Trump Republicans gain strength in Iowa races Tuesday

Trump claims victory, calls election 'fraud,' demands end to vote counts

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Official portrait of President Donald J. Trump, Friday, Oct. 6, 2017, by Shealah Craighead

Iowa voters delivered victories for most Republican candidates in Tuesday’s general election, with U.S. President Donald J. Trump winning the state’s six electoral votes, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst winning a second six-year term and two Congressional districts flipping from blue to red, according to preliminary results published by the Iowa Secretary of State’s office.

In a speech at the White House, Trump claimed victory and called for the counting of votes to stop.

“This is a fraud on the American public,” Trump said. “This is an embarrassment to our country. We were getting ready to win this election. Frankly, we did win this election.”

In U.S. House District One, Republican Ashley Hinson took 51% of the votes to 48% for Democrat incumbent Abby Finkenauer. Fewer than 200 votes separate the candidates in the U.S. House District Two contest, with Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks narrowly outdistancing Democrat Rita R. Hart.

U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne held on to her seat in U.S. House District Three, which includes Perry, by a margin of 49% to 47% for Van Meter Republican David Young. Hull Republican Randy Feenstra, the U.S. House District Four inheritor of former Congressman Steve King, took 62% of the vote to his Democrat opponent J. D. Scholten’s 38%.

In state-level races, the Republican party of Iowa retained control of the Iowa Legislature, holding on to its 32-to-18 advantage in the Iowa Senate and increasing its margin by six seats in the Iowa House of Representatives.

Republican incumbent Sen. Jake Chapman of Adel won 62% of the votes cast in State Senate District 10, which includes Perry, taking 19 of the 22 Dallas County precincts. The three Perry precincts voted for Stuart Democrat Warren Varley.

In Iowa House District 20, which includes Perry, Stuart Democratic Ryan Morrison won the three Perry precincts, but Republican incumbent Ray “Bubba” Sorensen of Greenfield won districtwide with 72% of the votes.

The GOP maintained its control of all Dallas County elected offices, with Dallas County Supervisor turning back a Democratic challenge from fellow Waukee resident Larry Lyon. Hanson won 56% of more than 50,000 votes cast.

Republicans running unopposed were Dallas County Sheriff Chad Leonard of Dallas Center, who was elected to a sixth term, and Dallas County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Julia Helm of Adel, who overcame Waukee Democrat Michael Kern for a second term of office.

Turnout in Dallas County was 82%.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Chapman won easily, Jim. That big, long screed did not work, did it? Hopefully, you’ll smile soon, and perhaps we will detect it in your writing. It has been a while since your endeavors have read like you were smiling as you typed instead of clinching your teeth as you share your political views.

    • It surprises me, Chris, that you could not summon the wherewithal to try to explain your analysis-versus-opinion distinction. It seemed crucial to whatever it was you were struggling to articulate. Oh, well, I suspect it was no great matter. Your querulous tone suggested to me that you resented my expressing an opinion that differed from yours. It is very common.

      Yes, Mr. Chapman and many other officeholders in Iowa rode Mr. Trump’s coattails to a third term. It shows that Chapman’s message, echoing Trump’s, about law and order and the existential threat posed to the sacred rights of property and the American Way by the “total chaos” of BLM terrorism and “socialistic solutions,” as Chapman described it, resonated with Iowans in Senate District 10. Fear is a powerful emotion. If only Mr. Chapman could protect us from the COVID by means of the Second Amendment.

      My little story did the work it was intended to do, which was to throw light on one of the many often-underreported down-ballot races. Thank you for reading it even with a faulty ear that cannot closely discern tone. It is like the difference between clinching and clenching. And I understand that “Chris Sands” might be a fake name, given that expressing and standing by one’s opinions in public is risky and not for the feint-hearted, who prefer to snipe from the safety of anonymity. It is again very common.

      • You failed to articulate the relevance of this within your rundown of election results: In a speech at the White House, Trump claimed victory and called for the counting of votes to stop. “This is a fraud on the American public,” Trump said. “This is an embarrassment to our country. We were getting ready to win this election. Frankly, we did win this election.” Why did you fail to include what prompted Trump’s comments? I think you should “throw some light” on your habit of accusing those who disagree with you of being fake? You are delusional if you believe that disagreeing with you poses a risk sufficient to prompt anonymity. Dismount from your high horse and let go of your TDS.

        • Why did you fail to specify what prompted Trump’s “fraud” and “embarrassment” comments if it is so crucial in your QAnon worldview?

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