DUBUQUE, Iowa — A Dubuque doctor who was running as a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate was killed when the small plane he was piloting crashed, a hospital spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Dr. Douglas Butzier was pronounced dead following the crash of a fixed wing single-engine plane around 11 p.m. Monday near Dubuque Regional Airport, according to the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office. He was the sole occupant of the aircraft.
Butzier, 59, worked at Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque. He was president of the medical staff and as a member of the Mercy Board of Trustees, said Jennifer Faley, a hospital spokeswoman.
Butzier was running for U.S. Senate as the Libertarian candidate against Democratic U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley and Republican state Sen. Joni Ernst. The race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin is one of the closest in the nation and third party candidates, including Butzier, were getting 2 percent or less in recent independent opinion polls.
“He was a leader among his peers, and we will all miss his strong, intelligent, thoughtful presence, and we express our collective condolences to Doug’s family, friends, and colleagues,” said hospital president and CEO Russell Knight in a statement.
Both Braley and Ernst released statements expressing sadness at the news of Butzier’s death.
Butzier’s name will remain on ballots since the deadline for substituting candidates has passed, said Iowa Secretary of State spokesman Chance McElhaney in a statement.
“He’s was an outstanding individual, an emergency room doctor, an outstanding citizen, politician, and a great guy,” said Libertarian Party of Iowa Chairman Keith Laube, a candidate for state treasurer. “Our condolences go out to his family.”
Additional information about what caused the crash has not been released. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the plane took off from Ankeny Regional Airport about an hour before the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA will investigate.
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