Tom Latham is no longer the congressman from Alexander. Latham moved to Ames in late November, but hadn’t publicized the move. "My wife, first of all, wanted to live closer to two our grandsons. My daughter and her husband live in Grimes, so it’s much easier for her to spend time with them," Latham says.
Latham’s main congressional office in the district is in Ames, plus he says the commute back to Iowa from Washington, D.C. is now much shorter. Latham and his wife bought their new house in Ames. Their home on the farm sits empty. "Ames is our residence now, has been for over six months, but my home in my heart will always be up at Alexander," Latham says.
One of Latham’s brothers farms the land. Latham isn’t completely ruling out the idea of challenging Democrat Senator Tom Harkin’s reelection bid in 2008, but Latham insists the move to Ames has nothing to do with that. "It has nothing to do with politics at all," Latham says.