45-year-old Iowa State Legislator J.D. Scholten navigates what many consider unconventional work dynamics. Recently beginning his second term as the House District 1 representative in the Iowa State House, which includes Sioux City, J.D. Scholten advocates for economic development and works to improve the lives of his 30,000 constituents—all while staying in shape for another season of professional baseball. I’d be remiss if I referred to his story as anything other than extraordinary. Mr. Scholten boasts an extensive résumé, with experience as a paralegal in Minneapolis and Seattle, a professional baseball player (including overseas stints), a grassroots organizer, a congressional candidate, and a state legislator. Last month, Mr. Scholten graciously made time to connect with me, giving me the opportunity to interview him and share his unique story with the Law Magnet community.
First Pro Stint & Paralegal Career:
Mr. Scholten’s baseball career began in his hometown of Sioux City, IA where he played as a pitcher at Division II Morningside College under his father, the head coach. A very talented pitcher, Mr. Scholten transferred following his junior year to the University of Nebraska, where he helped lead the Cornhuskers to the Division 1 College World Series. After graduating from the University of Nebraska in 2003, Mr. Scholten began his first stint in professional baseball, playing for independent professional leagues. After dealing with injuries and slumps throughout his first stint, he quickly pivoted, realizing it was time for a transition.
“I would get bicep tendonitis all the time. So when I was fresh, I had good movement and good velocity, but then as I would get used [to pitch] a lot, I would get bicep tendonitis…my stuff would flatten out, and then I would get hit.”
“[In] my last year of pro ball, I remember being on the mound and just thinking, I need to go to grad school. I was having a bad game and just in my mind, I was just like, this has got to be it for me.”
He soon pursued his longtime interest in law by going to paralegal school. “Law was always interesting to me. So I was like, I’ll go to paralegal school to just test it out. And if I like it, then I’ll go to law school. I found this program that was four months [long], and [I] did that, and I got into a really great law firm. And then immediately, I was like, okay, I’m not going to be a lawyer.” Mr. Scholten remained a paralegal up until his election to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2023.
Playing Professional Baseball as a State Legislator
At 43, Mr. Scholten resurrected his baseball career after receiving a call from the Sioux City Explorers, an independent professional baseball team, needing a pitcher with less than three hours notice. “When the opportunity knocks, you’ve got to take it. It’s not always going to happen at a convenient time. And I knew this was my one shot.” “Because it was such a short window, I didn’t have to think about it.” Despite the bizarre scenario, he was going to make the best out of the opportunity. “It was crazy because the team gave up 34 runs two days prior. So here comes a 43-year-old politician. I’m sure no guy on the team was like, oh, thank goodness.” By the fourth or fifth inning of the game he started, he was asked if he could pitch again, eventually becoming a regular starter in the team’s rotation last summer. By the way, despite standing at 6 ‘6″, Mr. Scholten is not the tallest Iowa state legislator. That title belongs to a state senator who stands at 6 ’ 7”.
Balancing Time Between the Two Careers:
As one can imagine, balancing professional baseball and a state legislator’s duties can be challenging. However, Mr. Scholten has established a routine that ensures he gets adequate time to work out despite his busy legislative schedule. “It’s all about time management. We get our schedules for every week the Thursday prior. And so through that, I plan, OK, when am I getting my bullpen in? Monday’s easy because we don’t have to be there [the capital] in the morning. So I can get all my workout stuff done. It’s Wednesdays that are my toughest because I got to get a light bullpen in. So I have to find when I can drive out to the baseball facility and get my workout in between going to the subcommittees, having like all my meetings.”
Due to space limitations, this article covers only part of our conversation. Watch the full interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooq2xzKitzY) for more insight about Mr. Scholten’s life in public policy and baseball. 
