(Radio Iowa) — The Sioux City Catholic Diocese has announced it is developing a list of “credibly accused priests” who’ve worked in the northwest Iowa diocese. The Diocese acknowledged news stories about Jerry Coyle, a priest who worked in parishes in Carroll and Fort Dodge, had been upsetting to many. In a written statement, the bishop asked anyone who had been victimized by a priest in the Diocese “at any time” to report it to the Victims Assistance Coordinator in the Diocese.

It also emphasized the allegations surrounding Coyle happened when the church often sent priests to treatment rather than report sex abuse allegations to the police for potential prosecution.

According to the statement, the Sioux City Diocese asked county attorneys in northwest Iowa to review allegations priests in the area had sexually abused children. The Diocese statement indicates the county attorneys declined “for various reasons” as many of the accused priests were dead and the statute of limitations had expired so there was no way to criminally prosecute accused priests who were still alive.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two years after Republicans swept most state and federal offices in Iowa, Democrats showed they still have some life in the state. Republican Kim Reynolds was elected governor on Tuesday and the GOP maintained control of the Legislature, but Democrats beat two Republican congressional incumbents in winning three of the state’s four U.S. House seats. It was a contrast to 2016, when President Donald Trump won the state by about nine percentage points and the GOP took three of four House seats.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican Mike Naig will remain state agriculture secretary. Voters on Tuesday choose Naig over Democrat Tim Gannon, a central Iowa farmer who previously worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Naig grew up on a farm in northwest Iowa and has worked at the state agriculture department since 2013. Gov. Kim Reynolds appointed him agriculture secretary in March.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican Kim Reynolds won her first full term as governor Tuesday, beating Democratic businessman Fred Hubbell to become the first woman elected governor in Iowa. Reynolds became governor in 2017 after Terry Branstad was named ambassador to China.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Democrats in Iowa captured a majority of the state’s seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterms for the first time in years, but Republicans kept control of the state’s executive branch. While Democrats picked up two congressional seats, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds defeated Democrat Fred Hubbell to earn a full four-year term and her party appeared poised to keep control of the Legislature.

Democrat Rob Sand has been elected Iowa’s state auditor, beating incumbent Republican Mary Mosiman. Sand won Tuesday’s election after a more high-profile campaign than is typical for the office.
Sand, an attorney and former prosecutor with the state attorney general’s office, ran an aggressive campaign that focused on his call for more investigations of misspending in state and local governments.
Mosiman was appointed auditor in 2013 and then elected to a full term in 2014. She previously was Story County’s auditor and worked in the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office. She had stressed her experience as a certified public accountant.
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Democrat Cindy Axne has beaten incumbent Republican Rep. David Young to represent Des Moines and much of southwest Iowa in the U.S. House. Voters chose Axne on Tuesday after twice electing Young, a former aide to Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley. In her campaign, Axne focused on health care and Young’s support for President Donald Trump. Axne noted that Young voted repeatedly to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which stopped insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions among other requirements. Young acknowledged his votes but argued he’d always favored protecting people with pre-existing conditions. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence held separate Iowa rallies last month to support Young. The 3rd District is made up of 16 counties and includes Des Moines.
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Democratic Rep. Dave Loebsack has been elected to a seventh term in Congress, representing southeast Iowa’s 2nd District. Voters on Tuesday chose Loebsack over Republican Christopher Peters, a doctor who also ran against Loebsack in 2016. In his campaign, Peters repeatedly criticized health care changes made through the Affordable Care Act, which Loebsack supports. Peters called for enacting changes to create a more efficient and less costly system. Loebsack, a college professor before being elected to the U.S. House, focused his campaign on improving the rural economy, including passing a farm bill.
The 2nd District includes 24 counties and the cities of Burlington, Davenport, Iowa City and Muscatine.
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Democrat Abby Finkenauer has been elected in northeast Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, becoming one of the youngest women ever elected to the U.S. House. Finkenauer defeated incumbent Republican Rod Blum on Tuesday. She won after a campaign that played up her blue collar roots and focused on the need to help working-class families. Blum lost in his bid for a third term. He was elected in 2014 as a tea party candidate and remained a reliable conservative and strong supporter of President Donald Trump. He’s acknowledged that Trump’s tariff fight with China has been costly for Iowa farmers but argued the president is a master negotiator and that the immediate pain will ultimately pay off in better commodity prices. The 1st district covers 20 counties and includes the cities of Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Waterloo.

Winner (Rep=Republican, D= Democrat, NBP= Nominated By Petition)

County Board of Supervisors – District 2

Clifford L. Carney (Rep.)     705*

Rick Kness    340

County Board of Supervisors – District 3

Everett L. Grasty (Rep.)    602*

Kevin Wirt (Dem.)            506

Hospital Trustee (elect 2)

Jimmie Robson    1,300

Roberta “Bert” Simmons     1,752*

Danielle Fink     1,747

John M. Tews.   1,869*

Ag Extension Council (elect 5)

1. Barb Gigar Lauritsen    2,390
2. Cody Sheeder     2,716
3. Kim Durst     2,914
4. Jim Calvert    2,881
5. 485 Write-in votes

Winner (Rep=Republican, D= Democrat, NBP= Nominated By Petition)

County Board of Supervisors (elect 3)

Scott A. Belt (Incumbent) (Rep.) 15,867*

Lynn Grobe (Rep.) 13,849*

Justin Schultz (Incumbent) (Rep.) 14,912*

Glenn Hurst (Dem.) 10,938

Frances Parr (Dem.) 8,131

Marsha L. Pilger (Dem.) 10,257

Robert Fairchild (Libertarian) 1,445

Don Dierks (Independent) 4,389

Tom Hanafan (Incumbent) (No Party Affiliation) 11,244

*Winner(s) (I- Incumbent, Rep=Republican, D= Democrat, NBP= Nominated By Petition)

Hospital Trustee (elect 2)

1. Jill C. Bergstrom   2,478*
2. Kevin Cabbage    2,044*
3. Michelle Pruss     1,416

Ag Extension Council (elect 5)

1. Susan Bergren   2,428
2. Scott Bruce 2,721
3. Lori DeKay 2,348
4. Shelly Erickson-Graham  2,050
5. ______________