The Republican party was supposed to select its nominee for Iowa’s open 3rd Congressional District at Creston High School June 21.
Creston is the most centralized location in the third district, which spans from Council Bluffs northeast to Des Moines.
However, party officials made last minute changes over the weekend moving the location of the special nomination to Des Moines Christian High School in Urbandale citing a “scheduling conflict” in Creston.
“We just couldn’t accommodate everything they needed,” said Jeff Bevins, activities director at Creston High School.
Bevins said the Republican party wanted use of both gymnasiums — high school and middle school — as well as classrooms. Bevins said carpet is currently being replaced at the classrooms at the high school.
“It just wasn’t going to work,” Bevins said. “Our school gymnasiums do not shut down in the summer. We have all sorts of activities happening.”
Now, more than 500 delegates will flood Urbandale June 21 to nominate their candidate for U.S. House. The reason for this special nomination convention is no candidate received the necessary 35 percent of the vote during the primary election earlier this month.
In the primary, candidate Brad Zaun received 24.7 percent of the vote and Robert Cramer and Matt Schultz were close behind with 21.2 and 20.1 percent, respectively. Other candidates in this race are David Young, Monte Shaw and Joe Grandanette. The nominee will face Democrat Staci Appel this fall in the general election.