UPDATE: GOP's Charles Schneider Wins Senate District 22 Over Democrat Desmund Adams

Republican Charles Schneider of West Des Moines won the special Senate District 22 election today, it appears in unofficial returns.

Schneider carried Polk County with 2,861 votes, compared with Democrat Desmund Adams' 2,712 votes. In Dallas County, Schneider tallied 2,506 votes to 1,405 for Adams.

The late Sen. Pat Ward died in October while running for the seat, which prompted the special election.

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Desmund Adams: 4,117 votes in Polk and Dallas Co.

Charles Schneider: 5,367 votes in Polk and Dallas Co.

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Schneider said leapfrogging from the West Des Moines City Council, where he was a year into his second term, to the Iowa Senate is “humbling.”

“It’s a big step,” Schneider said. “No one knew the unfortunate circumstances that would lead to this.

“I feel humbled and honored to represent this district, one of the fastest-growing districts in the state,” he said.

Michael Libbie, Adams’ spokesman, said the loss was difficult after campaigning for 20 months, but said Adams “spoke the truth” about issues that have been overlooked in Iowa, like increasing the number of women-owned businesses.

He said the candidates kept a positive tone throughout the long campaign.

“It’s been a class act all the way through,” Libbie said. “Neither side has ever taken a shot. It’s always been about the issues and the people.”

In Waukee for the senator-elect’s victory party, Gov. Terry Branstad expressed confidence that Schneider will represent the district with the same integrity as Ward, a close personal friend who lost her battle with breast cancer in October.

Schneider’s win gives Republicans 24 seats in the Senate, compared with Democrats’ 26 seats.

“We’ll still have to work with both parties, but this puts us in a competitive situation,” Branstad said. “We’re very pleased.”

He said Schneider is one of several “talented and enthusiastic young people who will make a real difference in reducing property tax and revitalizing education,” two of the governor’s top priorities.

Schneider shares those goals and says education reform is important so Iowa students can compete globally. He also wants to grow Iowa’s economy to reverse the brain drain.

Our Earlier Story:

Voting is under way in the special Senate District 22 election to capture the open seat sought by Democrat Desmund Adams of Cive and Republican Charles Schneider of West Des Moines.

Adams has been campaigning for about 20 months, Schneider for one. He was nominated by Republicans to replace Sen. Pat Ward on the ballot after she lost her months-long bout with breast cancer in mid-October.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 9 p.m.

Some 4,276 absentee ballots were cast in the election, 2,069 in Dallas County and 2,207 in Polk County.

There are 26,274 registered voters in the Dallas County portion of Senate District 22 and 22,219 in Polk County's share of the district.

Here’s how to find polling places in Polk County.

Here’s how to find polling places in Dallas County.

The special election was forced by the Oct. 15 death of Ward, a Republican state senator who had moved into the new district after reapportionment would have pitted her against a longtime Democratic standard-bearer, Sen. Matt McCoy. 

Her death occurred too late to certify a new GOP candidate and Ward won the contest posthumously won by 4,441 votes –19,067 vs 14,626. Two days later, Schneider was selected to replace her on the Dec. 11 ballot in a special Republican nominating convention.

Both men are 39. Schneider, a corporate lawyer for Principal Financial Group and West Des Moines City Council representative, describes himself as a fiscal conservative. Adams, a small business owner who does executive recruiting, says he’s a moderate. Both say they’ll reach across the aisle.

Our Earlier Stories:

Senate District 22 Hopeful Adams Calls Iowa Republican Story on Old Charge 'Gutter Politics'

GOP Selects West Des Moines Councilman Charles Schneider as Senate Nominee

Desmund Adams to Suspend Campaign Temporarily; Special Election set for December

Iowans Remember State Senator Pat Ward’s ‘Tenacious’ and ‘Exuberant’ Spirit