March 29, 2024

Federal and state candidates set for general election

When Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) announced he wouldn’t seek election for his seat in the U.S. Senate, a number of candidates took advantage of the opportunity and threw their hat in the ring and after Tuesday’s primary election only two remained.

Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) secured the Democratic nomination for Senate and he received 530 out of 536 votes in Jasper County.

“As someone who grew up in a working family in Brooklyn, Iowa, worked my way through college and law school here in Iowa, and spent my life representing people from all across our state, I’m deeply honored to win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate tonight,” Braley said in a release.

“I look forward to bringing my campaign to all corners of Iowa in the next five months to discuss my vision to improve the lives of working families and expand opportunities for all Iowans. No matter who my opponent is, I look forward to a rigorous debate about who can rise above the partisanship of Washington politics and fight for Iowa’s working families who need a strong voice in Washington.”

When Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) announced he wouldn’t seek election for his seat in the U.S. Senate, a number of candidates took advantage of the opportunity and threw their hat in the ring and after Tuesday’s primary election only two remained.

Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) secured the Democratic nomination for Senate and he received 530 out of 536 votes in Jasper County.

“As someone who grew up in a working family in Brooklyn, Iowa, worked my way through college and law school here in Iowa, and spent my life representing people from all across our state, I’m deeply honored to win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate tonight,” Braley said in a release.

“I look forward to bringing my campaign to all corners of Iowa in the next five months to discuss my vision to improve the lives of working families and expand opportunities for all Iowans. No matter who my opponent is, I look forward to a rigorous debate about who can rise above the partisanship of Washington politics and fight for Iowa’s working families who need a strong voice in Washington.”

Joni Ernst was the winner of the crowded Republican field for Senate and received 1,084 out 1,890 votes in Jasper County. She beat out Sam Clovis, 428 votes, Mark Jacobs, 206 votes, Scott Schaber, 15 and Matt Whitaker, 157 votes.

“Thank you Iowa! I am humbled and honored to accept the Republican nomination for United States Senate,” Ernst wrote on her Facebook page. “Now it’s time to beat President Obama’s choice, Bruce Braley, and get this seat back into our hands. The hard work begins now — let’s send Braley home!”

Incumbent U.S. Representative for Congressional District 2 Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) ran opposed in the Democratic Primary and received 537 out of 540 votes in Jasper County.

“This election is about the hard working men and women of Iowa. This election will be about protecting and expanding the middle class — the folks who work hard, but are still struggling to get by.

Having grown up in poverty, I know what it is like to sit around the kitchen table and make hard choices,” Loebsack said in a release.

“That is what this election will be about. Do we want to move forward by increasing the minimum wage, securing social security and Medicare and keeping jobs here at home? Or do we want the extreme wing of the Republican Party to move us backward. There is a clear choice and I look forward to laying out these differences as we head into November.”

Loebsack will face Dr. Mariaannette Miller-Meeks who beat out Mark Lofgren and Matthew Waldren for the Republican nomination. She received 590 votes in Jasper County, while Lofgren carried the county 644 votes and Waldren had 357 of 1,594 Republican ballots cast in Jasper County.

We all know Washington is a mess and the middle class is being squeezed. Iowans deserve better health care reforms, increased take-home pay, and a government that is accountable,” Miller-Meeks wrote on Facebook. “Yesterday was the first step on our long journey of sending a doctor, veteran, and problem-solver to fix the dysfunction in Washington.”

In the state election, Gov. Terry Branstad defeated his Republican challenger Tom Hoefling. Brandstad had 1,490 votes of the 1,844 cast in Jasper County, while Hoefling had 350.

“Iowa Republicans decided today that they want to see continued job growth, business investment, higher incomes, better schools and lower taxes,” Branstad said. “We are thankful to the voters who supported us today and to the thousands of volunteers across the 99 counties who made this victory possible.

“Now we will continue to work hard through the November election to help Republicans all the way down the ticket. We look forward to having all of our Republican candidates and their supporters come together and unite for the final five months of the 2014 campaign.”

Branstad will face Democrat Jack Hatch, who secured his party’s nomination and had 522 of 527 votes in Jasper County.

“Thank you Iowa! Now it’s time to get ready for the road ahead,” Hatch wrote on his Facebook page.

With 35 of 36 precincts reporting, Crystal Bruntz of Baxter won the Republican primary for Iowa Senate District 15 with 67.9 percent of the vote over Mitchellville Mayor Jeremy Filbert. Jasper and Polk County voters cast 1,771 votes for Bruntz to Filbert’s 833. After the results came in, Bruntz said she happy the support given to her campaign.

“I want to thank my friends and family for making calls and doing door knocking. That was a great help,” Bruntz said. “It was fun to meet all the people.”

Bruntz general election opponent, will be Chaz Allen who ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary. Allen won with 98 percent of the vote and received 696 of 710 ballots cast with results from all 36 precincts.

“First I want to thank my supporters. I appreciate the support,” Allen said in a statement. “Next, I want to congratulate Crystal on her win in her primary. I look forward to the months ahead and getting out and meeting everyone in the district and hearing what’s important to them.”

In the race for Iowa State Representative for District 29, incumbent Democrat Dan Kelley received 98.9 percent of the vote and 469 out of 474 for votes for the 18 precincts that reported.

Kelley will face Patrick Payton who ran unopposed in the Republican Primary and received 99.6 percent of the votes from the 18 reported precincts. In total, he received 1,093 of the 1,097 ballots cast.

Both Megan Suhr (D-Knoxville) and incumbent Greg Heartsill (R-Chariton) ran uncontested in bids for their parties’ nominations in for Iowa State Representative for District 28. Suhr had 100 percent of the votes out of 236 votes ballots cast.

“I hope to run a really strong campaign,” Suhr said. “The support has been fantastic.”

Heartsill released a comment on his website and had 99.7 percent of the vote and locked up 1,483 of the 1,488 ballots cast.

“I appreciate those that took the time to vote in the Primary Election and I’m honored by all the support across House District 28,” Heartsill said.

Other match-ups include:

Republican Paul Pate facing Democrat Brad Anderson for Iowa Secretary of State.

Democrat Jonathan Neiderbach will face Republican Mary Mosiman in the race for Iowa Auditor of State.

For Iowa Treasurer of State, Democrat Michael Fitzgerald is currently running unopposed.

Republican Bill Northey will be challenged by Democrat Sherrie Taha for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.

Democrat Tom Miller is running unopposed for Iowa Attorney General.