Republican Governor Kim Reynolds wasted no time in targeting the man who will be her opponent in the general election this fall. Speaking before supporters at the Iowa G-O-P headquarters in Des Moines last (Tuesday) night, Reynolds blasted Democrat and Des Moines businessman Fred Hubbell for his lifestyle and hefty bank account.

“My opponent grew up very differently from most of us and that’s okay, because we celebrate wealth in this country,” Reynolds says. “The issue isn’t that Fred Hubbell has been rich his entire life, it’s that he has no idea what it’s like not to be.” Reynolds talked about her days of growing up in Saint Charles, waiting tables and checking groceries at Hy-Vee, and contrasted that with Hubbell, the former C-E-O of a life insurance company whose family built a fortune over the decades in finance and real estate.

Reynolds says, “He has no idea what it’s like to balance a family checkbook or to make the tough decisions most of us make each and every day when we’re trying to make ends meet.”  Reynolds, who ran unopposed in Tuesday’s primary, continued to poke at her November opponent, painting Hubbell as a wealthy elitist.

“Just last week, Fred admitted that he doesn’t think Iowa is the best state in the country to live,” Reynolds says, drawing boos from the crowd. “Well, Fred, if you don’t think Iowa is the best place to live, then you absolutely don’t know the Iowa that I know.”  Hubbell spent a reported seven-million dollars on this primary election, including three-million of his own money.

“If you think eliminating rural jobs to increase profits is the right way to lead, then you don’t know Iowa,” Reynolds says. “If you think the governor’s office is for sale to the highest bidder, guess what? You don’t know Iowans. You don’t know Iowa, but I do.”
Reynolds called Iowa a “wonderful state, filled with opportunities…a place where dreams can come true.”

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors have decided not to file charges in the shooting death of a Des Moines man. Police say 40-year-old Jerry Goff was fatally shot early Sunday morning at a residence west of downtown Des Moines. Polk County Attorney John Sarcone says the shooting was domestic in nature and a “clear case of self-defense.” Authorities have not released the name of the person who shot Goff nor provided details on what led up to it.

Red Oak Police say a woman from Nebraska was arrested today at around 4:25-a.m.  30-year old Roberta Shirlene Lapp, of Omaha, was arrested in the 2400 block of N. Broadway Street, for Possession of a Controlled Substance (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

There were a few close races during the 2018 Primary Election held Tuesday. In Cass County, just four votes separated Dana Halder and John Hartkopf, in the Republican race for Board of Supervisors in District 3. Hartkopf was the unofficial winner with 161 votes compared to Halder’s 157 votes. A third challenger, Linda Templeman, garnered 103 votes. In the Cass County Board of Supervisors – District 2, Republican Mark T. O’Brien defeated fellow Republican Pat McCurdy for the seat. The votes tallied 154 for O’Brien, and 137 for McCurdy. Voter turnout in Cass County was 16.63-percent.

In Adair County, Republican Brenda Wallace defeated fellow Republican Kim Crosswhite-Perkins for the County Treasurer’s post, 534-to 108. In Adams County, Republican Scott Akin handily defeated Republican challenger Laurie Greenlee (82-25) for the County Board of Supervisors in District 3. On the Democratic ticket, Tony Mullen beat Judith Butcher, by a vote of 66-to-16. In Audubon County, three Republicans were running for the Board of Supervisors. Incumbent Gary Van Aernam won the seat with his 142 votes against challengers Duane Deist (126 votes) and Jean Hinners (95 votes). Guthrie County voters elected Republican J.D. Kuster to the Board of Supervisors in District 4. Kuster received 114 votes to Dana Tewes’ 100. Republican Everett Grasty will face Democrat Kevin Wirt in the Board of Supervisor’s race in District 3.  Grasty won against three other Republican challengers, with his 91 votes. Randy Sparks had 79, Joel Hester 32 and Scott Calmer, 29. It was a close race for the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors in District 2, where Clifford Carney beat Rick Kness on the Republican ticket, by 90-to 87 votes.

On the Montgomery County Republican ticket, Tera Hughes won the Treasurer’s seat with 537 votes to Jackie Porter’s 292. And, Rudy Kinard defeated Roger Waggener, for the Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County District 1. The tally was 179 votes for Kinard and 29 for Waggener. In Pottawattamie County, Three Republicans out of a field of five, will move on to the November General Election, in the County Board of Supervisors race. The winners were Scott Belt, with 1,690 votes, Lynn Grobe (1,460) and Justin Schultz (1,564). The Democrats send Glen Hurts, Frances Parr and Marshal Pilger to the race in November.

There were no contested races in Shelby County.  All vote totals are unofficial until canvassed by the Boards of Supervisors in each respective county.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office has released information about an injury accident that took place at around 5:45-p.m. Monday, at the intersection of Highway 71 and 265th Street. Officials say the driver of an SUV, 51-year old Troy Lynn Farrens, of Blockton, the 17-year old male driver of a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, and a female passenger in Farrens’ SUV, were all injured. The 17-year old was ejected from the pickup he was driving, and was transported by Villisca Rescue to the Clarinda Regional Health Center. He was eventually flown by helicopter of the UNMC in Omaha, for treatment of serious, but non-life threatening injuries. Farrens, who was trapped in his SUV and had to be extricated by Villisca Fire personnel, was transported by Red Oak Rescue to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital and later transported by ambulance to the UNMC for serious, but non-life threatening injuries. A female passenger in his vehicle was transported by Clarinda Rescue to CRHC for treatment of unknown injuries. Two minor children in the SUV were not injured and released to the custody of family members.

