Homophobic Candidates Defeated In Ottumwa Races

Rick Bick won’t have to worry about trying to illegally bar LGBTQ events in Ottumwa as he was defeated by Rick Johnson in Tuesday’s mayoral contest.

Johnson captured 2,272 votes to Bick’s 1,026 votes. During a forum before the election, Bick compared LGBTQ people to pedophiles and his comments were heavily criticized by local and statewide gay rights organizations.

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Johnson, who was appointed to the Ottumwa City Council in August after retiring from a local community health center, said he supported Pride events during the same forum in which Bick made his homophobic remarks.

Another homophobic Ottumwa candidate seeking office, Matt Pringle, also was defeated. Pringle made it clear he would also be against the city approving permits for gay pride events in town. He was one of six candidates petitioning for three open council seats which wound up going to Sandra Pope (1,957 votes), Douglas McAntire (1,739 votes), and Cara Galloway (1,589 votes). Pringle received 985 votes, which was the least amount of all six candidates.

Story updated to reflect the correct number of city council candidates on the final ballot. 

by Ty Rushing
11/02/21

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