Kathrine Frich
His defeated opponent now demands an investigation.
When voters want the White House to hear their frustration loud and clear, they do not just write letters.
They head to the ballot box to deliver a verdict that is impossible to ignore.
This week, people in one Midwestern community went to astonishing lengths to make sure US President Donald Trump got the message.
Winning without running
According to HuffPost, Tuesday’s midterm results were widely seen as a sharp rejection of the president’s second term, and nowhere was that clearer than in Iowa. In the race for Iowa House District 20, voters handed a nine-point victory to Democrat Eric Armstrong, even though the retired railroad boss had quit running nearly two months ago.
Back on September 7, Armstrong halted his campaign over “some personal health issues that require my full attention and immediate care.” Writing on Facebook at the time, he explained: “Because I must prioritize my health and recovery at this time, I am stepping down from my campaign, effective immediately.”
His name stayed on the voting slips anyway. When the ballots were tallied, Armstrong took roughly 55 percent of the vote, easily beating his Republican rival, former police lieutenant Keith Jones, who trailed at 45 percent.
Taking the seat
Despite stepping back in the autumn, Armstrong celebrated the surprise outcome on Facebook on Thursday.
He wrote that he was “proud to announce that we won Iowa House District 20,” and noted that locals “sent a clear message about the direction they want for Iowa, and I will make sure that message is carried to the Capitol in January.”
Speaking with The New York Times by phone on Wednesday, Armstrong promised to serve his Carter Lake and Council Bluffs constituents as well as he can, though he admitted: “But I still have health issues, that’s what I’m struggling with.”
His defeated opponent is now questioning the whole affair. Speaking to Fox News, Jones demanded answers about the Democrat’s medical departure. “There’s absolutely something there that needs to be investigated by the media,” Jones told Fox News. “Did he lie about being sick to cover a damaging personal story? Public trust at that level is important.”
The unusual contest was part of a wider Democratic sweep across the state, HuffPost noted, as Democrat Rob Sand flipped the governorship held by Republican Kim Reynolds, while Democrat Josh Turek captured Republican Senator Joni Ernst’s seat to help his party take back the US Senate.
