Lee County voters overwhelmingly go Red again

Misinformation

"They have done nothing but promote misinformation about this election and that's unfortunate. The result of this election will affect Iowans for generations.”

-Rebecca Bowker, Iowa House District 100 candidate

Common sense mandate

I think it's more of a practical  common-sense mandate. I don't think it's partisan in that regard. I'd like to say it was, but I don't think it was that way.”

Tom Schulz, candidate for District 2 Supervisors

LEE COUNTY - For the second straight general election, Lee County voters have resoundingly chosen Republican candidates and platforms.

All precincts and absentee ballots had been reported before 10 p.m. and local GOP candidates Martin  Graber, Tom Schulz, Becky Gaylord, and Chuck Holmes had all been elected to office.

Graber defeated incumbent Rebecca Bowker for the newly created 100th State House District 6,553-4,152. Schulz narrowly defeated Donna Amandus (D) 901-870 in the closest race of the night.

A strong absentee showing erased all of Schulz's precinct lead with the exception of 31 votes.

Becky Gaylord beat incumbent Chris Spann (D) handily 7,079-4,306. Gaylord lost 8 years ago to Chris Spann.

"I had great confidence in the citizens of Lee County to show that they want things changed and want better customer service," Gaylord said.

"I don't wany anybody to regard coming in to the Treasurer's office as something that's a pain and something they have to manage."

Gaylord said she has plans to open both offices in the county at all times.

Schulz said the national conversation probably controlled some of the local turnout.

"I think it's more of a practical  common-sense mandate. I don't think it's partisan in that regard. I'd like to say it was, but I don't think it was that way," Schulz said.

"I think it's a disgust with where we're headed as a nation and it's carried over to the local level. Some of it justified, and some of it not."

Schulz said Amandus has done great things for the city and feels she's a better fit for city office.

"The fact is that Donna has done great things on the City Council and I've never denied that. Honestly, I think it's a good fit for her. What she's been doing there has been effective and she's serving the citizens of Fort Madison well in that capacity. I hope she continues to do that."

Amandus said win or lose she was proud of her supporters.

"This has been the best campaign by far that I've been part of," she said. "The support has been amazing on both sides and I had so many donations from people who wanted me to do this."

Schulz said the win is humbling.

"It's a great responsibilty for these small shoulders and I will work my absolute tail off to make everyone who cast a vote for me proud they did."

Graber agreed that the national conversation around the economy and inflation pulled voters out. But he said this year's election shows that 2020 wasn't a fluke and Lee County hasn't changed.

"This isn't the blue county it used to be. We're more of some shade of purple now. But this election we're beating them pretty good. A lot of it has to do what is going on at the national level. Things are in bad shape," Graber said.

"It's the inflation and the economy. It's like when George Bush I ran the second time and got beat - 'It's the economy stupid'."

Graber said he gives people of Lee County credit for being really smart and, despite the national conversation, he said you can't discount things that have happened at the state level.

"This last time we cut a 3.9% flat tax and people don't appreciate that yet and it's not fully implemented yet. We're also making some retirement income not taxed in Iowa. That will not only keep people here, but bring people here."

Graber said he wasn't surprised about the margin of approval for the gun amendment, but he said the urban population centers could make that vote closer.

"More than 9 out of 10 people you can give a gun to and they would never have a problem, but are there people who have a problem with a gun - absolutely. But in most cases they are criminals and they shouldn't have had them in the first place," he said.

Graber said the support from the county GOP supporters continues to grow and strengthen.

"There's been just tremendous support from the party, but now we have Tom Schulz who looks to be taking a supervisor seat, with Chuck Holmes and Garry Seyb, so now we have Republican control of Supervisors and maybe we can be more fiscally responsible with tax dollars."

Bowker said the results show that the Republican agenda of fearmongering and misinformation is prevailing in the county and that will affect voters for generations.

"They have done nothing but promote misinformation about this election and that's unfortunate. The result of this election will affect Iowans for generations," she said.

"The economy is cyclical and will change. Women's access to health care is a permament decision and we have public education on the ballot. Republicans have made a bold statement that they do not support public education and that's unfortunate.  Iowa will continue to fall in the ranks nationally."

She said having the gun amendment on the ballot also brought voters out to the polls.

Lee County votes overwhelmingly supported adding gun owner protections by an 8,073-2,706 margin, a landslide that didn't surprise Graber.

"Not in Iowa."

Supervisor Chuck Holmes ran unopposed and collected 2,098 votes. Lee County Attorney Ross Braden and Lee County Recorder Nancy Booten also ran unopposed. Braden collected 8,098 votes and Booten collected 8,245.

In other state races, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley defeated Michael Franken in Lee County 6,964-4,476, while Mariannette Miller-Meeks downed Christina Bohannan 6,970-4,491, indicating some heavy straight ticket voting for Republicans.

With 94 of 99 counties reporting at 11 p.m., Grassley held a 650,505-494,547 lead over Franken; and Miller-Meeks held a 20,300 vote lead over Bohannan.

Gov. Kim Reynolds outpaced Democratic challenger Diedre DeJear 7,182-4,032 and Republican Paul Pate outdistanced Joel Miller (D) in county voting 7,097-4,290.

In statewide voting, both Reynolds and Pate held more than 230,000 vote leads with 94 of 99 counties reporting.

In the State Auditor's race, Republican Todd Halbur received 6,683 to incumbent Democrat Rob Sand's 4,640. State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald trailed Republican challenger Roby Smith 6,561-4,789 and Mike Naig downed challenger John Norwood in Lee County 6,993-4,730.

In statewide voting, Halbur held just a 13,300 vote lead over Sand with six counties yet to report. Fitzgerald trailed Smith by about 44,000. Naig held a large lead of more than 200,000 over Norwood.

Brenna Bird outpaced incumbent Attorney General Tom Miller 6,633-4,730 in Lee County for attorney General, and she held a 35,000 vote lead in statewide balloting at 11 p.m.