(Radio Iowa) – Three of the Republicans running for governor met for a live debate on Iowa P-B-S last (Tuesday) night. While touting their own views on a variety of issues, they also took aim at Randy Feenstra, the perceived front-runner in the race who was not there, and at Rob Sand, the Democrat who’s running for governor. Adam Steen, a former state agency director, says he jumped into the race because Feenstra isn’t the right candidate to face Sand in November.
“It’s unfortunate that Congressman Feenstra is not showing up for this debate,” Steen said. “It’s unfortunate that he’s hiding in D.C. right now. It’s unfortunate that he continues to run away.” Eddie Andrews, a member of the Iowa House, noted Feenstra’s absence from the debate stage. “First of all, let me just say you have to be present to win,” Andrews said. A spokesman for Feenstra says the congressman is in D.C. this week to work on the Farm Bill, which may come up for a vote.
Brad Sherman, a pastor from Williamsburg, suggests the Republican Party’s grassroots are restless and consider Feenstra the pick of the party’s establishment. “Some of the people are looking at Rob Sand. They’re saying, ‘Well, I like a couple of his ideas,” and they’re frustrated with some of the things that have happened on the Republican side,” Sherman said. “…Regardless of whether I agree with why they’re frustrated or not, the fact is they are frustrated.” Sherman announced his campaign for governor early last year — when Governor Kim Reynolds was preparing to run again.
“I think that willingness to challenge the status quo that some people feel like has been out there puts me in a good place to beat Rob Sand,” Sherman said. All three candidates said they disagreed with Governor Kim Reynolds’ veto of a bill backed by property owners who don’t want a carbon pipeline running through their land. However, Steen, who worked in the Reynolds Administration for five years, says Reynolds has been a champion of conservative issues.
“But I have a different background, I’ve got a business background,” Steen said. “I’ve got a background that fortunately put me in front of the Democrat nominee Rob Sand.” Steen — as director of the state’s human resources and property management agency, interacted with Sand, the state Auditor. Andrews says Reynolds is a hard worker and a good leader. “I think Governor Reynolds has done a phenomenal job in many respects,” Andrews said. “You’re also aware of the differences that we’ve had.”
Andrews also opposed the governor’s reorganization of Area Education Agencies. All three candidates say state law should make all abortions illegal by declaring that life begins at conception, but only Sherman went one step further, suggesting abortion should be considered a crime. “Now whether people should be prosecuted for participating in abortions or having an abortion, I mean, that’s going to depend on every single situation,” Sherman said. “I don’t think you can make a one-size-fits-all for that, but if it’s a person, we have to protect that life and there should be prosecutions in some cases for that.”
Andrews says he believes life begins at conception, but prosecuting women for getting an abortion is a step too far for him. “I think we should worry more about why that person feels like they have no choice,” Andrews said. Steen says mailing abortion pills into Iowa should be a crime. “And we need to protect life at conception and how we get there is through conversation. It’s through collaboration,” Steen said, “but the focus is on a culture of life.”
Two of the candidates expressed concerns about the data centers that are operating and being built in Iowa. Andrews suggests the tax breaks for the facilities should be reexamined. “The biggest concern is not the data center themselves, but the water and the aquifers that they’re taking up,” Andrews said. Brad Sherman says data centers use a lot of electricity. “They produce some construction jobs, but then after they’re finished there are very few jobs there,” Sherman said. “…We also need to look at the tax breaks they’re getting.”
Businessman Zach Lahn — the other G-O-P candidate for governor — called last night’s debate a farce because Feenstra wasn’t there and Lahn declined the invitation to participate. Lahn says if Feenstra doesn’t agree to a one-on-one debate with him by Monday, Lahn will ask Rob Sand to debate.
