I want to thank Will Klocke for saying out loud what many Iowa voters should be asking: Is Iowa for sale?
His letter raised a bigger question about authenticity. In Iowa, that matters.
I keep hearing Zach Lahn referred to as an “Iowa farmer,” and I have to be honest — that does not sit right with me. The farmers I know work the land. They have tractors, livestock, long days, weather worries, tight margins, and hands that tell the story before they ever say a word.
Coming from generations of farmers is honorable. Owning land is meaningful. But that is not the same thing as being a working farmer. Iowa farmers help feed the world. That title should mean something.
Now voters are being asked to consider a candidate who claims to be Iowa First while questions remain about a plane, homes in two states, and whether Iowa is truly his full-time home. Why would Iowa want a part-time governor?
Iowa needs a governor who lives here, works here, raises his family here, and understands the weight of this state because he carries it every day.
That is one reason I am supporting Adam Steen.
I know Adam and his family personally. I have been to their home in Runnells, Iowa. I worked with his wife, Kasey, for six years. She is an amazing mother, wife, and attorney. I have seen the life they are living, not just the image they are campaigning on.
Adam is not pretending to be rooted in Iowa. He is rooted here.
Adam Steen is a full-time Iowan. Kasey and their boys are full-time Iowans. They live right here in Runnells. Adam has experience in state government, and he gave up his full-time job to campaign because he believes Iowa is worth fighting for.
Adam is not a wealthy man trying to buy this race. He is supported by regular Iowans — including real farmers with real farms in Iowa.
In full disclosure, Will Klocke is my godson and cousin. He grew up on my grandparents’ farm, right next to my family’s farm. My own roots are in Dedham, Iowa, in Carroll County, where I was raised in a farm family that understands what farming actually means.
That is why words like “farmer,” “Iowan,” and “Iowa First” should mean something.
There is a difference between having Iowa roots and being rooted in Iowa.
There is a difference between owning land and working the land.
There is a difference between campaign branding and lived truth.
Iowa deserves a governor whose life matches the message. Iowa deserves a full-time Iowan.
Adam Steen is the real deal.
— Sarah (Klocke) Slack
Altoona
