Swanson, Tye chosen by GOP voters in primary

RED OAK — Montgomery County’s Prosecuting Attorney rallied late Tuesday night to win the Republican nomination by just over 100 votes.

Bruce Swanson, seeking a fifth term, defeated Alan H. Kirshen 669-567 in one of two contested primary races in the County.

While receiving 54 percent of the vote, Swanson won four of the seven precincts, with Kirshen claiming Precinct One (Gold Fair building) Stanton and Villisca. However, he won those three precincts by just a combined seven votes.

The race was close most of the evening, with Swanson holding a 354-335 lead after four precincts and the absentee ballots were counted.

However, one of those final three precincts to report was Precinct Three in Red Oak. Voters at the Christian Church ensured Swanson’s win with a 175-94 margin.

Kirshen, who did little in terms of advertising, campaigned on the premises of making the prosecutor’s position a full-time one, with a full-time staff located in the Courthouse.

However, Swanson said between himself and the assistant prosecutor, the County is already essentially served with a full-time position.

“It may sound good on paper, but it’s not really an issue,” Swanson said. “There has never been a case once that has been compromised because of my schedule.”

Swanson believes the closeness of the race reflects the public’s general dissatisfaction with the justice system.

“People are, I’ll be honest with you, fed up with the criminal justice system,” Swanson said. “I can understand that, because the resources aren’t there to do what we need to do.”

In the only other contested County race, Randall J. Tye beat Kirk Requist 247-152 for the District Four Supervisor Republication nomination. 

Requist, the mayor of Stanton, won that precinct 113-107, but Tye carried Elliott and the absentee votes by a combined 140-39 margin.

Tye will fill the seat vacated by Glenn Benskin, who decided not to seek re-election.

Several other county officials were re-elected in unopposed races, including: Steve Ratcliff (District One Board of Supervisors), Karen Blue (District Two BOS), Carol Strovers (Treasurer), and Carleen Bruning (Recorder).

With no Democratic nominee in any County races, those elected at the primary should run unopposed in the November general election.

However, Montgomery County Auditor Joni Ernst said someone can still run as an independent or a no-party candidate, if they secure a petition with about 75 signatures from registered voters.

She said neither Kirshen nor Requist has contacted her office regarding the paperwork required to secure that nomination.

 Montgomery County Republican voters also supported Terry Branstad (842 votes, Bob Vander Plaats 270, Rod Roberts 134) who will run against Chet Culver for governor in November.

Matt Schultz also received the most votes in Montgomery County and the state in receiving the GOP nomination for Secretary of State.

On the Democratic Side, only 131 ballots were cast, compared to 1,283 on the Republican side. Roxanne Conlin received 86 votes in Montgomery County in her successful bid to win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

Matthew Campbell also carried the County and the state, defeating Mike Denklau for the bid for U.S. Representative. He will run against GOP-incumbent Steve King, who ran unopposed.

With 1,444 ballots cast, 19.2 percent of registered voters participated in the primary.

While those numbers are down from the 2008 primary, when 2,134 voter cast ballots, Ernst was happy with the turnout.