Current Iowa District 20 Representative Clel Baudler recently announced he will be retiring at the end of this legislative session. There is already a fellow Republican who wishes to take his place. Greenfield’s Ray (Bubba) Sorensen announced his candidacy Thursday for the Iowa House.

The 38-year-old is a lifelong resident of Adair County. He and his wife Maria own Sorensen Studios. He graduated from Bridgewater-Fontanelle (now Nodaway Valley) High School, and was active in sports and showing cattle in 4-H. Politically speaking, Sorensen served as an intern for former State Senator JoAnn Johnson and clerked for Representative Steve Olson.

Sorensen is known for painting the Freedom Rock just south of Interstate 80 near Menlo. He has been commissioned to paint a rock in every county in Iowa, and has currently completed 69. His most recent rock was a cornerstone piece for a therapy garden at the Veterans Affairs Central Iowa Health Care System campus in Des Moines.

Sorensen thanks Baudler for all his years of service and hopes to be a strong voice for District 20.