Republican candidate for Iowa’s 3rd District Congressional seat, Monte Shaw, stopped by the KJAN Studios Friday afternoon, to make a final push for your vote during the June 3rd Primary election. Shaw is competing against five other Republicans for the seat being vacated by Republican Tom Latham, who decided not to run for re-election.

The Republican race for Latham’s seat hasn’t been too contentious, but Shaw says Democrat Staci Appel attacked him on religious grounds during a recent debate. He says he was defending the 1st Amendment to the Constitution, saying “The federal government should not be allowed to force religious institutions to provide services at their own expense, that run counter to their religious tenets.” Shaw says “Staci Appel came out and called that extremist rhetoric.” He says “Apparently she thinks it’s fine for the federal government to dictate what religious institutions do with their money, even if it violates their religious tenet.”

Shaw says as for the Republicans, in order for a candidate to emerge as a clear-cut winner in the Primary and move on to the election in November, they will have to show they can stand-up to scrutiny from the Democrats and what – quote — “The liberal attack machine out of D-C is going to through at us.” He says he can stand-up to that scrutiny, and he doesn’t have the baggage that makes for a “Target rich environment.”

Shaw says he has a “track record of getting things done,” and can bring a voice of agriculture to the U-S House. The 41-year old Shaw is a native of Shenandoah and has been the executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association since 2005. His Republican opponents heading into the June 3rd Primary include Robert Cramer, Joe Grandanette, Matt Schult, David Young and Brad Zaun.