Hayes upsets Hite
Oskaloosa, Iowa- Helena Hayes rode a wave of conservative support to victory Tuesday evening, defeating incumbent Representative Dustin Hite in a resounding upset victory. Unofficially, Hayes received 1,961 votes (57%) throughout House District 88, and Hite received 1,453 votes (43%). In Mahaska County, results were closer, with Hayes receiving 1,189 votes (54%), and Hite receiving 1,003 votes (46%).
In the days before the primary election, Hayes touted endorsements by Governor Kim Reynolds and The Family Leader.
Outside spending on the race also favored Hayes, with negative mailers going out regarding Hite’s position on Governor Reynolds’s proposal to provide educationionsl savings accounts to parents.
In other Mahaska County primary election results, Senator Chuck Grassley defeated challenger Jim Carlin 1,834 votes to 836 votes. Statewide, Grassley was a handy winner and will face Democrat Mike Franken. Franken also carried Mahaska County with 286 votes, defeating Abby Finkenauer, who had 186 votes, and Glenn Hurst, with 19 votes.
Mahaska County Democrats sided with Joel Miller, the Linn County Auditor, in a contested Secretary of State Primary. Miller received 310 votes in Mahaska County to Dubuque County Auditor Eric Van Lancker’s 110. Miller was also a statewide winner, and will face incumbent Secretary of State Paul Pate.
In another upset victory, retired bank CFO Todd Halbur defeated former state representative Mary Ann Hanusa in the Republican primary for state auditor. Halbur carried Mahaska County 1,013 to 1,006 on his way to a narrow statewide victory over Hanusa.
Barb Kniff-McCulla defeated representative Jon Thorup in the House District 37 primary. In Mahaska County’s portion of the primary, Kniff-McCulla won 357 to 118.
Steve Wanders and Chuck Webb, running unopposed, were nominated for Mahaska County Supervisor. Wanders received 1,787 votes and Webb received 1,719 votes.
Connie Van Polen was renominated for a second term as County Treasurer, receiving 2,324 votes.
Jody Van Patten was nominated for Mahaska County Recorder receiving 2,272 votes.
Andrew Ritland was renominated for Mahaska County Attorney with 2,116 votes.
No Democrats filed to run for countywide office in the primary election.
