Two Democrats dropped out of their races but still won the most votes on Election Day, delivering an unusual reminder that ending a campaign does not automatically remove a candidate from the ballot. Eric Armstrong in Iowa and Ericka Lomick in Texas had both stopped campaigning before voters went to the polls on November 3, 2026.
Their results come with an important distinction. Armstrong won his Iowa House race, while Lomick received the most votes in two Texas House contests with questions about her eligibility still unresolved. Her vote totals should not be confused with a final determination that she can take office.
In Iowa House District 20, Armstrong received 4,602 votes, or 55.2%, compared with Republican Keith Jones’ 3,737 votes, or 44.8%, according to Associated Press election returns updated November 4. The display estimated that 99% of the vote had been counted. Those figures are election-night returns, rather than certified final totals.
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Armstrong had ended his campaign in September because of health issues, according to Unusual Whales, citing The New York Times. His decision to step away from campaigning did not prevent voters from choosing his name in November.
Iowa’s Secretary of State explains that candidates nominated in a primary are automatically placed on the general-election ballot. The state’s published 2026 general-election calendar listed August 14 as the withdrawal deadline for primary nominees seeking state or federal office. Armstrong’s September departure from active campaigning came after that deadline.
In Texas, Lomick’s situation involves both election results and a separate question about whether she can serve. The Texas Tribune reported that she received the most votes in the House District 93 general election and in the special election to complete former Republican Rep. Nate Schatzline’s term.
Lomick had suspended her campaign in September amid questions about her eligibility. She remained on both ballots because it was too late to remove her, the Tribune reported. Republican Alan Blaylock was her opponent.
The two District 93 contests served different purposes: one covered the remainder of the existing term, while the other selected a representative for the next full term. That is why voters encountered the same candidates in two separate races.
Texas’ official election guidance set August 21 as the deadline for a party nominee to withdraw from the November general election. It also required a withdrawal to be signed, notarized and filed with the appropriate authority. A public announcement about ending a campaign does not, by itself, satisfy those ballot procedures.
As of the Tribune’s November 4 reporting, the outcome for Lomick’s seat remained uncertain. Tarrant County Democratic Party Chair Allison Campolo told the outlet that lawyers were examining the matter. The available reporting does not establish that Lomick has been cleared to take office, and this article does not describe her eligibility as settled.
The unusual results highlight a gap between campaign activity and ballot status. Candidates can stop asking for votes while their names remain available for voters to select. Ballot deadlines help explain how both Democrats could end their campaigns and still finish ahead of their opponents.
For Armstrong, the result was a victory after a health-related campaign exit. For Lomick, finishing first left another question to resolve: whether she can legally serve. The election process now moves from counting ballots to determining who will hold office.
