Dr. Doug Butzier was killed in a plane crash in Iowa on Monday October 13. He was a candidate for the Senate in Iowa in the mid-term elections on November 4. He was 59 years old.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Butzier’s Plane Crashed Into a Backyard
The wreckage of Butzier’s plane. (Screengrab via KCRG)
He crashed his light aircraft near Key West, Iowa, reports the Dubuque Telegraph Herald. The crash site is mile north of a regional airport, the Dubuque Regional, which is where he was heading. His last contact with the airport was when Butzier told them he had to abandon a landing attempt.
2. He Could Have Altered the Iowa Senate Race Outcome
YouTube video
Butzier was a third party candidate in one of America’s closest Senate races against Bruce Braley, a Democrat, and Joni Ernst, a Republican. According to the Des Moines Register, a poll just prior to Butzier’s death showed Ernst with 47 percent to Braley’s 46. The poll had a third party candidate polling 3 percent.
3. Butzier Was a Physician at an Iowa Hospital
He was a doctor at Mercy hospital in Dubuque, Iowa. Dr. Butzier’s specialty was in emergency medicine. On his campaign website, he was critical of Obamacare:
The passage of ObamaCare was the final straw for me. I believe that putting the government in charge of our health care system, let alone 17% of the GDP, is a huge mistake. We need to get the federal government out of healthcare, out of the marketplace, out of the classroom and out of our wallets.
4. His Alma-Mater Was the University of Iowa
Butzier is a Iowa-native, he attended the University of Iowa, according his campaign Facebook page.
5. Butzier Is Survived by His Wife & Kids
Dr. Butzier pictured with his wife, Ann. (Facebook)
He is survived by his wife, Ann. Butzier lived with her and three teenage stepchildren. In addition, Dr. Butzier had two adult sons from a previous marriage.
