Congressman King talks about presidential candidates; find audio at the end of this post
The Greene County Republicans’ annual fall fundraiser Tuesday evening at Clover Hall included two hours of tag team campaigning by candidates from all levels of the Nov. 4 ballot, aided by two members of the state central committee and two of Iowa’s delegates on the Republican National Committee. Congressman Steve King, who is running for his seventh two-year term in Washington, finished the evening with a 30 minute talk which looked toward the 2016 election cycle more than the current campaigns.
More than 125 persons were present. Organizers had announced Lt Gov Kim Reynolds and King as headliners. Unplanned until that afternoon, Joni Ernst, Republican candidate for US Senate, was also at the event. Roger Olhausen, John Thompson, Lindsey Larson and John Meyer shared the duties of introducing speakers.
All local candidates were recognized – board of supervisors candidates incumbents Dawn Rudolph and Tom Contner, county attorney candidate incumbent Nicola Martino, and county treasurer candidate Kristi Holz. Of them, only Rudolph spoke, thanking local Republicans for their support.
Jamie Johnson of Ames, a member of the state central committee, warmed up the audience, calling the event “a celebration of Republican principles.” “We are the party of prosperity,” he said. “We are the party of jobs, of opportunity. We’re the party of responsible public policy, good legislation. We think about the next generation, not just the next election. We think about being a road to prosperity for those who follow us, and we also honor those who have gone before us.”
Cody Hoefert of Rock Rapids, co-chair of the state Republicans, said about the Nov. 4 ticket, “We’ve got what I like to call the Dream Team. There’s somebody for everybody on this ticket.”
There are also many campaign styles represented.
Jerry Behn of Boone, who represents Greene County in the Iowa Senate, is not up for election this fall. He spoke in support of Ernst.
Chip Baltimore of Boone, Greene County’s voice in the Iowa House, talked broadly of the Republican party. “We are the party, we are the candidates of optimism. We are the party and the candidates of opportunity. We are the party and the candidates of promise. We know we’re standing on the right values and we’re doing the right things for all of you, and we appreciate your vote,” he said.
Candidates less known to Greene County voters included state auditor Mary Mosiman. She was appointed by the governor to fill a vacancy in May of 2013. She is now running for election. She is a CPA, and spoke of the merits of having a CPA, rather than an attorney, in that office.
Adam Gregg, candidate for state attorney general, had help from Reynolds and Ernst. He asked the audience questions like “Isn’t it time we had a Republican attorney general?” Reynolds and Ernst jumped up to lead the answering “Yes!”
Ernst took the podium next, speaking for 11 minutes after saying she had no prepared remarks. Her campaign for the open Senate seat created by the retirement of longtime Democratic Senator Tom Harkin has been at full throttle for several months. She said in person what her ads have already said.
Jefferson-Scranton graduate John Thompson next introduced Sam Clovis, candidate for state treasurer. Clovis campaigns flamboyantly and in general terms, and the audience seemed to enjoy his revival tent style. “I think we’re going to sweep this thing,” he said about the November election. “I think we’re going to kick the Democrats back into the next century and they’re going to be wondering what happened because we’re going to roll them up like tissue paper and throw them away.”
He talked about his race against incumbent Michael Fitzgerald, and about being 14 points behind him in the most recent polls. “There are nine weeks to go. We’re going to catch him and we’re going to beat him like a Missouri mule,” Clovis said.
Larson introduced Lt Gov Kim Reynolds who, with Gov Terry Branstad, is running for re-election. “There are politicians and there are statesmen. I have the pleasure of introducing a statesman,” Larson said.
The Branstad-Reynolds campaign has also been visible for several months, and Reynolds, like Ernst, said in person what has been shown in television commercials. She spoke of fiscal successes, of the increased emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in Iowa schools, and of efforts to make state government more efficient and more effective.
Reynolds talked about the strength of the Republican party in Iowa. “We have an incredible Iowa team. Everywhere we go we see turn-outs like this, great momentum, great energy, great excitement, and we’ve got to continue to see that right across the finish line,” she said. “There’s no letting up, there’s no stopping because we have an opportunity to really make a difference, and it’s going to take all of you to make that happen.”
Meyer introduced King, noting the Congressman’s committee and subcommittee work.
“We’re the best place in the world to raise a family,” King said. “We have the best set of values of any place in the country, and they know it all around this country… We lead with our values, we lead with our work ethic, and we lead from a mature Constitutional, responsible way. That’s Iowa. That’s the Midwest. That’s the people I have the profound honor to represent in the United States Congress.”
King talked little about his work in Congress over the past 12 years, but instead talked about the job performance of the current administration. King’s views on the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) are well known, as are his views on foreign policy. He did not specifically mention immigration Tuesday evening. “We have a president that has messed a lot of things up. I can’t think of a facet of our country’s management that I agree with him. Some of the worst is foreign policy….There’s not a single country in this world that I can name where our relationship with that country is stronger rather than weaker because of Barack Obama as president of the United States.”
Looking forward to the 2016 presidential election, King urged Iowans to get involved in suggesting platform planks to potential candidates as they make pre-caucus visits to the state. “From a policy standpoint, they need help, and we’re just the people to help them,” he said.
He named a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, repeal of federal income tax in favor of a national sales tax, and a full repeal of Obamacare as planks. “We can’t have a presidential candidate who isn’t in full-throated rejection of Obamacare itself, that we’re going to rip it out by the roots, that it is a malignant tumor that is metastasizing and feeding on God-given American liberty. Obamacare’s got to go,” King said.
He said he will go to New Hampshire and South Carolina “to let them see my face there, too, because whatever gets said in Iowa needs to be echoed in New Hampshire and South Carolina.”
At the close of his speech, King said, “Let’s elect a president that’s strong in our foreign policy, one that understands that free enterprise drives this economy… one that understands that life begins at the moment of conception and ends in natural death, one that understands the building block of civilization is the family, one that can be a mom and a dad joined together in holy matrimony blessed by children.
“That’s as good as we could ever ask for and that’s what we should nurture. We do these things so that the full spectrum of Constitutional conservatives, which are the Republican party all together, lifts up this country together.
“My prayer is that God raises up a leader He will use to restore the soul of America.”
To hear the last eight minutes of Congressman King’s remarks, click here:
