Scott County residents will have at least five choices for two county supervisor positions up for election this year, including a Democrat on the Davenport city council who said she intends to run as a Republican.
Davenport Second Ward Alderman Maria Dickmann said she will run as a Republican in a primary against incumbent Republicans Tony Knobbe and Ken Beck, who have announced their reelection plans.
Democrat Jazmin Newton announced her candidacy last week. Democrat Rev. Rogers Kirk told The NSP Monday he will make his second bid for supervisor.
Monday was the first day for candidates to file petitions with at least 100 signatures of registered Scott County voters. The petitions do not require signers to disclose party affiliation. Petitions are available online through the auditor’s office at scottcountyiowa.com/auditor, and must be submitted by March 20.
Dickmann said she is passing her petition as a Republican candidate.
“I’m known for shaking things up. I’m sure I’ll get hate mail from some Democrats,” she told The NSP Monday.
She said her run for supervisor is motivated partly by frustration over judicial equity she witnessed while advocating for a jail inmate. Her candidacy as a Republican comes from frustration with some of her own party members over several issues, including some Democrats’ continuing support of Davenport’s Civil Rights Commission director. Dickmann said she’s eager to see the commission move on with new members, not with members who stayed on after terms expired.
She said her party switch “is nudging the conversation. I understand there are two incumbents who are probably not going to welcome me,” she said.
Kirk, pastor at Davenport’s Third Missionary Baptist Church, lost his 2018 supervisor bid by a hair to Republican John Maxwell. Maxwell’s 30,785 votes beat Republican Carla Williams and Kirk by fewer than 700 votes.
He said his campaign will focus on board accessibility and transparency, and funding alternatives to incarceration.
For this year’s election, County Board chairman Tony Knobbe announced his bid for a second term in February. Incumbent Republican Ken Beck announced his reelection bid in December.