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Kaufmann beats Schwab for District 73 seat
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · November 09, 2012


Robert “Bobby” Kaufmann won a double-digit victory over Dick Schwab for House District 73 with the Republican garnering 57 percent of the vote to the Democrat’s 43 percent.


Schwab, of Solon, won his home county of Johnson with 56 percent of that vote to Kaufmann’s 44. But in sheer numbers, Cedar County made up for that deficit and more, giving Kaufman 63 percent of the vote to Schwab’s 37 percent.

“I’m just thrilled to see that hard work and positive campaigning can still pay off,” Kaufmann said from the Johnson County Courthouse late Tuesday night. “We put in an extremely large amount of work, giving direct access to the voters by knocking on doors and campaigning in a positive manner.”

Schwab said he called Kaufmann to congratulate him, and the Solon school board member offered his assistance if Kaufmann needed help with education issues.

“I would have rather won,” Schwab said. “But life goes on.”

• Cedar County totals: Kaufmann 5,842 (63 percent); Schwab 3,456 (37 percent); Total votes: 9,298

• Johnson County totals: Kaufmann 2,338 (44 percent); Schwab 2,991 (56 percent); Total votes: 5,329

• Muscatine County totals: Kaufmann 856 (63 percent); Schwab 507 (37 percent)

• Grand totals: Kaufmann 9,036 (57 percent); Schwab 6,954 (43 percent); Total votes from all three counties: 15,990

Schwab said he felt the Kaufmann name is “well respected” and possibly Cedar County “wanted one of their own.” Jeff Kaufmann held the House District 79 seat, which became House District 73 for this election cycle after the district boundaries were redrawn after the census. Jeff Kaufmann decided not to run for the new district and Bobby Kaufmann filed in his place. The two both live on the Cedar County side of Wilton.

Bobby Kaufmann said that, while campaigning, voters most asked about the economy, education and “real property tax reform.”

He said he would begin a “rigorous schedule” from now until the next legislative session, meeting with people in the district to learn more about their concerns, and spending time in Des Moines “to know the agenda and what is coming down the pipeline.”