On December 30, Iowa held a special election for State Senate, 12th district. The results: Republican Mark Costello 74.41%; Democrat Steven Adams 22.41%; Libertarian Don W. Brantz 3.18%. Here is a link to the returns on the Secretary of State’s web page.
This is the first time in recent decades that the Iowa Libertarian Party has run a legislative candidate in southwest Iowa. In 2012, when this seat was last up, Republican Joni Ernst was the only candidate on the November ballot. The special election was needed because Ernst resigned to take her seat in Congress.
At least the Libertarian Party put a Candidate up.
While I’m still just old fashioned enough to see 3rd party Presidential candidates, as well as statewide candidates, a good teacher of 3rd party politics would tell us we need to start on the local level where we can know the voter personally, and then when we run 3rd party, the voters don’t feel as if we’re some kind of alien political operative, and is more willing to vote for us – since they know us, and don’t feel as though their “throwing their vote away” as they’ve been taught my major party generals.
Candidate and Incumbent rank order replacement lists for legislators.
NO more very expensive legislative special elections.
I.E. ONE regular election day per year.