| Elesha Gayman | |
| State House: | Iowa |
| District: | 84th |
| Term Start: | January 8, 2007 |
| Term End: | January 9, 2011 |
| Preceded: | Jim Van Fossen |
| Succeeded: | Ross Paustian |
| Birth Place: | Davenport, Iowa |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Alma Mater: | University of Iowa |
| Occupation: | SAFER Foundation Youth Empowerment Program |
| Website: | Gayman's official website Gayman campaign website |
Elesha L. Gayman is a former Iowa State Representative from the 84th District. She served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011. Gayman served on several committees in the Iowa House - the Agriculture committee; the Appropriations committee; the Education committee; and the Public Safety committee. She was vice-chair of the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee.
Gayman is a 1997 graduate of Davenport West High School, attended St. Ambrose University, spent a semester of her sophomore year at Loyola University’s Rome Center in Italy, earned a BA (political science) from the University of Iowa in 2001, and an MPA from Drake University through the Quad Cities Graduate Center in 2007.[1]
She was a delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention and campaign manager (for four northeast Iowa counties) in John Kerry's President Campaign in 2004. She was a staffer for State Sen. Brian Schoenjahn, and an intern for State Sen. Pat Deluhery. When she was 13 she went to Davenport's city hall and argued against the youth curfew.[2] In the 2008 United States presidential election, she was Eastern Iowa Political Director for Barack Obama’s Presidential Caucus Campaign.
Gayman was elected in 2006 with 5,429 votes (50%), defeating Republican incumbent Jim Van Fossen.[3] She was re-elected in 2008.[4]