Name: Jeff Reichman, Republican
Office/District: State Senate District 42
Hometown: Montrose
Profession: Roquette – manufacture corn-based sweeteners for food and medical industries / Home Inspections.
Why running for office: “I am from here, from Southeast Iowa. And I joined the Marine Corps. I graduated from Wesleyan up in Mount Pleasant and went into the Marine Corps as an officer. I came back to visit several times and saw the entire area going downhill. It’s a theme that has been common across many industrial towns as we’ve seen we lose all these jobs to NAFTA and there are empty storefronts and towns’ economies are just decimated. When I left active duty and came back home, I was in the same boat. The opportunities were few and far between. So, I really had a hard time transitioning back and finding a job to get into. I quickly got involved with an organization here, Lee County Economic Development, just knowing that I had to do something to try to help make the economy better, try to make the living standards better in Southeast Iowa. So, that’s where I started at just wanting to do more. Wanting to get more involved and wanting to make Southeast Iowa better for us and the people in it.
“My goal is to give our children a reason to stay here and the people who have left a reason to come back. And try to give some growth opportunities.”
Facebook: Jeff Reichman for Iowa Senate
Democrat State Sen. Rich Taylor is seeking re-election in the district.