A legislator who’s been chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa and was on active duty in Iraq has decided not to seek another term in the state Senate. Chuck Larson, Junior of Cedar Rapids says he made the announcement now so other candidates can lay plans to run for his senate seat in 2006. “My service in Iraq has given me a different perspective on life. Life is short and it’s important to take on new responsibilities and new challenges,” Larson says. “There are different things I’d like to do.” Larson, who is 37 years old, has served in the Iowa House and Senate for the past 13 years. “I’m excited. I have some tremendous opportunities in my personal life. I serve as general counsel for the ESCO group, an industrial electrical contracting and factory automation firm in Cedar Rapids and we are seeing very rapid growth in our company — approximately 10 percent growth over the last 90 days and I’ve been presented with some tremendous opportunities there,” Larson says. Larson is the chair of Jim Nussle’s campaign for governor, a volunteer position. He and his wife are also expecting their first child — due date July 25th. Larson is a Judge Advocate General in the Reserve and was in Iraq from February, 2003 ’til February of this year. Larson said when he returned this past February that he and his wife, Jennifer, “made the most” of his two-week leave last fall and he announced they were expecting their first child the day he returned to Iowa. Larson’s father — Chuck Larson, Senior, of Cedar Rapids — is the U.S. Attorney for Iowa’s Northern District and he was in Iraq until late May, advising Iraqis who are setting up a judicial system.
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