(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Republican Party chairman Jeff Kaufmann says it would be a relief to have 87-year-old Senator Chuck Grassley run for reelection in 2022. “I will tell you this: that if he does run, I will be smiling,” Kaufmann says. “…Look, the guy can out-think me, out-work me and out-run me literally. I’m sure that he could be a United States Senator for six years and I mean that sincerely.”

Grassley has said he’ll make his decision public later this year. If he does win re-election and serves all six years, Grassley would be 95 at the end of his eighth term in the U.S. Senate. Kaufmann says he hopes voters who became Republicans because of Donald Trump turn out to vote in 2022. “He had coattails in Iowa. I know there were some states he didn’t. I know there some states that maybe there was a backlash, but in Iowa, it’s irrefutable,” Kaufmann says. “…I want to hold the Trump voters, most of whom — the vast majority of whom — believe in the same things that Republicans believe in and are very peace-loving individuals.”

Kaufmann says while officials in other states should deal with the perception their election laws are flawed, Kaufmann says it’s clear Trump lost the 2020 election, since Joe Biden was sworn into office. As for the NEXT presidential election in 2024, Kaufmann says he’ll lobby against any effort to hold Iowa’s Caucuses, New Hampshire and South Carolina’s Primaries and the Nevada Caucuses all the same day. It’s something Democrats have discussed.

“It defeats the purpose,” Kaufmann says. “The purpose of starting with Iowa is so that a Rick Santorum or a Barack Obama can actually go out there and actually campaign face to face,” Kaufmann says. And Kaufmann says another complication is the New Hampshire Constitution requires that state to host the nation’s first presidential primary. Kaufmann made his comments this weekend during an appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Democratic state lawmaker says she has tested positive for COVID-19 and thinks she was infected with the virus at the Iowa Capitol, where Republicans have refused to mandate masks or require people to disclose positive cases. The announcement by Rep. Amy Nielsen of North Liberty on Saturday night marked the first confirmed case among legislators, but there have been three other positive cases among people associated in the House since the legislative session began three weeks ago. One of those additional cases was announced by the House’s chief clerk Saturday. House Speaker Pat Grassley says he cannot force members to wear masks. House rules do require men to wear a tie and jacket when in session and blue jeans are prohibited.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa reported a record 250 deaths linked to the coronavirus Sunday, which is the biggest one-day increase the state has recorded. The state reported 4,901 deaths linked to COVID-19 on Sunday morning. That was 250 more than what the state reported Saturday, and the figure is significantly higher than the average of 23.43 deaths reported per day over the past week. But the 250 deaths reported Sunday didn’t occur within the last 24 hours. The deaths included many from the end of December and early January because it often takes more than a week for deaths to be added to the state totals after a person has died.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped trespassing charges against an activist who secretly recorded Iowa’s largest pork producer using heat to kill hundreds of pigs last year as the pandemic devastated the industry. Matt Johnson, an activist with the group Direct Action Everywhere, had been scheduled to stand trial Monday in Grundy County, Iowa, on two counts of trespassing at Iowa Select Farms properties. County prosecutors dismissed the charges Thursday at the request of Iowa Select, whose personnel had been subpoenaed to testify. A company spokeswoman says it “cannot be distracted by individuals who choose to break the law and grandstand.” Johnson is an Iowa native who now lives in Berkeley, California. He says the company is “desperate to conceal their abhorrent and criminal conduct.”

(Corrects Sherry Toelle’s phone number) In an on-going effort to engage the voting public in understanding the policies, procedures, and growth of the Iowa Democratic Party, the Cass County Democratic Party will be holding meetings open to registered Democrats in February and March; people can register as Democrats prior to the meetings. Both meetings will be held virtually. Notices will be emailed to those interested in attending either meeting, regarding sign-up.

County Party Chair Sherry Toelle says on February 16 at 7 PM, the 2021 Odd-Year Caucus will be held. The purpose of this caucus is to nominate committee persons to fill precinct vacancies and to begin precinct-level planning for the remainder of the year. Also discussed will be constituency caucus groups within the IDP, such as Labor, Veteran, LGBTQ, Women, Senior, etc. Planning topics will include growing the party, maintaining relationships within the party, and local races for which to recruit candidates.

March 16th at 7 PM will be the 2021 Biennial Organizational Meeting at which time the Cass County Executive Committee will be elected/re-elected for a two-year term. Democrats who wish to be considered for nomination as Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer or other positions, should contact current County Chair Sherry Toelle at shtoelle@gmail.com or 712-243-4861 for further information.

These two events signal the beginning of the 2022 election season. It is a great time for Democrats or would-be Democrats to become involved within the party. Questions can be directed to Toelle via email or phone.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will hold an electronic, Special Session, beginning 9-a.m. Monday, Feb. 1st. During their meeting, the Board will hold a work session and discuss local government relief funds.

**The meeting can be accessed via dial-in at (605)-313-6157, Access Code 526272#