DES MOINES – Iowa Democrats know all hope is lost. And now after the legislative filing deadline has come and gone, it's obvious that current liberal legislators are jumping ship on the chances of Democrats ever taking back control of the House or Senate.

Here's the disastrous rundown for legislative Democrats: This year several Dems are leaving the Legislature: 

Sen. Todd Taylor is abandoning his seat to run for a county-level seat
Sen. Molly Donahue can't get out fast enough to run for a county-level seat 
Sen. Pam Jochum is the lame duck leader of her superminoirty caucus
Rep. John Forbes is bailing to run for a county-level seat
Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad says he stayed too long 
Rep. Sharon Steckman doesn't have anything else to run for, she's just jumping ship

Not only do Democrats have a problem retaining their incumbent legislators, but their candidate recruitment is, well, just sad. Let's take a look: 

Two-time loser and party switcher got drug out for just one more; 
Pro-pornography-in-school candidate; 
and they failed to recruit ANY candidates in former Democrat stronghold seats in Fort Dodge or Keokuk. 
 
"Even Democrats agree - they have no chance of winning in November, which is why incumbent legislative Democrats are all abandoning their cause" said Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann. "It's too bad Sen. Minority Leader Jochum is retiring before her 'ambitious' plan to pick up a majority by 2029 has come to fruition."