Iowa Rep. John Landon dies in office

(The Center Square) – State Rep. John Landon, R-Ankeny, 71, died at 3:45 p.m. July 29. No cause of death has been released.

First elected in 2013, Landon was serving his fifth term in office.

Under Iowa law, Gov. Kim Reynolds will call a special election for voters to select a candidate to serve the remainder of Landon’s term, which ends in January 2023.

Reynolds praised Landon as an “incredible man” who “put in the work to get the job done” in expressing condolences to his family and community in a Facebook post.

“When John Landon spoke, people listened,” Reynolds said. “He was known as a trusted, genuine, caring person always willing to put others before himself. During his time in the Iowa Legislature, he brought his strong convictions and work ethic to the job every single day.”

Landon served on the Appropriations and Local Government and Transportation committees as well as the Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee and Iowa Commission on Interstate Cooperation statutory committee. From January 2013 to February 2021, he was a member of the Commerce committee.

In spring 2021, he was the floor manager in the House for HF867, which appropriated funding for state departments and agencies. It included an appropriation of $100 million from the state’s general fund to the Office of the Chief Information Officer for the 2022 fiscal year for broadband grants.

“The Iowa House and House District 37 were fortunate to have someone so dedicated to his work all the way until his final day. As far as public servants go, John was the very best of us,” Speaker Pat Grassley tweeted. “John was everything Iowa needs in its representatives: a strong leader, a hard worker, a great mind, and a humble servant. He will be sorely missed by all of us, but he is in a better place.”

Democrats expressed condolences as well.

“I will be keeping the late John Landon and his family in my thoughts and prayers — while we did not always agree on every issue, he was an honorable and thoughtful man and will be missed by all,” Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, tweeted.

Rep. Ras Smith, D-Waterloo, said Landon was “always down for a good laugh and represented with pride.” Rep. Todd Prichard, D-Charles City, called him “a good man and advocate for Iowa.”

Landon served in the Navy Seabees in the Vietnam War and worked for decades in agricultural business, according to his biography on the Iowa House Republicans website.

“A lifelong Iowan with a background in business, Landon [was] a pro-life, pro-family conservative committed to balancing the state budget creating jobs in a favorable climate for business and agricultural growth eliminating costly regulations and making education more cost effective,” the biography said.

His wife Marvis and their children, Eric (wife Rebecca) and Morgan, and grandchildren survive him. Marvis said details of his visitation and funeral would be announced.

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