Bert Andrew Bandstra served one term as a Democratic U.S. Representative

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 from south central Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

, winning election in 1964 but losing elections in 1966 and 1968.

Born in Monroe County, Iowa

Monroe County, Iowa

-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 7,970 in the county, with a population density of . There were 3,884 housing units, of which 3,213 were occupied.-2000 census:...

, Bandstra attended New Sharon High School. He served in the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 from 1942 to 1945, then returned to Iowa. He graduated in 1950 from Central College in Pella, Iowa

Pella, Iowa

Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,832 at the 2000 census. Pella is the home of Central College as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company.- History :...

, then received a law degree

Law degree

A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...

 from the University of Michigan Law School

University of Michigan Law School

The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...

 in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...

 in 1953. Returning to Iowa for private practice, he served as County Attorney

County attorney

A county attorney in many areas of the United States is the chief legal officer for a county or local judicial district. It is usually an elected position...

 for Marion County, Iowa

Marion County, Iowa

-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 33,309 in the county, with a population density of . There were 13,914 housing units, of which 12,723 were occupied.-2000 census:...

 from 1955 to 1959. He then served on the staff of Democratic United States Representative Neal Edward Smith of Iowa from 1959 to 1964.

In 1964, as part of a Democratic landslide, Bandstra was elected to represent Iowa's 4th congressional district

Iowa's 4th congressional district

Iowa's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of the north-central part of the state....

 in the U.S. House of Representatives. defeating incumbent Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 John Henry Kyl

John Henry Kyl

John Henry Kyl , was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Iowa. He was the father of Jon Kyl, a Senator from Arizona, the current Senate Minority Whip....

. However, like many other freshman Democrats elected in 1964 in Republican-leaning districts, Bandstra served only one term. Kyl regained his seat from Bandstra in 1966, and held off another challenge from Bandstra in 1968.

Bandstra died on October 23, 1995, in Pella. He was interred in Oakwood Cemetery in Pella.