The National Organization for Marriage met defeat in Iowa on Tuesday when Republican candidate Stephen Burgmeier (pictured), who received substantial financial support from the antigay group, lost a special election for a state house seat.

In recent weeks, the race for the district 90 seat in southeast Iowa became a bellwether for those seeking to determine how same-sex marriage, which was legalized in Iowa in April, would affect statewide races in 2010.

According to The Des Moines Register, “Democratic candidate Curt Hanson, a retired schoolteacher, won against GOP candidate and Jefferson County supervisor Stephen Burgmeier by 3,932 to 3,825 votes, according to unofficial tallies.”

As supervisor, Burgmeier led calls for a constitutional amendment to overturn the state supreme court’s unanimous marriage equality ruling. He benefited from $86,060 in political advertising on local radio and television, paid for by NOM.

NOM's spending is now the subject of a complaint filed on Monday, charging that the organization violated campaign disclosure laws.