Experience leads in state office races

DES MOINES - In a fiercely-contested battle for Iowa's vacated Secretary of State post, Republican Paul Pate appeared to edge Democrat Brad Anderson, according to preliminary results.

Pate previously served as secretary of state from 1995 to 1999 and amid a wave of Republican momentum Tuesday, led Anderson with 1,755 precincts, or 99%, reporting after 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. Pate received 522,768 votes - or 49 percent - to Anderson's 502.385 votes - or 47 percent - of the votes.

In addition to his time as secretary of state, Pate served in the Iowa Senate from 1989 to 1995 and more recently as mayor of Cedar Rapids from 2002 to 2006.

Anderson has political experience working as a consultant. He has run campaigns for a variety of referendums and candidates, including Barack Obama's 2012 Iowa campaign.

The winner will take over for Matt Schultz, who announced in January that he was not seeking re-election to the Secretary of State's Office but instead was running to represent Iowa's third congressional district. Schultz finished third in the primary.

INCUMBENT LEADING ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE: Democrat Tom Miller seems to be cruising to an easy victory. Miller, first elected attorney general in 1978, was ahead of his Republic challenger Adam Gregg at 10 p.m. with 260,059 votes to 164,257 votes.

APPOINTED AUDITOR BATTLES TO KEEP JOB: Mary Mosiman, appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad in 2013 to succeed Dave Vaudt as State Auditor, is eyeing her victory in her first statewide election.

With 518 precincts reporting at 10 p.m., Republican Mosiman was ahead of Democratic challenger Jon Neiderbach with 51.7 percent of the votes. She had 212,105 votes to Neiderbach's 197,409 votes - or 48.1 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results.

TREASURER TO CONTINUE HIS RUN: Iowa State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald is poised to retain his spot as the longest-serving state treasurer in the country. Fitzgerald, with 518 precincts reporting, was leading the race with 58.1 percent of the vote in his bid for a ninth consecutive term.

Republican Sam Clovis had 38.7 percent of the votes and Libertarian Keith Laube had 3.1 percent.

NORTHEY REMAINS AGRICULTURE SECRETARY: Republican incumbent Bill Northey looks likely to get a third term as Secretary of Agriculture after taking a big lead early over his challengers, according to preliminary vote totals.

Northey had 57.2 percent of the vote - with 518 precincts reporting at 10 p.m. - compared to Democrat Sherrie Taha's 39.1 percent of the vote and New Independent Levi Benning's 3.6 percent of the votes.