New Republican Legislative Interveners

January 29th, 2025

Nine Newly Elected Legislators Join Republican Legislative Interveners, Signaling Growing Support for Private Property Rights in Iowa

Today, the Republican Legislative Interveners for Justice (RLIJ) announced the addition of nine newly elected legislators to their growing coalition. The group, which has been at the forefront of protecting private property rights and opposing the use of eminent domain for the proposed carbon pipelines in Iowa, continues to expand its influence with the incoming freshman legislators.

Having been founded in June 2023 with nineteen members, the intervener group has now grown to include 43 Iowa legislators from both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“We are thrilled to welcome these newly elected legislators,” said Representative Helena Hayes, one of several founding members of the Legislative Interveners. “Because these legislators choose to stand boldly with us, their actions showcase a personal commitment to protect private property rights.”

As an incoming freshman and new member, Representative Judd Lawler of Iowa County stated, “Iowans are increasingly concerned about the use of eminent domain to advance the interests of private companies rather than the public interest.”

Since their founding, the Republican Legislative Interveners have been actively involved but most recently, they filed a lawsuit against the Iowa Utility Commission. With the start of the legislative session, new bills from both the Senate and House are expected to be introduced. With expanded membership and increasing public support, the group hopes to make significant strides in addressing this critical issue.

“The growing strength of this group of lawmakers reflects Iowans’ united commitment to safeguarding property rights,” said Senator Doug Campbell, a newly elected member. “We will continue this fight, combining the proven experience of our seasoned colleagues with the fresh energy and determination of the new members.”

New RLIJ Members include:

Senator Doug Campbell
Representative Judd Lawler
Representative Craig Williams
Representative Samantha Fett
Representative Sam Wengryn
Representative Jennifer Smith
Representative Travis Sitzmann
Representative Jason Gearhart

Current RLIJ members include:

Senator Kevin Alons, Senator Rocky De Witt, Senator Jason Schultz, Senator Lynn Evans, Senator Jesse Green, Senator Dennis Guth, Senator Mark Lofgren, Senator Sandy Salmon, Senator David Rowley, Senator Jeff Taylor, Senator Cherielynn Westrich, Representative Eddie Andrews, Representative Brooke Boden, Representative Steve Bradley, Representative Mark Cisneros, Representative Zach Dieken, Representative Dean Fisher, Representative Tom Gerhold, Representative Dan Gehlbach, Representative Cindy Golding, Representative Helena Hayes, Representative Bob Henderson, Representative Steve Holt, Representative Heather Hora, Representative Tom Jeneary, Representative Bobby Kaufmann, Representative Josh Meggers, Representative Jeff Shipley, Representative Henry Stone, Representative Charley Thomson, Representative Mark Thompson, Representative Skyler Wheeler, Representative Derek Wulf