Oetter Tops Goos In Republican Primary Sheriff's Race

Challenger Travis Oetter defeated three-term incumbent sheriff Eugene Goos 1311-1194 in the June 2 Republican Party primary election in Mills County.

Oetter, an Omaha native with over 23 years of law enforcement experience, is likely to be unchallenged in the November general election as there were no Democrats seeking the office in last week’s primary.

Incumbents Lonnie Mayberry and Carol Vinton were the top Republican finishers for two seats up for election on the Mills County Board of Supervisors with 1569 and 1502 votes respectively. Sandi Winton claimed third place with 1201 votes.

Mills County Auditor Carol Robertson was unopposed in the Republican primary and received 2283 votes.

With no Democratic candidates on the primary ballot, Mayberry, Vinton and Robertson are likely to retain their positions in the general election.

Two southwest Iowa incumbents in the state legislature won their Republican primaries. David Sieck defeated challenger Charlotte Dunnett, 3995-820 for the District 23 seat in the House of Representatives, while Mark Costello held off challenger Richard Crouch for the District 12 Senate seat, 5676-3864. Crouch defeated Costello in Mills County, 1490-936, but lost in other regions of the district.

On the federal level, incumbent Third District U.S. Representative Cindy Axne was unchallenged on the Democratic ballot and will face off with Republican David Young who defeated Bill Schafer in the primary. Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst ran unopposed in the primary and will face off with Democrat Theresa Greenfield who finished first in Mills County and across the state in a field of five primary candidates.

The general election will be Nov. 3.