Reichman unseats Taylor in state Senate race

Jeff Reichman is the new District 42 state senator.

Reichman, a Republican from Montrose, beat two-term Democratic incumbent Rich Taylor of Mt. Pleasant in Tuesday's election.

'We were cautiously optimistic with it last night,” Reichman said. 'We knew we were working hard, and we knew Southeast Iowa has been suffering a long time and needed to turn things around.

'This was the time to do it.”

Reichman won 59.8 percent of the vote (16,738 votes) in the district, while Taylor garnered 40 percent (11,211 votes).

District 42 encompasses Henry and Lee counties, as well as portions of Washington and Jefferson counties.

Reichman won a majority of the vote in all four counties that make up District 42:

' Henry County – 5,764 to 3,756 votes.

' Jefferson County – 615 to 340 votes.

' Washington County – 755 to 294 votes.

' Lee County – 9,604 to 6,821 votes.

Taylor, who was first elected to the seat in 2012 and again in 2016, did not return multiple calls Tuesday night and Wednesday seeking comment.

However, his cell phone voicemail greeting was changed over that time period to no longer introducing himself as State Sen. Rich Taylor.

Reichman, who serves as co-chair of the Lee County Republican Party, works for Roquette America and owns a home-inspection business.