Ernst elected to U.S. Senate; Wiig defeats Blue, again
RED OAK – Joni Ernst completed a four year journey from Red Oak to Washington D.C. with her election to the U.S. Senate Tuesday.
The former Montgomery County Auditor was elected by a large margin over Bruce Braley, a congressman from Waterloo, in the race for Tom Harkin’s open Senate seat. Unofficial results had Ernst winning by a 52-44 percent margin.
In her home county, Ernst received 2,794 votes, or 74 percent, compared to 890 (23.4 percent) for Braley.
Independent Rick Stewart received 55 votes.
Ernst was serving her second term as Montgomery County Auditor when she was elected in a 2011 special election to the Iowa Senate. After serving the remaining two years of Kim Reynolds term, Ernst was re-elected in 2013 after running unopposed.
In the only contested county race, Joshua Wiig defeated Karen Blue in the race for District Two Montgomery County Supervisor by a 412-232 margin.
This was the second time Wiig defeated Blue, who was seeking a third term on the Board of Supervisors. Wiig gained the Republican nomination over Blue in the June primary, who ran as an independent in the general election.
In the race for the Montgomery County Ag Extension Council, six candidates ran for five seats. Lori DeKay (2,069), Joseph Jardon (1,855), Darcy Dalton (1,708), Linda Parker (1,694) and Misty Adams (1,578) were elected. Kate Fridolph finished sixth with 1,355 votes.
In the only other contested county race, Roger Cerven and Kirk Baird were elected ot the Soil and Water Commission with 1,912 and 1,723 votes, respectively. Deborah Howe and Mary Robinette received 1,005 and 839 votes, respectively.
In a county-wide referendum, nine of 12 townships rejected a proposal to allow the Board of Supervisors appoint trustees and clerks, instead of having them elected.
Three townships approved the measure, Scott, Douglas and East. Douglas and East approved the change to appointing township trustees by a one and two vote margin, respectively.
West township defeated the measure by the largest margin, 75-25 percent (50-17 votes).