A massive organizing effort paid off for Kimberly Sheets, as the Democrat won the August 29 special election for Warren County auditor by a two-to-one margin. Unofficial results first reported by Iowa Starting Line show Sheets received 5,051 votes (66.56 percent) to 2,538 votes for Republican David Whipple (33.44 percent). Turnout was more than three times higher than the previous record for a Warren County special election (a school bond issue in 2022).

Republicans haven’t lost many races lately in this county, but they pushed their luck by nominating Whipple. Not only was he lacking experience in election administration—one of the duties of Iowa county auditors—he had shared Facebook posts espousing conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election and other QAnon obsessions.

The county’s previous auditor, Democrat Traci VanderLinden, retired in May and wanted Sheets (the deputy in her office) to succeed her. Whipple’s appointment by an all-Republican county board of supervisors generated lots of statewide and some national media attention, because of his now-deleted social media posts. Local Democrats collected about 3,500 signatures over a two-week period demanding a special election.

County GOP activists could have picked a less controversial nominee for the auditor’s race, but they stuck with Whipple. The move backfired spectacularly.

Lisa Fleishman is a longtime resident of Warren County, former candidate for Iowa Senate district 11, and the author of “Boots on the Ground, a grassroots tale.” She lives with her husband of nearly 30 years in Carlisle. 

I’m growing increasingly concerned about the special election for Warren County auditor on August 29. On one side is a proven and dedicated public servant in Kimberly Sheets, who has considerable experience as the deputy auditor, acting professionally and in a nonpartisan manner. She knows her stuff because that comes with doing the work every day for years on end.

On the other side is the recently-appointed acting auditor David Whipple. He has zero experience in election administration, is on the record as an election denier and 9/11 conspiracy theorist, and has shared on social media ridiculous posts from people who literally believe the earth is flat. You can’t make this up, folks. It would be hilarious if it weren’t so serious.