If the plaintiff was a candidate for office at the time of the libelous publication, no retraction shall be available unless published in a conspicuous place on the editorial page, nor if the libel was published within two weeks next before the election. This section and sections 659.2 and 659.3 do not apply to libel imputing sexual misconduct to any persons.
Iowa Code § 659.4
85 Acts, ch 99, §11