# Cindy Golding

Cindy Golding (born 1952) is an American politician, entrepreneur, farmer and former chemist who has represented the 83rd district of the Iowa House of Representatives since January 2023, which consists of much of rural Linn County. She is a member of the Republican Party.

## Early life

Golding was born in 1952 in Chicago, and was raised in rural northern Illinois. She went to Northern Illinois University before attending Elmhurst University, where she majored in biochemistry.

## Political career

Golding ran for the 18th district of the Iowa Senate in a special election in 2011 to fill a vacancy left by Swati Dandekar's resignation, but lost to Democrat Liz Mathis.
Golding announced her candidacy for the 83rd district of the Iowa House of Representatives shortly after decennial redistricting took place in 2021. She won the Republican primaries unopposed on June 7, 2022, and defeated Democrat Kris Nall in the general election on November 8 by over 2,800 votes.
Golding endorsed Donald Trump for president in 2023.
In 2024, Golding filed to run for reelection. She won the Republican primaries unopposed on June 4, 2024, and will face Democrat Kent McNally in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Golding currently serves on the Labor and Workforce, Veterans Affairs, State Government, and Local Government committees, the lattermost of which she is vice chair.

## Personal life

Golding has a husband, Joe, six adult children, and 21 grandchildren. She resides in rural Linn County. She is the co-founder of Advancement Resources, a training services and research company, and also owns several farms. She worked as an analytical chemist prior to her business ventures.
Golding has been active in numerous organizations. She is the former chair of the Linn County Republican Party Central Committee and Heartland Youth for Christ, former second vice president of the Iowa Federation of Republican Women, and is a former board member of the National Federation of Independent Business, Five Seasons Republican Women, Linn County Farm Bureau, and Hawkeye Area Community Action Program. She has also worked as an FFA judge, cheerleading coach, Academic Decathlon coach and judge, Chemistry Olympiad proctor, Mathcounts coach, church youth leader, and Boy Scout and Girl Scout leader.

## Electoral history

| Election | Political result | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| Iowa Senate special election, 2011 District 18 Turnout: 23,797 | Democratic | Liz Mathis | Democratic | 13,324 | 56 |
| Iowa Senate special election, 2011 District 18 Turnout: 23,797 | Democratic | Cindy Golding | Republican | 10,322 | 43.4 |
| Iowa Senate special election, 2011 District 18 Turnout: 23,797 | Democratic | Jon Tack | Constitution | 151 | 0.6 |
| Iowa House of Representatives Republican primary elections, 2022 District 83 Turnout: 1,717 | Republican (newly redistricted) | Cindy Golding | Republican | 1,706 | 99.4 |
| Iowa House of Representatives Republican primary elections, 2022 District 83 Turnout: 1,717 | Republican (newly redistricted) | Other/Write-in votes | | 11 | 0.6 |
| Iowa House of Representatives general elections, 2022 District 83 Turnout: 15,529 | Republican (newly redistricted) | Cindy Golding | Republican | 9,172 | 59.1 |
| Iowa House of Representatives general elections, 2022 District 83 Turnout: 15,529 | Republican (newly redistricted) | Kris Nall | Democratic | 6,350 | 40.9 |
| Iowa House of Representatives general elections, 2022 District 83 Turnout: 15,529 | Republican (newly redistricted) | Other/Write-in votes | | 7 | 0.05 |