Claire A. Celsi is a member of the Iowa Senate, representing Senate District 16 in Central Iowa. A member of the Democratic Party, Celsi has served as senator since 2019. She owns a marketing and public relations firm, The Public Relations Project, incorporated in 2009.[1][better source needed][2]

Claire Celsi
Official portrait of Claire Celsi
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 16th district
Assumed office
2019
Preceded byMatt McCoy
Constituency16th District - (2023-Present)
21st District - (2019-2023)
Personal details
BornDes Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Residence(s)West Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Alma materDrake University
Websiteclaire4iowa.com

Elections

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Celsi defeated Democrat Connie Ryan in the June 5, 2018 primary[3][4] and went on to defeat Republican Brian Bales in the November 5, 2018 General Election.[5][6] Celsi's campaign positions included opposing state funding for homeschooling, state tracking and monitoring of homeschooled students, increasing state spending on public primary schools by four percent per year, and opposing Medicaid privatization.[7]

Senator Celsi ran for reelection in Senate district 16,[8] after the 2021 redistricting process redrew the district. Senator Sarah Trone Garriott was also drawn into the new district 16, but moved to neighboring Dallas County to run in the new Senate district 14.[9]

Celsi's opponent in the 2022 general election was Bradley D. Price of West Des Moines. Price won the Senate District 16 Republican primary by 25 votes. The vote totals were 1576 for Price to 1551 for Shad Clayton.[10]

Senator Celsi won the 2022 general election, 58% to 42% percent, beating Republican candidate Bradley D. Price of West Des Moines, according to unofficial results.[11]

Biography

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Celsi graduated in 1984 from Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa,[citation needed] She received her B.A. in sociology, cum laude, from Drake University.[citation needed] Celsi was appointed to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Commission on May 10, 2010 and served for five years, including one year as chair.[12] Celsi previously served on the Iowa Great Places Advisory Board in the Cultural Affairs Department.[13][when?]

Claire Celsi is a small business owner,[14] community volunteer and member of several community groups, boards and commissions, including the FADSS Council,[15][16] the Drake University Journalism and Mass Communications National Board of Directors[17] Celsi is also a member of the Historic Valley Junction Foundation Board of Directors.[18]

References

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  1. ^ "Business Entity Summary".
  2. ^ "Five in Five with Claire Celsi from Public Relations Princess". 2 December 2009.
  3. ^ "Primary narrows field for Iowa Legislature; LGBTQ activist and patriotic rock painter win".
  4. ^ "June 5 2018 Primary Election Results".
  5. ^ "Claire Celsi will replace Matt McCoy in Iowa Senate". The Des Moines Register.
  6. ^ "November 6 2018 General Election Results Polk County, Iowa".
  7. ^ Des Moines Register staff (October 25, 2018). "Iowa election 2018: Bales and Celsi face off in Senate District 21 race". Des Moines Register. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  8. ^ "2021 Senate district 16 map" (PDF).
  9. ^ "Celsi running in new Senate district 16". The Des Moines Register.
  10. ^ "Senate District 16 Republican official primary results".
  11. ^ "Des Moines Register Unofficial Primary Results". The Des Moines Register.
  12. ^ "Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Commission Annual Report" (PDF).
  13. ^ "2008 Cultural Affairs Performance Report" (PDF).
  14. ^ "Iowa Secretary of State Business Entities".
  15. ^ "Iowa FADSS" (PDF).
  16. ^ "Early Childhood Iowa Board".
  17. ^ "Drake University National Journalism and Mass Communications Advisory Board".
  18. ^ "Historic Valley Junction Board of Directors".
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Iowa Senate
Preceded by 16th District
2023 – present
Succeeded by
Preceded by 21st District
2019 – 2023
Succeeded by