by David Hawkins
Iowa Democrat Eric Armstrong stopped campaigning in September, telling voters that health problems demanded his full attention.
Nearly two months later, he defeated Republican Keith Jones by more than 10 points in a state House district where Republicans held a voter registration advantage.
Armstrong remained on the November ballot after stepping away from the race.
He received 4,602 votes, or 55.2 percent, to Jones’s 3,737 votes, or 44.8 percent.
The 865-vote victory keeps Iowa’s 20th House District in Democratic hands.
Armstrong Said He Could No Longer Give the Race His Full Attention
Armstrong announced in a September 7 Facebook post that he was ending his campaign immediately.
He said the physical and mental demands of campaigning had become difficult to manage while dealing with his health problems.
“Because I must prioritize my health and recovery at this time, I am stepping down from my campaign, effective immediately,” Armstrong wrote.
“This was a deeply difficult choice.
“However, I know it is the right one.”
He told supporters that the district deserved a candidate who could devote his full attention to the campaign.
At the time, he expected to serve the community in other ways once he recovered.
“Our District deserves a representative who can give 100 percent of their energy to this race,” Armstrong added.
“Right now, I must focus on healing so that I can continue to serve our community in other ways in the future.”