Sheriff's Candidate Romar Among Republicans Who Refuse to Sign Dallas County GOP 'Integrity Pledge'

Dallas County Republican party chairman Mike Elam announced this week that three local GOP primary candidates did not sign the organization's "integrity pledge."

According to Elam's news release, the integrity pledge is "one measure of understanding the intent of party candidates. We ask that they each express support for the eventual primary winner by not opposing him/her as an alternate party candidate in the November general election.”

While the pledge is non-binding, Elam writes, it does serve as an indicator of party loyalty of candidates prior to the June 5 primary election.

The pledge was presented to each of the Republican primary candidates in April. As of May 20, most primary candidates in Dallas County had signed the pledge with two names, specifically, declining to do so — Dallas County Sheriff candidate Jim Romar and the Iowa Senate candidate in District 10, Matt Mardesen.

Gene Krumm, the current Dallas County auditor who is seeking re-election, has also not signed the pledge and has not indicated his intent either way to county party officials.

There are four primary races involving Dallas County on June 5 including:

1. Iowa Senate District 10 race between Jake Chapman and Matt Mardesen
2. Iowa Senate District 22 race between incumbent Pat Ward and Jeff Mullen
3. Dallas County Sheriff race between incumbent Chad Leonard and Jim Romar
4. Dallas County Auditor race between incumbent Gene Krumm, Vicki Klein, and Troy Wieland.