The Iowa State Fair brings together many of the best parts of Iowa, Democrat Deidre DeJear said Saturday at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox.
“Through this Iowa State Fair experience, I believe that the community we have today is worth fighting for,” said the governor from the soapbox stage of the fair’s Grand Concourse. .
But that community also includes people who couldn’t attend the fair or who can’t afford to attend, she said.
“We have a lot of good things in this state, but unfortunately we are now enduring challenges that we believe we can overcome.
Dejar, who is running to remove Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds in November, traveled the state and heard Iowans talking about their struggles to improve their communities. We are hearing from people who have a vision for but need more state investment. He said he wanted to represent the state of Iowa by increasing the number of
She said that she had heard: Well, states will appear throughout this state under my leadership. ”
In a nearly 17-minute remark on the Register’s Soapbox, she specifically pointed to the 2.5% increase in state aid that Republicans gave schools this year. States need more funding for education and can responsibly use rainy day funds to help with things like mental health care and addressing the shortage of mental health beds in treatment facilities. she said.
“From the outside, you might look at our mental health care system and think Iowa must be broken. Iowa shouldn’t have a solution,” she said. Well, I’ve traveled through this state, so I know that Iowans know what’s good for Iowa. Guess what, good people? We’re not broke.”
DeJear also noted her opposition to Reynolds’ stance on abortion. Reynolds is pushing for the revival of her 2018 law in Iowa banning abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.
“This election is about our freedom,” she said. “This election is about our voting rights. This election is about women being able to go to their own doctors (offices), making decisions that are good for themselves, and having Kim Reynolds’ opinion taken into account.” That’s what this election is about.”
DeJear, an activist and small business owner, ran unsuccessfully for secretary of state in 2018. Reynolds also reported more than 10 times his amount of cash on hand for his DeJear in July.
Libertarian Rick Stewart, who is also challenging Reynolds, spoke at the soapbox at the register early Saturday. but I declined.
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Ian Richardson covers the Iowa State Capitol for the Des Moines Register.To contact him, [email protected], 515-284-8254, or on his Twitter @DMRIanR.