Bettendorf woman campaigns for Iowa 93rd District
Mindy Smith-Pace of Bettendorf is not just running for a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives, she is rolling for it.
The Democratic candidate for the Iowa House District 93 (much of east Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley, Riverdale and parts of LeClaire), Smith-Pace has a rare disease that forces her to get around in a wheelchair.
“I believe that every voice should be heard and that in Iowa some voices have been silenced. That is why I am the candidate for those voices because they should be heard, thus many voices, one candidate,” she said in a Tuesday announcement press release.
Smith-Pace has a bachelor’s degree in political science, a master’s degree in public policy and several doctoral credits in non-profit leadership.
She has served as an Elizabeth Dole Foundation Fellow for the state of Iowa and continues to volunteer for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation as a wellness support group leader and helps provides retreats for caregivers of disabled veterans and provides resources for caregivers in crisis.
In addition to this, Smith-Pace she also volunteers with Give an Hour, a non-profit organization that focuses on mental health. Smith-Pace has worked as a peer support leader for the entire United States by Zoom, she trains peer support leaders throughout the nation and is an expert panelist on mental health and rare diseases.
She has worked as a volunteer consultant to the U.S. Department of Veterans Administration (VA). Smith-Pace has worked on several policies that have impacted both the VA Iowa regional office and on the federal level of the VA. The policies range from caregivers to survivor’s benefits.
While her husband Michael Pace was serving in the United States Naval Reserve, the National Guard and in the U.S. Army, Smith-Pace has served in various positions while she has been involved in his unit’s Family Readiness Groups, the release said.
She helped develop several for-profit and non-profit organizations over the last 30 years as a volunteer consultant. She’s has also sat in over 800 Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) as a family advocate and organized several art shows showcasing the art of the special needs population.
As part of her campaign, Smith-Pace is planning many meet-and-greets to hear the voices of Iowa District 93 voters, including her campaign kick-off event at Crane and Pelican Café in LeClaire on Sunday, April 28th from 2-5 p.m.
The 93rd District House seat was formerly occupied many years by Democrat Phyllis These, until Jan. 1, 2023, when the seat was redistricted, and it’s currently served by Republican Gary Mohr. The Democratic primary will be June 4, 2024.
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