Sarah Trone Garriott claims victory in Iowa Senate District 14 in race too close to call

Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott has declared victory over Republican Mark Hanson in her bid to seek a third term in the Iowa Senate in a race separated by only a handful of votes.

Trone Garriott is the incumbent representing Iowa Senate District 14, which includes Waukee, Adel, Van Meter and parts of Clive and West Des Moines in Dallas County.

She claimed victory online at about 11 p.m., writing on social media, "Thank you to all who helped us win this race!"

With 99% of the vote in, Trone Garriott and Hanson both were at 50%, separated by 19 votes, according to the Iowa Secretary of State's office.

Mark Hanson wants to reduce tax burden

Hanson, 67, has been on the Dallas County Board of Supervisors since 2005. He's also served as the executive director of the Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

Hanson supports exemptions to Iowa's six-week abortion ban and expanding access to contraceptive care. His top concerns if he is elected is to ensure that public schools are strong, communities are safe, and that tax burdens are reduced.

"Dallas County remains one of the fastest-growing, best-managed counties, and the county property tax levy remains among the lowest in the state," Hanson said.

Sarah Trone Garriott opposes 6-week abortion ban

Trone Garriott, 46, is an ordained minister in the Lutheran Church and works as the coordinator of interfaith engagement for the Des Moines Area Religious Council Food Pantry Network.

In 2020 she defeated Republican Scott Cirksena by 164 votes. After her district was redrawn in 2022 she defeated former Iowa Senate President Jake Chapman.

Trone Garriott favors access to reproductive rights and does not support Iowa's six-week abortion ban. Her top issue is making sure "Iowans have a voice in their government."

"The state's priority should be focusing on tax policy that benefits the largest number of Iowans. While the wealthy and corporations have seen great benefits, working families like mine haven't seen any noticeable benefit of recent state tax policies," Trone Garriott said.

Philip Joens covers retail and real estate for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184, [email protected] or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.

(This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.)

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Sarah Trone Garriott declares victory in tight District 14 race