Iowa
Millie Youngquist wins race for mayor
WASHINGTON — Mayor Pro Tem Millie Youngquist can officially shorten her title, coming out of a special election Tuesday with 432 ballots in her favor. At 44.7%, she won the plurality of votes cast to choose Washington’s next mayor in a four-way race.
Reached for comments after unofficial election results were announced, Youngquist said she was, “Pleasantly surprised.“
“I’m pleased and flattered that the citizens of Washington have put their vote of confidence in me,“ she said. ”I’ve done a lot of hard working meeting people and knocking on doors and shaking hands, and talking to people, and hopefully that helped get some of the vote out.“
The longtime council member and Washington’s acting mayor for the last 14 months campaigned on a simple message: she’s practical. She’s patient. And she already knows how to do the job.
Those talking points proved more persuasive than those from skeptics, some of whom argue she’s not as assertive a leader as recently resigned Mayor Jaron Rosien, or blaming her for recent sewer and water rate hikes.
Runners-up in the race were council members Elaine Moore (171 votes,) and Ivan Rangel, (240 votes,) as well as challenger candidate Rob Meyer (130 votes.)
Special elections — which happen outside of regularly scheduled primaries and general elections, involving high-profile state or federal offices — are not known for generating much voter interest. With that in mind, a considerable number came to the polls April 30, totaling 978 ballots.
The number dwarfs the last citywide special election in 2017, which saw just 507 voters turn out for a public measure on hotel/motel taxes.
But it falls short of other off-season citywide elections in recent memory, like a contentious bond referendum in 2016, which brought 1,712 voters to the polls before it ultimately failed. And Washington’s last contested mayoral election, a two-way race between Jaron Rosien and Pete Schaefer in 2017, brought 1,308 ballots, considerably more than Tuesday night’s totals.
Even for a special election, the latest race happened on unusually short notice, and for the first time used a polling place at Dallmeyer Hall on the Washington County fairgrounds, rather than a retirement home closer to most residents’ doorsteps. Both factors may have suppressed turnout for demographics that rely on the convenience of a longer mail-in absentee window, or access to a ballot box within walking distance.
After winning what was effectively a re-election bid, Youngquist is poised to remain in the mayor’s chair once unofficial results are finalized by County Supervisors next week. That gives her a green light to direct council members toward her priorities, a list that includes infrastructure maintenance, communication with the public and enforcement of the city’s nuisance and property maintenance codes.
The mayor-elect previously said she thought of the race as a referendum on her own leadership over the last several months. Tuesday’s vote appeared to confirm Youngquist still has the public’s blessing to stay at the helm, at least from the plurality of Washington’s voters.
“For me, knowing that I’ve been duly elected by the citizens of Washington, would be like a vote of confidence,“ Youngquist said in an earlier interview with SEIU. ”I could move forward with my ideas. I always want to remain open for citizens, for them to come to me.“
On Tuesday night, the Mayor-Elect said she was excited to continue her role, and thanked opposing candidates for running.
“I look forward to working with Ivan and Elaine on city council, they have not lost their position on council and their voice, and they are passionate about Washington,” she said. “And I also thank Rob for putting himself out there as a candidate, and wish him the best.”
Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com
The five candidates vying for the Republican Party nomination for governor each went before conservative activists in the Des Moines area Friday night to ask for their support in the upcoming primary election.
The fundraiser for the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition, an influential evangelical political group, was the first event of the campaign season where all five candidates were present in person.
More than 1,000 people attended the fundraiser at an event center in Clive where Gov. Kim Reynolds and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also looked to unify support for Republicans in the upcoming midterms.
Lucius Pham/Iowa Public Radio
Feenstra and rivals appeal to conservative activists
The candidates took turns answering questions from Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann, who prompted them to share their views on key conservative issues: abortion, eminent domain, school choice and religious freedom.
All five candidates oppose abortion rights. Adam Steen, former director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, said as governor he would push for restrictions beyond the state’s current law — which bans most abortions at about six weeks of pregnancy.
