’s what we’re bound and determined to turn around between now ’til November.” All four of Iowa’s seats in the U-S House are held by Republicans and Republicans currently hold sizable majorities in the state legislature. Hart predicts Democrats will field candidates in around 80 of the 100 seats in the Iowa House.

“Which is very encouraging and we’ve got candidates all across the state that are stepping up,” Hart says, “and a lot of our candidates have been inspired to run because of the many things that are happening at the state level that are very concerning to folks.” Hart cites both the state-funded accounts for private school students and Area Education Agency changes that Republican lawmakers approved as concerns. Hart also says Iowa Republicans are out of sync with the general public on the abortion issue.

The only statewide race in Iowa this November is between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. A Des Moines Register Iowa Poll conducted in March found 29 percent of those surveyed approved of Biden’s job performance. Hart says Trump is morally compromised and Democrats have a good story to tell about Biden’s presidency. “The contrast here is pretty stark,” Hart says. “The American people and Iowans recognize that we are looking at a Republican Party that is struggling to get behind their nominee.”

Hart made her comments during a weekend appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S. The Iowa Democratic Party’s state convention is this Saturday, June 15th. The Iowa Republican Party’s state convention was held May 4th.