Preceded by Kerry Burt Website Official website Occupation Mortgage analyst | Political party Democratic Succeeded by Timi Brown-Powers Name Anesa Kajtazovic | |
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Born August 30, 1986 (age 37)
Bihac, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia ( 1986-08-30 ) Alma mater University of Northern Iowa | ||
Anesa kajtazovic
Anesa Kajtazovic (born August 30, 1986) is a former member of the Iowa House of Representatives, representing the 61st District from 2011 to 2015. Kajtazovic was an unsuccessful candidate for Iowa's 1st congressional district in an open seat primary in June 2014.
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First elected at age 23, Kajtazovic is the youngest woman ever elected to the Iowa legislature, and the first Bosnian American elected to any public office in the United States.
Biography
Kajtazovic was born to Bosnian parents from Velika Kladusa in the western Bosnian city of Bihac and relocated to the United States on February 12, 1997 as a refugee of the Bosnian War.
Kajtazovic graduated from Waterloo West High School in 2004 and the University of Northern Iowa in 2007 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Public Administration degree.
In the Iowa House of Representatives, she served on the Commerce, Appropriations, Veteran Affairs, Local Government, State Government, Ways and Means and the Economic Development Appropriations subcommittees.
Electoral history
Kajtazovic announced her candidacy in Iowa House of Representatives District 21 in March 2010 as a primary challenge to Kerry Burt, the Democratic incumbent. Burt withdrew from the race in the face of criminal charges, but remained on the ballot as the official withdrawal deadline had passed. Kajtazovic won the June primary with 91% of the vote.
In the November 2010 general election, Kajtazovic won with 59%, defeating Republican opponent John Rooff, a former Waterloo mayor.
In 2012, Kajtazovic was re-elected to the Iowa House of Representatives District 61 (renumbered in redistricting) defeating Republican Lyn Tackett.
Anesa Kajtazovic (D) (9602 votes) (70.19%) Lyn Tackett (R) (4063 votes) (29.70%) write in (15 votes) (0.11%)In August 2013, at the age of 26, Kajtazovic announced her candidacy for Iowa's 1st Congressional District. The seat was open as incumbent Democrat Bruce Braley was instead running for an open U.S. Senate seat. Kajtazovic finished fourth of five Democratic candidates in the June 2014 Democratic primary, but carried her home county, Black Hawk.
Pat Murphy 10189 36.7% Monica Vernon 6559 23.6% Swati Dandekar 5076 18.3% Anesa Kajtazovic 4067 14.7% Dave O'Brien 1846 6.7%Because of the congressional campaign, Kajtazovic did not seek re-election to the Iowa House, and was replaced by Democrat Timi Brown-Powers in January 2015.