A Republican candidate for Woodbury County Supervisor who dropped out of the race for health reasons still won the primary Tuesday by 250 votes over his challenger — leaving the party’s choice to run in November up in the air. Brian Ashley defeated Judy Darwin at the polls, but he is expected to decline the nomination, which would lead to a county convention to select the candidate for the general election.
Darwin says she’ll continue her campaign at the convention. “That’s where I’ll go and ask for their support and we’ll take it from there,” Darwin says. County G.O.P. chairman Brian Rosener endorsed Ashley before he dropped out.
Darwin said after the results were in that she was disappointed the county leadership did not back her when Ashley said he was leaving the race. “And I had heard through the grapevine that there had been activity, movement with Ashley’s group still supporting getting votes out there, so I am really not too surprised about tonight at all. So, it’s just the idea that he dropped out of the race. Either be part of the race or out of the race whatever which way,” Darwin said.
The eventual Republican nominee will face incumbent Democrat Larry Clausen in November.
By Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City