Richard Sherzan
Richard Sherzan | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Iowa House of Representatives | |
| In office January 8, 1979 – January 11, 1981 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 22, 1946 Mobile, Alabama, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Relations | Gary, Helen, Michael (brothers and sister) |
| Occupation | Retired (2014) Administrative Law Judge |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
Branch | Army |
Wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Purple Heart Award; and Bronze Star Award with "V" Device |
Richard E. Sherzan (born December 22, 1946) is an American politician who served as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1979 to 1981.[1]
Sherzan was born in Mobile, Alabama, to Gloria and Edward Sherzan. He grew up in Des Moines, Iowa. He moved to Arizona in 1983, and then returned to live in Iowa, in 2021. He has an M.A., Master's degree, in American History, University of Iowa, and a J.D. degree from Drake University Law School, in Des Moines. In 1976, he was Polk County, Iowa, Coordinator for the Mo Udall presidential campaign. He served in the Iowa State Legislature, House of Representatives, from 1979 to 1981, after a year long, door-to-door campaign.[2]
While living in Arizona, he worked as a law clerk with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office (Civil Division); Arizona Attorney General's Office (Criminal Division); and private law firms (self-employed). He has a Community College Teacher Certification (Law, History) from Arizona; and has been a part-time Community College Teacher, and substitute teacher, K-12. In 2014, after working 17 years, he retired, as an Administrative Law Judge, from the Arizona Dept. of Economic Security, Unemployment Insurance Office of Appeals. He is a U.S. Army, Vietnam War Veteran, with Honorable Discharge; Purple Heart Award; and Bronze Star Award with "V" Device (heroism in ground combat, Vietnam). He also protested the Vietnam War.[citation needed]
In Arizona, Sherzan was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in the state's Democratic Party primary elections of 2016 and 2018.[3]
On October 13, 2025, Sherzan announced his intent to seek the Democratic nomination in Iowa's 2026 U.S. Senate election.[4]
References
[edit]- ↑ "State Representative". www.legis.iowa.gov. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ↑ "Meet the Members of the Iowa House". The Des Moines Register. January 7, 1979. p. 34.
- ↑ The Arizona Republic Newspaper, May 3, 2015, "Democrat believes sixth time is charm against McCain"; The Arizona Republic Newspaper, September 28, 2017, "Rep. Kyrsten Sinema enters Senate race, hoping to unseat Jeff Flake"
- ↑ Henderson, O. Kay (October 13, 2025). "Coralville Democrat says he'll run for US Senate in 2026". Radio Iowa. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
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- 1946 births
- Living people
- 20th-century members of the Iowa General Assembly
- American anti–Vietnam War activists
- Arizona Democrats
- Candidates in the 2016 United States Senate elections
- Candidates in the 2018 United States Senate elections
- Candidates in the 2026 United States Senate elections
- Democratic Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives
- Drake University Law School alumni
- Politicians from Mobile, Alabama
- United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
- Members of the Iowa House of Representatives stubs