Skala reclaimed the position from incumbent Gary Kespohl with 54% of the votes. This redeems his narrow defeat to Kespohl in 2010, when Skala lost the seat by 54 votes. Kespohl knew that this time it would be close and estimated that he knocked on nearly 5700 doors.
In his concession speech, Kespohl was brief. “I’m afraid for Columbia now because of some things that Karl is going to try to do. It may drive development completely out of Columbia. I hope it doesn’t, but it may.”