Who Will Replace Randi Shannon in the District 34 Race?

The Republican candidate for Iowa's State Senate District 34 has bowed out from the race, so what will that mean for the election?

Don McDowell, who works in the Senate Republican leader's office, said Randi Shannon's campaign ending doesn't mean Democratic incumbent Liz Mathis has a clear shot at re-election. 

"Obviously (Shannon) made that decision for personal reasons so we move on and find a new candidate," he said.

McDowell is confident that Linn County Republicans will chose a candidate who will beat Mathis. He claims that any Republican chosen for the position would offer a clear alternative to Mathis. 

University of Iowa political scientist Tim Hagle said the district was a "tough race" before Shannon bowed out to join what she referred to as the "."

Mathis has the advantage as an incumbent and has a lot of , he said, but she's only been in office one year.

Linn County Republican Chairman Steve Armstrong said the next Republican nominee would likely be decided during Tuesday's  Linn County Republican Central Committee meeting.

Mathis could not be reached to comment on this story.