Dive Brief:

• Mark Jacobs, the former CEO of Reliant Energy, NRG Energy's retail electricity business, has thrown his hat into the ring for a U.S. Senate seat in Iowa now that incumbent Sen. Tom Harkin has announced his retirement.
• Jacobs moved back home to Iowa last year and enters a crowded Republican field that includes well known GOP players and a popular talk radio host. Democrats are backing Rep. Bruce Braley.
• "I've spent the majority of my life in the business world and Iowa values have been at the core of everything I've done. They've guided me through some tough situations, like helping to bring a company back from the brink of bankruptcy. It is these skills and lessons that will enable me to best represent Iowa and make a positive change in Washington," Jacobs said in a statement. 

Dive Insight: 

It might be refreshing to have someone who understands the rapid transformation of the utility industry in the Senate.