Democrats appear to have found a way to win—even after leaving the race.
Eric Armstrong, an Iowa Democrat, won his state House contest Tuesday despite withdrawing from the campaign in September to deal with unspecified “personal health issues.”
Armstrong, a retired railroad executive, was projected to defeat Republican Keith Jones by roughly nine percentage points in Iowa’s 20th House District, according to the Associated Press.
Armstrong announced his withdrawal Sept. 7 in a statement posted to his campaign’s Facebook page.
“Because I must prioritize my health and recovery at this time, I am stepping down from my campaign, effective immediately,” he wrote. “This was a deeply difficult choice. However, I know it is the right one.”
“Our District deserves a representative who can give 100 percent of their energy to this race. Right now, I must focus on healing so that I can continue to serve our community in other ways in the future.”
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Armstrong told The New York Times on Wednesday that he was “going to do my best” to represent his new constituents, while acknowledging that he continued to struggle with health problems.
“I still have health issues, that’s what I’m struggling with,” he said.
If he is able to take office in the Iowa House of Representatives, Armstrong will succeed fellow Democrat Josh Turek. Turek defeated Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson in a contest that helped Democrats flip one of Iowa’s two US Senate seats.
The victory was part of a broader Democratic wave that swept across the country Tuesday. In Iowa, Democrats also captured three of the state’s four US House districts and won the governor’s race for the first time in two decades.
Republicans did secure one consolation prize: They held on to their majorities in both the Iowa House and state Senate, with several races still awaiting final calls Thursday morning.