“We have to be pro-life. We have to be life at conception. It’s fundamental,” Steen said. “And I’ll say this right now — with those abortion pills that are being sent into the state of Iowa right now, we have to stop those first and foremost. Get those out of there and ensure that life is protected at conception.”
The Iowa House passed a bill Friday that includes a measure requiring medial providers to only dispense abortion-inducing drugs directly to the patient in a health care setting. It is not clear whether the bill has enough support to pass in the state Senate.
Also on Friday, a panel of the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling temporarily blocking the mailing of the abortion pill mifepristone, requiring that it be distributed only in person in medical settings. The ruling is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.
Lucius Pham/Iowa Public Radio
Businessman Zach Lahn of Belle Plaine said the conservative movement should look beyond abortion. For instance, Lahn said, conservatives should advocate to reverse declines in life expectancy.
“We have to make sure that we are fighting for healthy food, for less medication, for our children, for clean water, for cancer,” said Lahn, who was endorsed by MAHA Action, an advocacy group related to the Make America Healthy Again movement.
Reynolds vetoed a measure that would have put some limits on eminent domain, but the candidates all said they oppose the use of eminent domain for private-sector projects.
Fourth District Rep. Randy Feenstra said he would protect landowners’ property rights.
“The property belongs to the American farmer, the Iowa farmer, belongs to each of us and not anything else,” Feenstra said. “And if somebody wants to run a pipeline, or whatever it might be, then it’s negotiated between the private property owner and the business. And if the private property owner says, ‘no,’ that’s it.”
Former state Rep. Brad Sherman agreed.
“A private company who’s not a common carrier for a product that’s not a public utility should never, ever get to use eminent domain,” Sherman said. “It’s just that simple.”
The GOP candidates for governor are supporters of school choice measures passed in recent years. That includes Iowa’s education savings accounts (ESAs) program, which this year gave around $8,000 in public funding per student to help families pay for tuition at private schools.
Steen called the ESA law “one of the greatest pieces of legislation” passed under Republican control in the Legislature. Current state Rep. Eddie Andrews, R-Johnston, said he would like to see the state expand school choice.
“It didn’t just start with ESAs. I led the push for just regular district-to-district school choice. Then we added public charter school choice,” Andrews said. “I understood that parents need to be in charge of their kids’ education.”
If no candidate wins at least 35% of the primary vote on June 2, the nomination will be decided at a party convention.
Lucius Pham
/
Iowa Public Radio
Reynolds says election will affect GOP achievements
Reynolds told activists at the fundraiser she plans to be on the campaign trail supporting the person chosen as the GOP nominee for governor. She said the results of the election in November will have implications for landmark conservative policies put in place under her leadership.
Reynolds listed what she considers some of Republicans’ greatest accomplishments in the Statehouse in her time as governor, including cuts to income tax rates, a broad state government reorganization and one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the United States.
“I would put our record up against anyone,” Reynolds said. “It’s what’s driven more Iowa voters to register as Republicans. In 2018, Republicans held just a 10,800 voter registration advantage. Today, we have an advantage of over 198,000.”
But Republicans should not take their advantage among active registered voters for granted, Reynolds said. Democrats, she said, are united, well-funded and motivated to win back the governor’s office.
“We have the record. We have the numbers,” Reynolds said. “So the only way that we see a Rob Sand win is if we don’t show up. If we show up, we win.”
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – A house fire displaced one Iowa City resident Thursday afternoon.
The Iowa City Fire Department responded to the 1600 block of Crosby Lane at 4:06 p.m. after a caller reported flames and smoke coming from the front door of the house.
Upon arrival, crews found smoke coming from the roof and doors. Firefighters entered the home and extinguished a fire in the basement, containing it within 10 minutes of arrival.
One resident was displaced. No injuries were reported. Damage is estimated at $50,000.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.
Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Thursday, April 30, 2026, winning numbers for each game:
Winning Pick-3 numbers from April 30 drawing
Midday: 4-8-6
Evening: 9-8-6
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-4 numbers from April 30 drawing
Midday: 1-7-7-2
Evening: 9-5-3-2
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 30 drawing
05-19-21-42-55, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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