Eric Armstrong wins Iowa state House seat after health pause
The former railroad executive secured the district in Tuesday’s vote despite stepping away from the race in September.
By Bianca Herrera ·
Eric Armstrong won the state House seat for District 20 in western Iowa on Tuesday, capturing 55% of the vote from more than 8,000 residents. He defeated Republican Keith Jones by a margin of 865 votes. The victory occurred two months after Armstrong suspended his campaign due to health concerns.
Armstrong, a former railroad executive, announced his exit on September 7. In a social media post, he cited personal health issues requiring full attention and immediate care. He stated he was stepping down from the campaign effective immediately to prioritize his well-being. He described the decision as deeply difficult and asked voters for privacy.
Despite his absence, Armstrong remained on the ballot. The district includes parts of Council Bluffs and Carter Lake and borders Omaha, Nebraska. It is a region that voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Current Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek held the seat until Tuesday, when he won a bid for the U.S. Senate. Turek will replace retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.
Jones, the losing candidate, serves as a Pottawattamie County supervisor and is a retired police lieutenant. The district’s shift reflects a wider trend in Iowa’s midterm elections. Democrats performed better across the state ballot than in recent cycles. Rob Sand, the new Democratic governor, will now work with a smaller Republican majority in the state House.
Armstrong addressed his win in a Facebook post on Thursday. He said he was proud of the result and would be open and upfront about what comes next. He wrote that voters sent a clear message about the direction they want for Iowa. He promised to carry that message to the Capitol in January.
The results in Pottawattamie County showed tight margins. Turek led Republican Ashley Hinson by less than a percentage point in his home county. In 2020, Ernst won nearly 55% of voters there. Trump received 59% of the county’s vote in 2024. Armstrong’s win adds to the Democratic gains in the state legislature this year.
