Iowa House elects new leadership

A representative from Sioux City has been elected to a leadership role inthe Iowa House. The 56 republicans in the Iowa House today selected BrentSiegrist of Council Bluffs to replace out-going House SpeakerRon Corbett. In a contested race, Christopher Rants of Sioux City, wasvoted House Majority Leader-elect. Rants, who’s 31-years-old, describes himself as a conservative Republican.He pledges to focus the party’s effort in retaining the majority of seats inthe legislature.Rants says his top goals are tax cuts, tourism and keeping state governmentlean.Rants is known for his confrontational style and promises to be aggressivein pointing out the G.O.P.’s disagreements with democrat Governor Vilsack.Siegrist, the House Speaker-elect, says he’ll employ a different leadershipstyle.Siegrist and Rants will assume their new leadership roles later this monthas the legislature moves to adjourn for the year.