Brian Quirk
A northeast Iowa lawmaker has resigned from the Iowa House — but isn’t yet revealing the reason.
State Representative Brian Quirk of New Hampton, a Democrat, was reelected earlier this month to a sixth two-year term, but he’s submitted a letter of resignation to the governor and house leaders.
In a written statement, Quirk said it’s been a “great honor” serving the people in his district for the past decade and it was a “difficult decision” to resign. Quirk mentioned “new opportunities that lie ahead” but did not reveal what his plans may be.
The governor now has five days to set a date for a special election in the district that includes all of Floyd and Chickasaw Counties as well as the eastern portion of Cerro Gordo County.
The governor can’t schedule that special election ’til January, however, as by law he must allow least 40 days for a campaign. The Iowa legislature begins the 2013 session on Monday, January 14, so it’s likely the special election for this House seat will happen after that.