Authorities say the accident happened as Farrens was traveling south on Highway 71 in a 2001 Ford Explorer, when the driver of the pickup, which was traveling west on 265th Street, failed to obey the stop sign at the intersection, and collided with the SUV. The broadside collision caused both vehicles to enter the ditch on the southwest corner of the intersection. The pickup came to rest in the ditch after ejecting the 17-year old driver. The SUV continued through the ditch and up into a residential yard before coming to rest against a tree.  The 17-year old male was cited for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign, and Failure to use seat belts.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene, by the Villisca Fire Dept., Villisca, Red Oak and Clarinda Rescue squads.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports five people were arrested, Tuesday. At around 5:45-p.m., 22-year old Zachary Aaron Thomas, of Red Oak, was arrested on a Montgomery County Bench Warrant for Failure to Appear in court on an original, Controlled Substance Violation charge. Thomas’ cash only bond was set at $2,000. 43-year old Kain Joseph Rinehart, of Shenandoah, was arrested at around 6:30-p.m. Tuesday, on a Fremont County Bench Warrant for Violation of Probation. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 cash only bond.

At around 9-p.m, Tuesday, Montgomery County Deputies arrested 34-year old Justin Michael Cody, of Carson, for OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000. One-half hour later, 26-year old Jesse Allen Luft, of Villisca, was arrested in Villisca for Driving While License Suspended. His bond was set at $566.  At around the same time, 19-year old Cordell Ryan Straw, of Villisca, was arrested in Villisca for Disorderly Conduct. His bond was set at $300.

The man who’s been state ag secretary since March appears to have fallen a fraction short of the 35 percent threshold he needed in yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) primary to win the Republican Party’s nomination for ag secretary. Shortly after 1 a.m. today (Wednesday) all 99 counties had reported results and Mike Naig had 34-point-74 percent. That means delegates at the Iowa G-O-P’s state convention on June 16th will decide who to nominee for state ag secretary. State Senator Dan Zumbach, a farmer from Ryan, finished close behind Naig. Ray Gaesser, a farmer from Corning, is also in the extended race with Naig.

“My strategy for our team has always been that we thought it would go to the state convention,” Gaesser says. “I”ve personally made about 1600 calls to the delegates to the state convention and shared with them my vision for Iowa agriculture.”

Gaesser is the former president of the Iowa and the American Soybean Associations. Gaesser says he was part of many trade missions and developed relationships with officials in countries that can yield expanded access to foreign markets for Iowa farmers.

Former Iowa Farm Bureau president Craig Lang, another of the G-O-P’s ag secretary candidates, issued a written statement early this (Wednesday) morning, saying the election returns show he had “broad support across the entire state” and “that makes a strong case” Republican state convention delegates should nominate him.

(Radio Iowa)

In the fourth district, Congressman Steve King easily fended off a Republican Primary challenger. J.D. Scholten of Sioux City defeated two other Democrats to win the slot challenging King’s bid for a ninth term. “I’m not known for being a Democrat. I’m known for being a baseball player and that gets me into a lot of doors,” Scholten says. “The other thing is being from Sioux City — it’s the largest city in the district and Steve King has never lost Woodbury County. I anticipate that happening this year and, as a result of that, it’s going to be a tight race.”

Scholten, a former professional baseball pitcher, is a paralegal in Sioux City. “I can’t beat Steve King, but we can,” Scholten said, “and, together, we can build a fourth district in Iowa and in America that stands tall for all.”

Scholten says his game plan for the fall campaign is “pretty simple” — to “out-work” his opponent. About 350 Libertarians voted in their party’s primary in the fourth district and nominated Charles Aldrich of Clarion.

(Radio Iowa)

Cindy Axne of West Des Moines won the Democratic Primary for the opportunity to challenge Republican Third District Congressman David Young. Axne, a small business owner and former state government worker, collected far more votes than Eddie Mauro and Pete D’Alessandro. “Well, I said all along that if this race is won on hard work and the best volunteers and supporters out there, then we’re going to win this thing,” Axne told Radio Iowa.

Axne is pledging to run a positive campaign in the general election. “You know, David Young might be a nice guy, but when it comes down to making decisions that affect the lives of the people here in our district – that give them hope and give them opportunity, he’s not the right person for the job,” Axne said.

Young, who’s from Van Meter, is seeking his third term in D-C. Axne said she’ll start working today (Wednesday) on a strategy to defeat Young. “David Young really is working for corporations and special interests, and I think we can see that in the support that he has,” Axne said. “Certainly, things like taking contributions from insurance companies and then turning around and voting for a bill that would raise that premiums on Iowa families and especially older Iowans is just one example.”

About 500 Libertarians voted for Bryan Jack Holder of Council Bluffs to be their party’s nominee for congress in the third district. The Third Congressional District covers 16 counties in southwest Iowa and includes the cities of Des Moines and Council Bluffs.

(Radio Iowa)

About 18-hundred Iowa voters participated in the Libertarian Party’s Primary on Tuesday. Jake Porter of Council Bluffs is the party’s nominee for governor. Porter received 962 votes, about 54 percent, compared to the 38 percent support for rival Marco Battaglia, of Des Moines.

(Radio Iowa)