Nieland defeats Slings in Dem special election, will face Nunn in November

Dan Nieland will get another crack at Zach Nunn. Nieland, who campaigned for Iowa House District 30 earlier this year, only to lose in the primary to fellow Democrat Kent Balduchi, will become the party’s third candidate for Iowa Senate District 15.

Nieland beat out longtime Southeast Polk school board member Lori Slings, capturing 61.7 percent of the ballot to Sling’s 38.3 percent Wednesday night at the Jasper County Democratic Party headquarters in downtown Newton.

Wednesday’s special election was the second time local Democrats have had to find a candidate on short notice. First, incumbent Chaz Allen announced in July he was dropping his re-election bid to pursue “business opportunities.” With Allen out, the Democrats turned to 26-year-old Taylor Van De Krol, a former Jasper County Democratic party chair. Van De Krol’s campaign lasted only 11 days before he was out of the race as well, citing “personal issues.”

Now, with time running out to place a candidate on the ballot before Friday’s deadline, party loyalists are turning to Nieland, hoping the horse farmer can take the reins of the campaign and help Democrats retain Allen’s seat in the Senate.

“I’m going to work as hard as I possibly can,” Nieland said. “It’s going to be a sprint. We’re going to need everybody.”

Nieland owns a horse boarding facility outside of Mitchellville with his wife and teaches at Des Moines Area Community College. Nieland said he’s got what it takes to appeal to voters across the district.

With only three minutes to speak on Wednesday, both candidates touted their accomplishments. For Slings, it was recapping her work on the SEP school board, including bringing the district’s budget back into the black. Slings presented a confident message to voters, vowing to bring home a victory for Democrats.

“If you put me on the ballot I will win this seat,” Slings told precinct chairs.

With less experience than Slings, Nieland focused his pitch on the issues; he pledged to focus on education, eliminating wasteful corporate giveaways and promised to campaign hard against Nunn.

“I promise you I’ll work my butt off,” Nieland said. “It’s going to take everybody, and I greatly appreciate all of your support tonight.”

Jasper County Democratic Party Chair Michelle Smith said party members are ready to get to work. Even without a candidate on the books, Smith said local organizers have been hard at work, knocking on doors throughout the district. In the last several months, volunteers have signed up more than 300 local voters for absentee ballots.

“Now we run a campaign. We’re going to go against Nunn’s record,” Smith said. “He (Nieland) has to get up tomorrow morning and start moving.”

Nieland said he’s ready to do just that. Telling voters Wednesday night he’s running on the same platform he developed as a candidate in HD 30, Nieland said he’s convinced most Iowans are unhappy with the direction the state is taking under Gov. Kim Reynolds’ leadership. Only a few months after losing in the primaries, Nieland said he’s surprised and humbled to be running for office again.

“I can’t put it into words. It’s different, but I always knew I was going to throw my hat into the ring again,” Nieland said. “I’m extremely humbled and looking forward to working with and for these people.”

Despite losing in both special elections, Slings said she isn’t quitting politics. She vowed to continue her work with the Southeast Polk school board and said she’d look for an opportunity to run again.

“Don’t worry, I’ll run again,” Slings said.

Contact David Dolmage at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or ddolmage@newtondailynews.com