MEET THE CANDIDATE: Jerome Amos
Jerome Amos Jr. was born in 1954 in Waterloo, where he was raised by his parents, Jerome Sr. and Clementine Amos, who spent the majority of their lives in the city. He graduated from Waterloo East High School in 1972 and attended Upper Iowa University for a year before going to work at John Deere, where he spent 36 years as a machinist before retiring in 2010.
During his time at Deere, Jerome was a member of the United Auto Workers, serving on the UAW Local 838 civil and human rights committee, and later served on the Iowa Energy Sector Partnership. After retiring from the factory floor, he became an adjunct instructor in computer numerical control at Hawkeye Community College, a role he's held since 2013.
Jerome spent seven years on the Waterloo City Council, representing Ward 4, before deciding to run for the Iowa House in 2022, when redistricting opened up House District 62 covering the northern part of Black Hawk County. He said his years on the council taught him the value of working together for the common good — and that too much of that spirit was missing from state politics. He was the top vote-getter in a four-way primary that year and went on to win the seat, later winning reelection in 2024 with 75% of the vote.
In Des Moines, Jerome has served as the ranking member on the House Local Government committee and is a member of the Iowa Legislative Black Caucus. He is one of six African American legislators currently serving in the Iowa House. He's married to Tina Harmon-Amos, and between them they have seven adult children and 19 grandchildren.
CANDIDATE PLATFORM: Jerome Amos
Jerome Amos brings 36 years on the factory floor and seven years on the Waterloo City Council to his work in the Iowa House — a background that shapes how he thinks about jobs, local control, and criminal justice.
Jobs and housing. Jerome has focused much of his legislative work on addressing Waterloo's housing shortage and bringing new jobs into the community, priorities carried over directly from his time on the city council.
Local control. After seven years on the Waterloo City Council, Jerome has said he wants to see more decision-making authority returned to city governments, arguing that local leaders understand what's right for their own communities better than state lawmakers in Des Moines.
Criminal justice reform. Jerome has voiced support for marijuana legalization in Iowa, pointing to the disproportionate impact of current marijuana enforcement on communities like his own, and has pushed for criminal justice policies that reduce those disparities.
Workforce development. Drawing on his own path from the Deere factory floor to the classroom at Hawkeye Community College, Jerome has prioritized workforce training programs that give Black Hawk County residents a route into stable, well-paying careers.
A voice for northern Black Hawk County. House District 62 covers much of northeastern Waterloo, and Jerome has said his goal in Des Moines is simple: to be the person in the legislature who seeks out opportunities for the people working and living in the Cedar Valley.
JEROME AMOS & BENEFIT TO BLACK HAWK COUNTY
House District 62 covers much of northeastern Waterloo, and Jerome Amos' continued service in that seat matters both for the district itself and for the broader Black Hawk County Democratic coalition.
Institutional knowledge and relationships. Jerome's seven years on the Waterloo City Council before his time in the legislature give him a depth of relationships across city and county government that few other Black Hawk County legislators can match — relationships local Democrats can lean on when coordinating between city, county, and state priorities.
Representation on the Iowa Legislative Black Caucus. As one of six African American legislators currently serving in the Iowa House, Jerome's continued presence in Des Moines matters to the broader project of ensuring diverse representation in a legislature that remains overwhelmingly white.
Protecting Democratic ground. With Iowa Republicans holding commanding majorities in the legislature, every Black Hawk County House seat that stays Democratic matters as both a vote and a check on one-party rule — especially in a district that has consistently backed Jerome by wide margins.
Continuity during a competitive statewide year. With Rob Sand, Josh Turek, and Lindsay James all running competitive statewide and federal races in 2026, having an experienced, well-known incumbent like Jerome anchoring House District 62 helps make sure Black Hawk County Democrats turn out to support their candidates up and down the entire ballot.
