Merlin Bartz (born March 16, 1961) is an American politician who served as an Iowa State Senator from the 6th District, elected in 2008 and serving for a single term. A Republican, he sat on the Appropriations, Human Resources, Natural Resources, and Ways and Means committees. He was the ranking member on the Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee.[5]
Bartz lost his reelection bid in 2012 in a race where there were two incumbents redistricted together. Incumbent Mary Jo Wilhlem defeated Senator Bartz by 126 votes in a very contentious election, where at one point Bartz was accused of joining the War on Women and of being demeaning to women.[6]
^Richardson, Valerie (April 28, 2009). "Maine, N.H. new gay marriage front - Legislative steps build confidence after other wins". The Washington Times. Washington, D.C. Retrieved 2009-08-21. [S]ame-sex couples were allowed to legally wed in Iowa after the state Supreme Court in early April ruled in favor of such marriages. ... [Bartz] launched a petition drive last week aimed at encouraging county recorders to reject marriage applications from same-sex couples until Iowans are able to vote on a same-sex marriage referendum. Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate have tried repeatedly to convince the General Assembly to place a traditional-marriage constitutional amendment on the ballot, but they've been stymied by the Democratic leadership. ... 'We've attempted four times on the floor of the Senate to bring up a constitutional amendment or at least deal with the court decision,' Mr. Bartz said. 'After all these efforts failed, you say, OK, the people of Iowa can't vote on this, they can't make their voices heard, so let's at least do a petition.'
