Incumbent Democrat V Fixmer-Oraiz beat long-time Johnson County supervisor Rod Sullivan in the District 4 primary election on Tuesday, June 2. No Republican filed for District 4 before the deadline.
Fixmer-Oraiz, who lives in Iowa City, won the Democratic primary by a 29 point margin over Sullivan, garnering 56% of the vote, according to unofficial results.
Sullivan followed Fixmer-Oraiz with 44% of the vote. A total of 5,029 votes were cast in Tuesday’s Democratic primary election for supervisor district 4, according to unofficial results.
The primary comes as a new state law, Senate File 75, reshapes the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. The law required Johnson, Story, and Black Hawk Counties to adopt a supervisor district system for their elections. Only candidates who live in the district can run for the seat, and only district residents can vote.
The redistricting pitted the two incumbents against each other in Tuesday’s primary race.
If they prevail in the November general election, candidates elected in Districts 2-4 will have a two-year term, and those elected to Districts 1 and 5 seats will have a four-year term.
Fixmer-Oraiz pledges to fight for the ‘vunerable’
Fixmer-Oraiz has served on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors since 2022 and, before that, owned and operated an urban planning firm. Fixmer-Oraiz was also the first transgender, queer, and biracial person to serve on the county level in Iowa.
Fixmer-Oraiz said their experience as the only transgender county supervisor in Iowa has helped them understand “what it takes to fight for a Johnson County that is welcoming to all.”
“I will continue to find ways to keep our vulnerable residents safer in this authoritarian era of our country,” Fixmer-Oraiz previously told the Press-Citizen.
Fixmer-Oraiz has also been a vocal opponent of the bond set to be on the Nov. 3 general election ballot for a new jail and sheriff’s office.
Fixmer-Oraiz previously told the Press-Citizen that a $100 million dollar facility should not be the only option for voters and that input from stakeholders was lacking. Thought they agree that a new facility is needed because the current jail is “not a place anyone should be incarcerated in or where our staff should be working.”
Fixmer-Oraiz told the Press-Citizen on Tuesday that they appreciate Sullivan’s decades of service to the community and that “redistricting was of course not what we wanted.”
“I do appreciate everything our community has done to rally behind me and the vision of Johnson County that really is a much more safer and inclusive place,” Fixmer-Oraiz said in an interview.
Rod Sullivan ran on experience, supporting new jail
Sullivan has served on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors for 20 years, and said his experience will be valuable as the county faces big challenges.
Sullivan previously told the Press-Citizen he is running to continue working on affordable housing, the new jail, improving mental health services, and combating climate change at the county level.
Sullivan is also a supporter of the bond for the new Johnson County Sheriff’s office and jail that will be on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
“Taxpayers pay to ship inmates far away from Johnson County, an expensive logistical nightmare,” Sullivan previously told the Press-Citizen. “A new facility will be better for inmates, their loved ones, staff, and taxpayers.”
Liam Halawith covers Johnson County local government and public safety for the Press-Citizen. Reach him by email at lhalawith@registermedia.com. Follow him on X at @liam_halawith.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Vixmer-Oraiz beats Sullivan in Dist. 4 Johnson Co. supervisor primary
Reporting by Liam Halawith, Iowa City Press-Citizen / Iowa City Press-Citizen
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