***The Iowa Standard is an independent media voice. We rely on the financial support of our readers to exist. Please consider a one-time sign of support or becoming a monthly supporter at $5, $10/month - whatever you think we're worth! If you’ve ever used the phrase “Fake News” — now YOU can actually DO something about it! You can also support us on PayPal at [email protected] or Venmo at Iowa-Standard-2018 or through the mail at: PO Box 112 Sioux Center, IA 51250

The Iowa Standard previously reported a Republican running for Iowa House in District 92 switched his voter registration to Republican earlier this year after flipping to caucus with the Democrats in 2020.

The mayor of Washington, Iowa is a person called Jaron Rosien. Rosien also struggled to provide a strong pro-life answer at a candidate forum last month.

He joined Simon Conway on 1040 WHO Radio for an interview on Friday. It didn’t go well.

Rosien defended his switching of political party registration, noting he has caucuses for both Republicans and Democrats. He mentioned voters who change their registration on election day to vote in the opposite primary elections — something he has told voters they can do if they want a Republican like him on the ballot for November.

Rosien denied to Conway that there’s “active recruitment” on his part to get Democrats and Independents to flip, despite his quote in local newspapers suggesting otherwise.

Interestingly, Rosien blamed Gov. Kim Reynolds’ involvement in primary elections for motivating the opposition. He called her endorsements “meddling, unprecedented and dangerous.”

When Rosien discussed his 2020 Democrat Caucus participation, he refused to say who he supported initially.

“I caucused for someone much younger than President Biden,” Rosien said. “I’d rather not say — it doesn’t matter — it was just a younger, much younger candidate.”

When pressed, Rosien admitted he caucused for Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

“I caucused for a fellow mayor,” Rosien said. “I caucused for Pete Buttigieg. I enjoyed learning about that process.”

Rosien called for removing the plank from the Republican Party of Iowa platform that supports repealing any marriage other than that of a marriage between one natural man and one natural woman.

Rosien is married to another man himself, just like Buttigieg, although he didn’t volunteer that information in the interview.

“I do not believe that energy spent on reversing gay marriage is necessary or is appropriate,” he said.

Rosien said he agrees with everything else in the platform, in large part. But the conversation then turned toward abortion and it turned out there wasn’t much agreement.

Rosien said he believes life begins at conception but supports exceptions to allow for abortions. When asked how many exceptions there are, he said:

“That’s an excellent question. I don’t know.”

When it comes to Education Savings Accounts, Rosien referred to them the same way Democrats and the teachers’ union does — as “vouchers.”

Rosien suggested Education Savings Accounts will hurt Iowa’s public schools by diverting money from public education. He said what is happening in schools is very concerning with the vilifying of teachers and weaponizing of students to fear monger.

When asked who is vilifying teachers, he had no answer.

You can listen to Rosien’s interview with Conway below. His opponent, Heather Hora, was endorsed by Gov. Reynolds and has earned the endorsement of The Iowa Standard.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here