(Radio Iowa)  – An Iowan invited to drive his tractor in today’s (Monday) Inaugural Parade — which has been cancelled — has still been able to drive his rig on the D-C streets. Gary Leffler’s 1957 Ford H tractor is painted red, white and blue and he rolled by the line of Trump supporters waiting to attend Trump’s Sunday night rally.

“A strong, patriotic theme,” Leffler says. “It’s got an American flag over the hood of it. It’s got John 3:16 right there by the steering wheel. Underneath the hood of the tractor are all the names of our family members who have served in the United States military.” The tractor has made appearances at a number of events in Iowa for Republicans and veterans, but this was its first out-of-state engagement.

“We don’t look at this as a Gary and Janelle (Leffler) tractor. We look at this as an Iowa tractor,” Leffler says. “100% of our motive is to represent Iowa and all the good people of Iowa.” Leffler, who was a precinct captain for Trump a year ago in the Iowa Caucuses, was a bit shocked the tractor was chosen for the Inaugural Parade from over 28-hundred potential entries.

Gary and Janelle Leffler drove down D.C. streets on Saturday, passing by the line of people waiting to attend a Trump rally. (Photo courtesy of Gary Leffler)

“The idea that a Gary and Janelle tractor from West Des Moines, Iowa, is being invited to this type of a thing is just somewhere off the charts,” Leffler says. “Kiddingly, I tell people I jumped so high we had to get the sheet-rock repaired on the ceiling of the room.” The cold weather in D-C didn’t phase Leffler or his wife, who rode on the tractor, too, waving at the crowd lined up to see Trump. Leffler filled up the gas tank and got the tractor spiffed it up before loading it into a trailer for the trip to D.C.

“I had to take the tractor over to the beauty shop to get its tires and fenders done,” Leffler says. “Took it over to my friend Bob Perkins at Perk’s Auto and he detailed it all out, so it looks like it just came straight out of the factory now.” Some of the Iowans who made the trip to D-C for today’s (Monday’s) inauguration attended the Midwest Ball on Saturday night and on Sunday the six Republicans in Iowa’s congressional delegation hosted a reception for Iowa visitors. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is among the U-S Senators who met with Trump for breakfast on Saturday morning.