Three Legislative Candidates Drop Out By Deadline

Three Legislative Candidates Drop Out By Deadline

Three Iowa Legislative candidates quit their races before Wednesday’s withdrawal deadline, including the only primary challenger to an incumbent Senator.

Pella city council member Bruce Schiebout dropped his Republican primary challenge to Chariton Republican Paul McKinley in District 36. McKinley is also unopposed in the general election, though parties have until Aug. 15 to nominate a candidate.

In Senate District 22, where Republican Larry McKibben is retiring, Marshalltown minister Tom Bower left the GOP primary race. This sets up the fall matchup between Republican Jarret Heil, a former staffer for Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Tom Latham, and Democrat Steven Sodders of State Center, a deputy sheriff and former county party chair.

In House District 29, where Rep. Ro Foege announced his retirement two days before the Mar. 14 filing deadline, Solon Democrat Shawn Mercer withdrew his candidacy. Lisbon attorney Nate Willems is now unopposed in the Democratic primary and will see Republican Emma Nemecek, who lost to Foege in 2006.