Callanan wins primary race for District 2 Supervisor

by Marianne GasawayIncumbent Casey Callanan, of Clear Lake, was a convincing winner in the Cerro Gordo County District 2 Supervisor Republican primary race held Tuesday, June 7.  Callanan defeated fellow Clear Laker Kelly McLaughlin, 910 to 445.No Democrats filed for their primary election for the Second District seat that includes the communities  of Clear Lake, Ventura, Burchinal, Portland, Rockwell, Swaledale, Thornton, Meservey and Dougherty and their surrounding rural areas.In the Supervisor First District Republican race Chris Watts beat fellow incumbent Tim Latham, 694-347. The two current Supervisors were placed in the same district when redistricting occurred.  Since his defeat, Latham has stated he will likely run a write-in campaign in an attempt to beat Watts in November’s general election.No Democrats filed for their party’s nomination for the First District, which covers all of Mason City’s Third Ward; Ward Two Precinct Two; and Ward Four Precincts Two and Three.In the District 3 Supervisor race, Don O’Connor beat Travis Pike, 408-276, on the Republican ballot, while Lori Meacham Ginapp won the Democratic nomination over Paul Adams, 346-305.The Third District includes the rest of Mason City not in the First District along with the communities of Rock Falls and Plymouth, as well as the Falls and Lime Creek-Mason North townships.In other county races, Peggy Meany won the Democratic nomination for County Treasurer, defeating Jacob Schweitzer, 1,185-662.  Meany has held the position of property tax deputy in the Treasurer’s office for the last 11 years.In the Republican race to represent Iowa House District 60, Deb Hild, from Clear Lake, mounted a strong challenge against incumbent Jane Bloomingdale, of Northwood. Hild was a clear winner in Cerro Gordo County, 807-372 and ran a close race in Floyd County, but was soundly defeated in Mitchell and Worth Counties.  Bloomingdale won the race 1,592 to 1,335.*Election numbers in this article remained unofficial as of press time.