DAVENPORT, Iowa – Democratic candidate Monica Kurth has won the special election to replace Iowa State Representative Jim Lykam.
Kurth defeated Republican candidate Mike Gonzales 72% to 27% in the west Davenport district. She received 2081 votes to Gonzales’ 784 votes. There were nine write-in votes.
Kurth has been a teacher and counselor at Scott Community College. Gonzales is an officer with the LeClaire Police Department.
The special election was needed to replace Lykam, who was elected to the Iowa State Senate in January to replace Sen. Joe Seng who died in October.
The Scott County Auditor’s Office unofficial results show Kurth won with a huge amount of support from absentee voters. She captured 92% of those ballots. Same day voting was closer with Kurth gathering 58% to Gonzales’ 41% of the vote.
The election keeps the 89th House district in Democratic hands but does not change the Republican’s control of both the Iowa House and Iowa Senate.
Kurth will join an Iowa Legislature that is already in session in Des Moines.
