Ames Election Results 2012: GOP King Wins 4th District, But Story County Democrats Prevail: 2012 in Review

Editor's Note: As the year winds down, Ames Patch is looking back at some of the stories that made you talk, cry, laugh or just scratch your head.

Originally ran Nov. 6

While Steve King, R-Kiron, won the 4th District Congressional race, Tuesday, Story County's incumbent Democrats kept their seats, according to unofficial returns from the Iowa Secretary of State's Office and the Story County Auditor's Office. 

King led returns with 55 percent of the vote to Christie Vilsack's 43 percent, according to the Iowa Secretary of States Office. That was with 88 percent reporting.

"To those who supported our campaign and drove us to victory, thank you.  Our message through this campaign was clear and tonight voters made it clear they agree – it’s time for conservative solutions to restore our American Dream," King said in a prepared statement.

His first formidable opponent in a decade, Vilsack and her husband Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Agriculture Secretary and former Iowa governor, walked out during her election night party to a John Cougar Mellencamp song and lots of cheers from her supporters at the Gateway Inn in Ames.

“Whether you win or not, if it's a cause worth fighting for you should get caught trying and you caught me trying,” Vilsack said refering to a statement President Bill Clinton made. “I know all of you in this room tried along with me.”

Vilsack thanked her supporters, volunteers and the media.

“I have absolutely no regrets,” she said.

The voters have decided Vilsack said adding that it's now time to move forward, she said.

“I accept the results of the election and commend King on his win in this hard fought fight,” she said adding that she did not like King's derisive comments.

The mood in the room was one of mixed emotions. Guests cheered through the night as Obama was declared the winner of a long line of states and the ultimate winner. And local house candidates Rep. Beth Beth Wessel-Kroeschell and Rep. Lisa Heddens appeared to have won their seats.

"I'm very sad. She would have been such a good Congresswoman," Wessel-Kroeschell said of Vilsack's loss. 

She would have become the first woman to represent Iowa in higher office had she won.

"I wanted that glass ceiling to be broken. I wanted a woman in higher office in Iowa," Wessel-Kroeschell said.

See Also: 

Election Guide 2012

Iowa Elections Results 2012

Find Your Polling Place

LIVE 2012 ELECTION RESULTS

     Race      

Democratic Candidates

Results

Republican Candidates

Results

U.S. President, Iowa Results

Obama-Biden *

Romney-Ryan

U.S. President, National Results

Obama-Biden *

Romney-Ryan

U.S. President, Story County Results

Obama-Biden*

25,940

Romney-Ryan

19,557

U.S. Congress, District 4 Story County Results

U.S. Congress, District 4 Story County Results

Christie Vilsack 

25,926

Steve King

18,397

Iowa Judicial Retention, David Wiggins

Retain

23,803

Remove

13,589

Iowa House District 46

*Lisa Heddens

8,764

Stephen Quist

5,178

Iowa House District 45

*Beth Wessel-Kroschell

8,606

Dane Nealson

5,054

Iowa House District 48

Becky Perkovich

1,338

Robert Bacon

1,730

Story County Supervisor

*Wayne Clinton

26,172

Lauris Olson

9,970

Story County Auditor

*Lucy Martin

25,036

Ty Radford Stewart

16,955

Story County Sheriff

*Paul Fitzgerald

33,230

* Incumbent

In 2008, about 64 percent of Story County's registered voters participated in the General Election, with 57 percent of voters choosing President Barack Obama and 41 percent voting for Sen. John McCain. 

A summary of the 2012 general elections in Story County follows below:

Vilsack v. King: Ames Democrat Christie Vilsack and Congressman Steve King, R-Kiron, have waged a heated race in their campaign for Iowa's new U.S. Congressional District 4. Vilsack, Iowa's former first lady, hopes to make history by becoming the first Iowa woman to represent the state in higher office.

King, R-Kiron, a Catholic conservative who calls himself a full-spectrum Constitutional conservative, has represented western Iowa for the past decade. Vilsack is the first formidable opponent King has seen since he took office in 2003 and the first candidate he has ever debated.

Recent polls suggest that Vilsack and King are neck-and-neck for the race. The candidates have raised a combined $6 million, according to the Sioux City Journal. The dollar amount breaks a Congressional fundraising records in Iowa.

In other races: 

Incumbent Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, a Democrat, beat Republican Dane Nealson for the district 45 seat in the in Iowa House of Representatives. Wessel-Kroeschell was first elected to her position in 2004. She is an Ames native, a former high school English teacher and has worked extensively for non-profits. Nealson, a West Liberty native, moved to Ames in 2008 to continue his studies at Iowa State University. Eric Cooper, an independent, is also on the ballot.

Incumbent Democrat Lisa Heddens will fended off Republican Stephen Quist for Iowa District 46. Heddens, an Iowa State University graduate, was first elected to her position in 2002. Quist who has blogged for Patch, grew up in Davenport and moved to Ames to attend Iowa State University.

Democrat Lucy Martin Story County Auditor is being challenged by Republican Ty Radford Stewart. Martin was appointed to her seat after the previous auditor left and managed to keep it. Mary Mosiman, the former auditor, was appointed as Iowa Secretary of State Deputy of Elections in December 2010. 

Democrat Wayne Clinton, Story County Supervisor, beat Independent Lauris Olson, a journalist with 72 percent of the vote.

Ames resident Jerry Litzel and his running mate, Jim Litzel, are on the ballot for president. They received 85 votes in Story County, according to unofficial returns.

And on the edge of Ames, Becky Perkovich lost to defeat former GOP Senator Robert Bacon for the new Iowa House District 48. Bacon received 56 percent of the vote in Story County.

Uncontested races include:

Paul Fitzgerald for Story County Sheriff.