(Undated) — KMA Information continues its “Challenge 2022” collection experiences on the highest native and regional information tales of the previous yr. As we speak’s phase seems to be again at some hotly-contested races within the June Iowa Main.
Not the entire political expense in 2022 was reserved for November. Voters in KMAland went to the polls to resolve some vital races within the June seventh Iowa Main. And, no native race garnered extra consideration than the battle for Web page County’s 2nd District Supervisors’ seat. Challenger Todd Maher, a 25-year worker at Shenandoah’s Pella Company plant and Shenadoah Fireplace Division captain, scored a smashing victory over incumbent Alan Armstrong. Proposed wind turbine initiatives had been an enormous challenge within the marketing campaign. In an interview with KMA Information following his victory, Maher known as for adjustments within the county’s current wind turbine ordinance.
“We want to ensure the property line could be the setback, and never the inspiration of someone’s home,” he mentioned. “We want to ensure we’re placing each facet of security, giving these non-participating landowners a seat on the generators (challenge), understanding the ALS system–trying to push for that. I feel there is a compromise there. I do know that the moratorium would not actually influence the Shenandoah Hills venture, however I feel we have to return and take a look at that as a lot as doable, and see if we are able to proper some wrongs there.”
Different space supervisor’s races produced dramatic outcomes. In Fremont County, challenger Clint Blackburn joined incumbent Dustin Sheldon on the Fremont County supervisor’s Republican ticket in November, inserting first and second within the main over two different candidates–Rodney Burge and Terry Graham. Blackburn tells KMA Information he was humbled by ending first within the four-person GOP race.
“I recognize everyone that supported us right here,” mentioned Blackburn. “By taking a look at issues, it seemed prefer it was a reasonably tight race. It is good to see that, I feel. It confirmed that everyone turned out and form of voiced their opinions. We’re glad to say that we’re one of many prime guys.”
KMA Information requested Sheldon for his response to the outcomes.
“We’re fairly happy with the outcomes that we obtained,” mentioned Sheldon. “We’re able to hold transferring ahead with what we began 4 years in the past, and constructing on what we began to date.”
One other acquainted face survived a main battle in Montgomery County, as incumbent Mark Peterson secured the victory within the county’s 4th district supervisor race over challenger George Bruce. Peterson says his expertise was seemingly probably the most important consider his victory.
“I am in my eighth yr as a supervisor, plus the years that I had attended a number of of the conferences previous to that,” mentioned Peterson. “I’ve obtained a reasonably lengthy historical past of being across the board of supervisors and I’d imagine that that have had loads to say.”
It was an eventful main in Mills County, as incumbent Richard Crouch narrowly defeated challenger Sandi Winton for the supervisor’s Republican nomination. Crouch advised KMA Information his efforts over the previous 20 years seemingly got here by, together with work carried out throughout restoration from the floods hanging the realm most lately in 2019.
“One which I actually am happy with is our flood mitigation with getting the folks purchased out, and we did that in two-years time and lots of people mentioned we would be fortunate to get it carried out in 4,” mentioned Crouch. “The state even commented on us getting that carried out and over with and the folks transferring on. In order that’s one thing I am very happy with.”
One other shut race was within the Iowa Home’s seventeenth District, as Shenandoah Excessive graduate Devon Wooden edged former Ringgold County Supervisor Paul Dykstra. Wooden attributed her win to toiling on the marketing campaign path.
“It comes all the way down to the oldsters that you just meet, and the connections that you just’re making,” mentioned Wooden. “He (Dykstra) labored laborious. He was out and about–and so was I–knocking on doorways, meet and greets, cellphone calls–the works. You’ll be able to’t put one above the opposite. And, in fact, the crew of parents you’ve behind you. You’ll be able to’t be all over the place without delay. And, lots of occasions, the oldsters supporting in each totally different county are serving to you be all over the place without delay. So, I feel that is a distinction maker.”
Wooden, nevertheless, discovered herself in a race within the November basic election towards Democrat Pat Shipley, who was nominated in a particular summertime conference. One other intriguing race was for the Iowa third Congressional District’s GOP nomination, as State Senator Zach Nunn gained the appropriate to tackle Democrat incumbent Cindy Axne in November. We’ll look again at that race and others as our subsequent phase of “Challenge 2022” flashes again to the final elections.