Selden E. Spencer

From dKosopedia

Categories: 2006 Iowa Federal candidates (D) | Iowa Democrats

Selden Edmund Spencer is a medical doctor from Ames, Iowa. The 58-year-old Spencer has been a neurologist at McFarland Clinic in Ames since moving to Iowa in 1990. His wife Jean is also a physician, a pediatric ophthalmologist practicing in West Des Moines. They have three children and live in Huxley.

Dr. Spencer received his medical degree from the University of North Dakota. He completed his neurology residency, conducted research, and served on the medical faculties at Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Iowa.

As a young man, he helped construct a refugee shelter in Ethiopia, worked as a boycott organizer with Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers of America, and taught science in the Job Corps. He was also an activist against the war in Viet Nam.

More recently he has been on the board of Story County Habitat for Humanity and has been a youth leader and deacon at Collegiate Presbyterian Church in Ames. He traveled to Afghanistan from Aug. 24 to Sept. 10 to provide training and medical care for its residents.

He was the 2006 Democratic candidate for Congress in the 4th Congressional District, see Iowa Federal elections, 2006. He was defeated by incumbent Tom Latham 57%-43%. Spencer did not run again in 2008.

External link

• Spencer for Congress web site
• Selden Spencer media clips - Commoniowan blog