Primaries are super important to take part in. Unfortunately, the turnout is usually low. If you are a proponent of term limits, this is the time to challenge that incumbent who has been in office too long. It takes a lot of hard work, but defeating an incumbent is possible. That’s not the case in our district, 64. Since I’m not seeking re-election, we have two new people vying for the seat.
How do you decide who to vote for? You want someone who understands the place of the Federal Government vs. State government, and someone who will defend our Constitutional rights. What’s next when the candidates agree on this point?
Name, looks, personality, lives in my neighborhood or town, is involved in community functions, they are my friend….
I hope these aren’t the qualifications you’re looking for!
The local newspapers have asked the candidates a variety of questions and given them opportunity to respond. That has been very helpful.
You may have seen a video floating around Facebook by the Iowa Gun Owners stating that Doug Wolfe refused to fill out their questionnaire therefore he must be anti-gun. Now that is not helpful! I talked with Doug personally and he said he did not receive the questionnaire. I know that Doug Wolfe is 100% pro-second amendment rights.
I searched online for another group’s questionnaire. There is a website,iVoterguide.com, which has a pretty extensive one. They ask questions I haven’t seen in other publications. I encourage you to click on the link and check it out.
Sometimes it’s difficult to know where the candidate truly stands, such as an erroneous video or conflicting answers on the same subject matter. For instance, how does Jason Gearhart feel about the funding of education. In local papers he says, “…I fully believe that public tax dollars should stay with public schools and not given to private schools.” But in the iVoter questionnaire he says, “I believe the money should follow the student wherever they choose to attend.”
A question I haven’t seen in the newspaper is a candidate’s stance on marriage. The iVoter guide asks for a response on the statement, “Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.” Doug Wolfe responded that he strongly agrees. Mr. Gearhart’s answer, “Gay marriage has been legal in the Unites States since 2009 and I will oppose any legislation taking this right away.”
Another question that has rarely appeared is the candidate’s current occupation. Doug Wolfe is a real estate broker and Jason Gearhart works for the DNR as an environmental specialist. The question may arise how someone working full-time for the State, being paid with our tax dollars, can have the time to represent me well. It seems someone who is self-employed is more available and has more flexibility.
These are all issues we as voters must wrestle with. It’s hard work to be informed! Thank you for taking the time to do some research. Arm yourself with the facts and head to your polling place on June 4th. Find your polling locationhere.
The only other contested race in District 64 is the sheriff’s position in both Allamakee and Clayton County. Again, there have been good interviews printed in local papers and there is plenty of information on social media platforms. We just need to sort through and find the truth. Keep digging 🙂
Please feel free to pass this information on to your friends and family.
