While most eyes were focused on the race for Congress during Tuesday’s General Election, there were some results involving candidates for the Iowa Legislature that became interesting, as well.  The Omaha-World Herald reports Republican Jack Drake, who has held the seat for 22 years, will have at least one more term in District 21. Drake successfully defended his seat against Tim Ennis, a Democrat from Corning. Ennis had attempted to make Drake’s years of experience an issue against him in the race, but it didn’t stick: Drake received slightly more than 64 percent of the vote. In House District 20, Greenfield Republican incumbent and former State Trooper Clel Baulder received nearly 60-percent of the vote in defeating challenger Steve Roe, a Democrat from Lake Panorama.

In House District 12, Brian Best, a Republican from Glidden, defeated incumbent Dan Muhlbauer, a Democrat from Manilla. Gun control had become an issue in the race. Both candidates also had spoken of the need to address rural infrastructure.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican Joni Ernst has won Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat, beating four-term Democratic Congressman Bruce Braley. Ernst, a state senator and lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard, was little known when she announced her Senate bid. Billing herself as a mother, soldier and conservative, Ernst gained attention through television ads and easily won the Republican nomination. She takes a seat held by Democrat Tom Harkin since 1985 and helps to create a GOP majority in the U.S. Senate.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Representative Steve King, a Republican known nationally for his outspoken opposition to the Obama administration, has been elected to a seventh House term representing northwest Iowa. Voters elected King on Tuesday over Democrat Jim Mowrer, a military veteran from Boone who also worked as a civilian in the Pentagon.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Northwest Iowa farmer Bill Northey has been elected to a third term as Iowa’s agriculture secretary. Voters Tuesday elected the Republican Northey over Democrat Sherrie Taha, a sculptor from Des Moines. Northey, who farms near Spirit Lake, has served as agriculture secretary since 2008.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democrat Michael Fitzgerald has won his ninth term as Iowa treasurer, defeating former conservative radio host Sam Clovis. Voters re-elected Fitzgerald on Tuesday to the office he’s held since 1983.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Republicans are hanging onto their majority in the state House. All 100 House members stand for election every two years, and voters on Tuesday elected enough Republicans for the GOP to extend its control. The party has held a House majority since 2010. As the majority party, the Republicans will lead House committees and control which measures come up for debate.

The House GOP will likely work closely with Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, who also won re-election Tuesday. Republicans gained control of the House in the year when Branstad also was elected governor for a fifth term after a 12-year absence.

The state Senate has been narrowly controlled by Democrats.

Authorities in Council Bluffs are searching for a man who robbed a Casey’s General Store Tuesday night. Sgt. Dave Dawson with the Council Bluffs Police Dept. says at around 8:30-p.m., a black male in his early 20’s, entered the store at 701 32nd Ave and came into contact with the on-duty clerk. The man displayed what the clerk believed to be an automatic handgun that was tucked into the suspect’s waistband.

The suspect demanded all the cash in the register and fled on foot southbound with an undetermined amount of cash. The man was described as being about 6-feet 1-inch tall, and weighing about 130-pounds. He wore dark colored clothing.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to contact Crimestoppers at 712-328-7867.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – David Young, a longtime aide to U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, has been elected in Iowa’s 3rd district. Voters on Tuesday elected Young, a Republican, over Democrat Staci Appel, a former state legislator.

Young took an unusual path to his House victory. He first was a candidate for U.S. Senate but switched to the 3rd district race when incumbent Republican Rep. Tom Latham announced he’d retire. Young finished fifth in the primary, but won the nomination at a special convention.

In the campaign, Young fended off arguments by Appel that after working for two decades in Washington, he was more beholden to lobbyists and big donors than to Iowans. Young responded that his Washington experience meant he could be effective on his first day in the Capitol.