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Recent college graduate Kendal Zylstra is seeking to unseat Rep. Skyler Wheeler in Iowa House District 4. Zylstra has received help from Big Ethanol in his campaign and criticized Wheeler for not voting in support of a bill that requires private businesses to sell and advertise a certain product.

Criticism of Wheeler’s small-government, free-market vote seems odd considering Zylstra said this during a recent radio interview:

“I believe the government’s job is not to pick winners and losers. And so that’s one thing that I’m really passionate about. In all of my policy areas, that’s what you’re going to see is a small government policies (sic) as well as just the idea that government has not been designed to pick a winner and a loser. It’s to promote a free market and fairness for all.”

That certainly flies against everything the fuel mandate bill that Big Ethanol wanted and is criticizing Wheeler for opposing does. It provides state money to private businesses to upgrade their equipment so they can offer a certain product. It forces retailers to sell a product.

It is ObamaCare at the gas pump.

But what’s more is that Zylstra lamented the fact there is money from groups going to support Wheeler.

“How much big money plays a role even in local politics. There’s a lot of dollars specifically coming at my opponent in this race — right, wrong or otherwise — there’s a lot of dollars coming from Des Moines towards my opponent in this race and that’s the way it is. I didn’t realize that that’s the way it is in a lot of these races. But that’s kind of what it’s come down to and, yeah, of course, that’s the way it is. And there’s a lot of great organizations that are doing a lot of great things, but ultimately if you have the backing of Des Moines or the political establishment, that really helps.”

What Zylstra failed to disclose is the money he has received from special interest groups. And the fact that when he received the PAC money, it was prohibited by law.

Iowa law prohibits a lobbyist or a PAC from contributing to campaigns of elected officials or candidates for state office on any day during the regular legislative session. This year’s legislative session just wrapped up a few days ago.

Zylstra’s campaign received three such contributions:

April 21: LSCP PAC for $500
April 21: Western Iowa Energy LLC PAC $500
May 4: Siouxland Energy & Livestock Cooperative PAC $500

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