A special election is being held today in southwest Iowa to fill the seat in the state senate that’s been held by U.S. Senator-elect Joni Ernst.
Ernst resigned her state senate seat in late November and the governor set today for the special election to replace her. The senate district spans the following six counties: Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Ringgold and Taylor.
Three candidates are on the ballot to replace Ernst. Steven Adams of Red Oak is the Democratic candidate and Mark Costello of Imogene is the Republican. Costello has served in the Iowa House since January of 2013. The third candidate on the ballot is Libertarian Don Brantz of Glenwood.
Brantz, a 69-year-old farmer, is accused of sexual assault, third-degree assault, disturbing the peace and interfering with a public service — charges that stem from an incident in October at a home in Bellevue, Nebraska. Brantz denies the charges and says he was breaking up a fight between an ex-girlfriend and her sister.
The polls for today’s special election close at 9 p.m. tonight.