Sexton wins primary challenge; state reports record turnout in some precincts

Calhoun County resident Mike Sexton handily defeated his primary challenger to become the GOP nominee for the state’s 10th House District Tuesday.
Sexton, who has served in the seat for several terms, received 1,354 votes, for 76 percent of the total ballots cast in the race. Challenger Tom Hoefling of Lohrville received 419 votes, 24 percent.
Sexton will face Democrat Jake Thompson, who was uncontested in that party’s primary, in the November General Election. Thompson received 917 votes in the primary.
In uncontested Calhoun County races, Supervisor Scott Jacobs received 134 votes in his re-election bid, Treasurer Lori Erkenbrack received 530 votes, Attorney Tina Meth Farrington received 495 votes, Sheriff Scott Anderson received 549 votes and Recorder Kathy Jurries received 361 votes.
U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-4th, defeated his primary challenger, Cyndi Hanson. King received 27,743 votes, 75 percent, to Hanson’s 9,359, or 25 percent. J.D. Scholton won the Democratic primary to run for that U.S. House seat, getting 14,514 votes, 51.2 percent. He will face King in the General Election later this year. Democrats Leann Jacobsen and John Paschen received 9,055 votes and 4,741 votes, respectively in that primary.
Fred Hubbell won the Democratic primary to run against Gov. Kim Reynolds in the General Election. Hubbell received 98,013 votes, or 55.5 percent of the ballots cast in that race. He defeated a slate of other gubernatorial hopefuls: Cathy Glasson with 36,131 votes, John Norris with 20,200 votes, Andy McGuire with 9,257 votes and Ross Wilburn with 3,807 votes.
In Calhoun County, 1,073 voters cast their ballots for a 16.2 percent voter turnout. Statewide, 279,124 voters cast ballots, for a 13.1 percent turnout. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate repoted that 50,610 absentee ballots were cast in the election, setting a new record. The previous record was 44,740 in 2014.
All results are unofficial.