2018 Iowa Secretary of Agriculture election

2018 Iowa Secretary of Agriculture election
November 6, 2018 (2018-11-06)
 
Candidate Mike Naig Tim Gannon
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 651,552 602,916
Percentage 50.35% 46.59%
Naig:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Gannon:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Secretary of Agriculture before election

Mike Naig
Republican

Elected Secretary of Agriculture

Mike Naig
Republican

The 2018 Iowa Secretary of Agriculture election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Secretary of Agriculture of Iowa, concurrently with elections to the United States House of Representatives, governor, and other state and local elections. Primary elections were held on June 5, 2018.[1]

Incumbent Republican secretary Bill Northey resigned in March 2018 after his confirmation by the United States Senate as the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation. Mike Naig was appointed to the seat after Northey's resignation by Governor Kim Reynolds.[2] Naig won a full term against Democratic nominee Tim Gannon in the general election.[3]

Republican primary

As no candidate received over 35% of the vote, the Iowa Republican Party was required to hold a convention to choose a nominee.[4] Mike Naig was chosen as the nominee and had received just shy of the 35% of the vote needed in the primary.[5]

Candidates

Nominee

Defeated

Declined

Endorsements

Mike Naig

Statewide officials

Pat Grassley

U.S. senators

Results

Republican primary results[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Naig (incumbent) 30,870 34.73%
Republican Dan Zumbach 18,938 21.31%
Republican Craig Lang 16,514 18.58%
Republican Ray Gaesser 14,437 16.24%
Republican Chad Ingels 7,915 8.90%
Write-in 210 0.24%
Rejected ballots 16,299 15.50%
Total votes 88,884 100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Democratic primary results[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tim Gannon 148,258 99.52%
Write-in 710 0.48%
Rejected ballots 33,768 18.48%
Total votes 148,968 100.0%

General election

Post-primary endorsements

Mike Naig (R)

Organizations

  • Iowa Association of Business and Industry[14]
  • Iowa Corn Growers Association[15]
  • Iowa Farm Bureau[16]
Tim Gannon (D)

U.S. presidents

Results

2018 Iowa Secretary of Agriculture election[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Naig (incumbent) 651,552 50.35%
Democratic Tim Gannon 602,916 46.59%
Libertarian Rick Stewart 38,965 3.01%
Write-in 597 0.05%
Total votes 1,294,030 100.00%
Republican hold

By congressional district

Despite losing the state, Gannon won three of four congressional districts.[19]

District Naig Gannon Representative
1st 48% 49% Rod Blum (115th Congress)
Abby Finkenauer (116th Congress)
2nd 47% 50% Dave Loebsack
3rd 48% 49% David Young (115th Congress)
Cindy Axne (116th Congress)
4th 60% 37% Steve King

References

  1. ^ "2018 Primary Elections by State and territory" (PDF). Marine Corps Installation East. April 6, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
  2. ^ Eller, Donnelle (March 1, 2018). "Mike Naig tapped to replace Northey as Iowa's ag secretary". Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  3. ^ Eller, Donnelle (November 5, 2018). "Backed by Farm Bureau, Republican Mike Naig defeats Democrat Tim Gannon to win Iowa ag secretary post". Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 17, 2025. Supported by the powerful Farm Bureau and large corporations, Republican Mike Naig staved off a strong bid from Democrat Tim Gannon to win the Iowa secretary of agriculture post.
  4. ^ a b c d Eller, Donnelle (June 6, 2018). "Mike Naig just misses 35 percent of vote, so GOP leaders will choose ag secretary candidate". Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  5. ^ "It's Mike Naig vs. Tim Gannon for Iowa ag secretary". Farm Progress. June 26, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Meet the two contenders for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture". The Daily Iowan. October 24, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  7. ^ Eller, Donnelle (October 23, 2017). "Former Farm Bureau president Craig Lang to run for Iowa ag secretary". Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  8. ^ Murphy, Erin (January 24, 2018). "Pat Grassley to seek-relection". The Gazette. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Pfannenstiel, Brianne (October 17, 2018). "Tim Gannon, a Democrat, launches TV ads in bid for Iowa secretary of agriculture". Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 17, 2025. Gannon, a Democrat, is a farmer and former official at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  10. ^ Lynch, James (March 6, 2018). "Bill Northey endorses his successor for election to Iowa ag post". The Gazette. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  11. ^ Noble, Jason (September 13, 2017). "Family first: Chuck Grassley will back Pat Grassley for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture". Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "State of Iowa - Canvass State" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. pp. 68–71. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
  13. ^ Geiger, David (November 6, 2018). "Three candidates for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture". KCRG 9.2. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  14. ^ "ABI PAC Endorses Friends of Iowa Business". Iowa Association of Business and Industry. October 12, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  15. ^ Swoboda, Rod (September 20, 2018). "Iowa Corn PAC endorses candidates". Farm Progress. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  16. ^ Wheeler, Andrew (September 5, 2018). "Iowa Farm Bureau names Governor Kim Reynolds and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig 'Friend of Agriculture'". Iowa Farm Bureau. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  17. ^ Opsahl, Robin (August 1, 2018). "Former President Obama endorsed Iowans for secretary of state and secretary of agriculture". Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  18. ^ "IA - Election Night Reporting". Iowa Secretary of State. December 4, 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
  19. ^ https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=834955
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