Nearly a month after the June 4 Iowa state primary election that saw none of the candidates for Harrison County Board of Supervisors receive the necessary 35% of the vote to win, a Republican nominee was finally determined at a special convention Monday night.
Coming out victorious after the first ballots were cast, Rebecca Wilkerson claimed a spot in the general election with 41 votes. To obtain a 50% plus one majority, 40 votes were needed from the 77 total delegates in attendance. Lary Clark received 28 votes and Dan Cohrs received eight. The three candidates were nominated by delegates at the beginning of the convention.
Held at the Mondamin Community Center, the first convention held in the county since 2010 started with Harrison County GOP Chair Wayne Bahr explaining the rules. Each candidate was allowed five minutes to speak ahead of the first ballot being cast, with the speaking order determined by random drawing.
Cohrs, who spent 22 years on the Logan-Magnolia school board, spoke first.
“I want to make sure (Harrison County) continues to grow for future generations,” he said. “I do not have any hidden agendas that will be revealed if I get elected.”
Cohrs also said his main goals were to work toward new housing developments in the county and to improve roads and bridges.
Clark, a longtime resident of the county and former high school basketball coach, was second in the speaking order.
“My roots run deep in this county,” he said. “I've always lived here.”
Mentioning that his grandfather was a Harrison County supervisor 75 years ago, Clark shared his confidence and belief in his leadership capabilities as the main trait that qualifies him for the job.
Wilkerson was last to speak, once again mentioning her most emphasized campaign points: that she has attended nearly all of the Board of Supervisors' meetings over the past year and that she is a supporter of live-streaming the board's meetings and attempting evening meetings once a quarter. The meetings are currently held at 9 a.m. every Thursday.
She also said that she would work well with current supervisors Brian Rife and Tony Smith to cut spending and maintain services.
“We need a candidate with a different perspective,” Wilkerson said. “I have the perspective that this is the taxpayers' money.”
Following the speeches, paper ballots were cast and hand counted. After the count, Bahr announced that 40 votes from the 77 delegates were necessary to win before announcing the results: Wilkerson with 41 votes, Clark with 28 and Cohrs with eight.
In the June 4 primary, Cohrs received the most votes with 422, Wilkerson received 393 and Clark received 286.
“I prayed every day,” Wilkerson said after receiving the Republican nomination. “I prayed all day today. God gets the glory.”
Before the convention adjourned, Bahr thanked the candidates and congratulated Wilkerson once more. The general election will take place on Nov. 5.
