Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Republicans triumph locally, statewide in Tuesday's election
Voters fill a table at the Hartley Community Center on Tuesday. Turnout in O'Brien County was 77.52 percent.
Lille Orris, 3, chomps a donut while her mom, Kyeli Orris, fills out her ballot on Tuesday at the Hartley Community Center.
Russ Meyer reviews his ballot during Tuesday's general election.
Any notion of a bipartisan election result in Iowa was resoundingly squashed on Tuesday by a wave of Republican victories at the state and federal levels.
Despite at least one recent poll predicting a neck-and-neck race, former president Donald Trump cruised to victory over Democrat Kamala Harris, 56 percent to 43 percent. Locally, Trump won O'Brien County 5,995-1,427 and Clay County 6,044-2,366.
It was more of the same for Republicans in Iowa's four congressional races. Incumbent Fourth District Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) coasted to victory over Democrat Ryan Melton with 67.3 percent percent of the vote. Incumbent Second District Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Marion) also breezed by with 57 percent of the vote, while incumbent Third District Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Bondurant) won another term with 51.9 percent of the vote.
The jury was still out as of Wednesday morning in Iowa's First District. Incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-LeClaire) held a 203,899-203,486 edge over Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan, but not all results had been tabulated. The Iowa Secretary of State's website noted only 19/20 counties had reported.
At the state level, Republicans won 19 of the 25 races for Senate. They also rolled in House races, winning 34 of 50.
Locally, incumbent District 5 Rep. Zach Dieken (R-Granville), incumbent District 6 Rep. Megan Jones (R-Sioux Rapids) and incumbent District 10 Rep. John Wills (R-Spirit Lake) all won another term. Only Dieken was opposed – he blew out no-party challenger Michael Schnoes, of Sutherland, 11,141-3,135.
Clay County
Voter turnout in Clay County was 72.95 percent, with 8,605 of the 11,795 registered voters casting ballots.
Republican incumbents at the county level won re-election. Supervisors Art Hamrick and Randy Swanson, Auditor Ann Baschke, and Sheriff Chris Raveling won new four-year terms. All four were unopposed.
Only two contested races were on the ballot elsewhere in Clay County. Peter Norgaard and Rhonda Smith won the three-way Freeman Township Trustee race over Robert Mortenson, while Adam Batschelet, Jarrett Smith, Dustin Biedenfeld and Clint Hoermann won spots on the county ag extension council. Losers in that race were William Follon, Dirk Benson and Darcie Fallon.
O'Brien County
Voter turnout in O'Brien County was 77.52 percent, with 7,565 of the 9,759 registered voters casting ballots.
Three uncontested supervisors races all went to Republicans: Jim Thomas won District 1, Barb Rohwer won District 2 and incumbent Nancy McDowell won District 3. Republican Rhea Schmalen was unopposed for auditor as was incumbent Sheriff Bruce Devereaux – both won.
There were no contested races on O'Brien County's ballot. Elsewhere, voters approved two constitutional amendments regarding governor succession and voting age by overwhelming margins. All judges on the ballot were also retained.
