Ocheyedan, Iowa — A state senator who left the Republican Party in 2016 to protest Donald Trump being the GOP’s presidential nominee has ended his bid for reelection in November.
David Johnson of Ocheyedan was the only independent in the state legislature for the past two years. Johnson announced in December he would run as an independent and seek another term in the senate.
Three Republicans are running in Tuesday’s Primary for Johnson’s spot in the state senate. He’s been a legislator for nearly two decades but, as an independent, he faced a tough run for another senate term in the northwest Iowa district where Republicans far outnumber both independents and Democrats. Johnson had a long history in the Republican Party before he left it nearly two years ago. His father was a Republican candidate for governor in 1968. Johnson hints he’ll be back at the statehouse next year.
There are more than 20-thousand Republicans, about 13-thousand independents and 73-hundred Democrats in the district Johnson has represented. There is no Democratic candidate in the Senate District One, but a Democrat could be nominated by convention before the ballot deadline in August.
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Original Story posted 12:28pm 5/31/18
Ocheyedan, Iowa — Iowa Senator David Johnson will not seek reelection this fall, according to published reports.
In 2016, Johnson, who was a Republican at that time, resigned from the Republican party when Donald Trump became the presumptive Republican Presidential nomination. At that time, Johnson changed his registration from Republican to Independent.
Since resigning from the Republican party, Johnson has had difficulties landing committee slots. Coincidentally, Johnson’s Senate District is the single most Republican district in the state. He serves the 1st District, which is comprised of Lyon, Osceola, Dickinson, Clay, and Palo Alto counties.
Three Republicans will have their names on the ballot for this coming Tuesday’s pimary election for Senate District 1, the seat currently held by Johnson. They are: Jesse Wolfe, of Emmetsburg; Zach Whiting, of Spirit Lake; and Brad Price, of Spirit Lake.
KIWA has reached out to Senator Johnson for comment, and will bring his comments to you once he returns our call.
