Matt Pina
Two incumbents of the Des Moines City Counci who originally filed to run for reelection in the Aug. 3 Primary Election have withdrawn as of Monday, May 24, 2021.

Monday at 4:30 p.m. was the deadline for withdrawing from the race, and both Mayor Matt Pina and Councilmember Lusa Bangs have decided to back out.

Pina has served for 12 years on the council, and withdrew from Position No. 1.

Bangs was selected in Feb., 2020 to fill Victor Pennington’s seat, which expires Dec. 31, 2021. Bangs lost reelection to her previous No. 2 seat by 120 votes to newcomer JC Harris in the Nov. 5, 2019 election.

Luisa Bangs

Also withdrawing from running for Position No. 3 is John Theofelis.

Harry Steinmetz will now run unopposed for Pina’s seat, while Gene Achziger and Priscilla Vargas will battle for Bangs’ Position No. 3.

“Last night I had a meeting with Mr. Pina,” Steinmetz said in a Facebook post. “He told me that he has has experienced a number of family issues in the last year and just doesn’t feel that he can give 100% to the campaign and to the city. Although he acknowledged that he and I do not agree 100% of the time, he thinks I have a level head and will be a good steward of the city. Therefore he filed his paperwork to withdraw his candidacy. I respect Mr. Pina’s 20 years of service to our community and his 12 years on the City Council. And I respect his willingness to step aside at this time in his life. And I thank him for his endorsement.”

Here’s the final lineup for Des Moines City Council for the Aug. 3 Primary election:
 

City of Des Moines, Council Position No. 1:

City of Des Moines, Council Position No. 3:

City of Des Moines, Council Position No. 5:

City of Des Moines, Council Position No. 7: