No recount. Bisignano wins south side DSM senate race by 18 votes

Former state Senator Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines, has won a close race to return to the senate.  Assistant Attorney General Nathan Blake, the candidate who finished 18 votes behind Bisignano, will not seek a recount.  The third place finisher in the race was another former legislator, Ned Chiodo.  This was the most negative race in the Iowa’s primary season, with Bisignano and Chiodo fighting throughout the spring. The final vote tally was as follows:

Bisignano     1443 votes

Blake              1425 votes

 Chiodo          1002 votes

Here’s the statement from Blake:

DES MOINES – Nathan Blake, a Democratic candidate for the Iowa State Senate’s 17th District, declined to request a recount of the votes cast in last Tuesday’s primary election and congratulated Tony Bisignano on his 18-vote victory. Blake posted the following statement on his Facebook page:

Dear friends,

According to the official canvass from the Polk County Auditor’s Office, I ended up 18 votes behind in the Democratic primary election for Iowa State Senate District 17. I congratulate Tony Bisignano on a hard-fought victory. Thank you to my supporters, volunteers, and all who voted. Thanks especially to my wife and partner, Andrea, and our two kids for their patience, support, and sacrifices over the last year. I am proud of the campaign we ran. We won over 60% of the Election Day vote, even if we came up a few votes short.

As for the future, I am committed to to electing Democrats up and down the ballot in Iowa this November. I will continue my work in public service, fighting for consumers as an Assistant Iowa Attorney General. I promise to stay involved in progressive politics and will seek future opportunities to serve in elective office. The issues we care about are too important to sit on the sidelines.

Thank you,

Nathan