OTTUMWA, IA (KYOU) –

After a landslide Republican victory in Iowa, two Wapello County Democrats say, local elections should be held in all nonpartisan offices.

Wapello County Sheriff Don Phillips retained his seat, defeating Republican Kelly Lee Feikert with nearly 60 percent of the vote.

But fellow Democrat Wapello County Supervisor {w-ah-puh-lo} Brian Morgan lost his re-election bid to Republican Carrie Teninty – 54% to 46%.

Municipal and school positions in Iowa are already considered nonpartisan…meaning candidates don’t identify as Democrats or Republicans.

Wapello County Sheriff Don Phillips and soon-to-be former Wapello County Supervisor Brian Morgan say this week’s election shows county offices should be that way, too.

Morgan and Philips believe they gained votes — and lost some — because people voted only against the letter next to their name.

Some county offices want more emphasis on qualifications.

Mogan said, “Just to go through and choose Democrat or Republican in every position. Especially, a position as important as that of sheriff or county attorney, for example. These are the ones you really need to educate yourself on. “

Morgan doesn’t believe he lost just because he’s a Democrat — he says he believes a few thousand Republicans supported him. Tuesday evening.

But he doesn’t want to see partisan beliefs influence important local offices. Morgan said, “I’ve always said, you know, positions like treasurer, auditor, recorder, all of those positions have a job to do. and they have the rules that they must follow by the state. Why is this a partisan position?

As proof, he mentions the race of Sheriff Don Phillips.

Morgan says he wonders why 40 percent of voters voted for his opponent – Kelly Lee Feikert – someone with no law enforcement experience and who has done little or no traditional campaigning.

Mogan explained, “When you look at the person he was running against, there was no sign, that several media outlets that tried to reach out to get interviews…there were crickets.”

Feikert never responded to our requests for an interview before the election or for this story.

For his part, Sheriff Phillips agrees that qualifications for certain county offices should take precedence over politics. Especially since many local offices do not address the issues that dominate national political parties.

Phillips explained: “It’s with the policy makers you know that your democratic and republican qualities come into play. But not really at the local level. “

Phillips says he’s simply focused on serving the county, regardless of party.

Phillips said, “You know we are doing what is right and what is good for the community. So, I don’t think it has to be a declared party, but currently that’s the way the law is, and you have to do it. “

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