Ruff Draws Republican Rival

Four more names on the ballot the last two days, and the lowest down is of the most significance.

Republican Lowell Engle of Harpers Ferry filed in House 56. He hopes to make McGregor freshman Democrat Patti Ruff the third consecutive one-termer in the state's northeast corner.  Ruff beat freshman Republican Bob Hager in 2012. Hager, in a very different map, had bumped off first term Democrat John Beard in 2008.

As predicted, two more candidates are on the ballot for the open 3rd CD, and both may hurt Republican David Young.  Bryan Jack Holder of Council Bluffs failed to make the GOP primary ballot and filed as an independent. Libertarian Ed Wright, former state party chair, also made the ballot. Libertarians also have recruits in the 1st and 4th CDs, the senate and governor's race, and for secretary of state who have yet to file.

Last and least, we have a second sore loser. Perennial candidate Brett Nelson won just 21%, typical for him, in a Republican primary challenge to incumbent Jack Whitver in Ankeny's Senate 19. Undeterred, Nelson has filed against Whitver again as an independent. Nelson also lost twice in 2012, primary and general, to Kevin Koester in House 37. (So parties in Iowa are not only unable to keep a primary loser off the fall ballot; they can't keep a party quitter from coming back two years later and doing the same thing to them again.)

Democrats are more realistic about their chances against Whitver and don't have a candidate.