Before the general elections are held Nov. 8, the Iowa primary election will take place Tuesday.
“The primary is when the Democratic party and the Republican party vote on who they want representing the tickets of who is up,” said Union County Auditor Sandy Hysell.
The last day to vote absentee is today, and the office will be open until 5 p.m.
On Tuesday, you may only vote in the polling zone you are assigned to between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. The Creston locations are Salem Lutheran Church, Southwestern Community College, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Supertel Inn and Conference Center and Crest Baptist Church.
At the county level, four candidates – Republicans Joe Owens, Dennis Brown and Lois Monday and Democrat Robert Brown – are running for two at-large positions open on the Union County Board of Supervisors. In addition, Republican Hysell is running unopposed for reelection as Union County Auditor, and Republican Rick Piel is running unopposed for reelection as Union County Sheriff.
U.S. Senator
Incumbent Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is running unopposed, while Patty Judge, Bob Krause, Tom Fiegen and Rob Hogg are vying for the Democratic nomination. The Republican and Democratic nominees will then face off in the general election in November.
Chuck Grassley
Age: 82
Resides in: New Hartford
Party: Republican
Work history: Family farmer, sheet metal shearer, assembly line worker, Iowa House member from 1958 to 1974, U.S. House member from 1975 to 1980 and U.S. Senator from 1981 to present
Why are you running for reelection? “No. 1, to hold government accountable with oversight of the bureaucracy and anywhere tax dollars flow. ... No. 2, to legislate in a bipartisan, effective way for farmers, families, workers, job creators, students, young adults, veterans and retirees. ... No. 3, to give the people of Iowa a voice by keeping in touch with the grassroots. This includes face-to-face meetings in every county, every year and responding to every letter, message and phone call.”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “When the Senate’s in session, I’m there voting with the longest consecutive vote record ever. When the Senate’s not in session, I’m home communicating and interacting with the people I represent. ... And, my legislative and oversight expertise works to help make the government work for Iowans – not the other way around. I respect the public trust that’s been placed in me and will continue to put the investment made by the people of Iowa in me to work.”
Patty Judge
Age: 72
Resides in: Albia
Party: Democratic
Work history: Owner of a cow/calf farm in Monroe County and former Iowa State Senator, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and Iowa Lieutenant Governor
Why are you running for this position? “I decided to get involved in politics following the Farm Crisis in the 1980s when I was serving as a mediator between farmers and their lenders in a difficult time. My background as a mediator has served me well as I’ve worked to bring Democrats and Republicans together to get things done. ... I believe I can be a strong voice in the U.S. Senate by fighting to create new opportunities for working families in our state. ... We need to get back to work and focus on strengthening working families in Iowa by raising the minimum wage, making college affordable and protecting Social Security for future generations.”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “Taking on Chuck Grassley is not going to be an easy task. I have a record of winning statewide elections in Iowa, something none of Chuck Grassley’s opponents has had before. I also have a statewide network of supporters who will help me build the kind of campaign it’s going to take to seriously challenge him in November.”
Bob Krause
Age: 66
Resides in: Fairfield
Party: Democratic
Work history: Iowa legislator for six years, chair of the transportation committee in the Iowa House for four years, former member of the Waterloo School Board, Regional Representative for the U.S. Secretary of Transportation during the Carter Administration, former international adviser for the city of Dubai, 28 years in the military, small-town developer
Why are you running for this position? “I first started because I was upset about the treatment of veterans ... I formed the Veterans’ National Recovery Center, and we do advocacy for veterans’ causes relating to post traumatic stress disorder, military sexual trauma and traumatic brain injury. ... Beyond that, I also am very concerned the bottom is rotting out of the middle class. ... I think one reason young Iowans are leaving Iowa is because they can’t find jobs that will support their debts or give them the lifestyle they’d like to raise a family.”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “I’ve been an international adviser on transportation policy to a city that’s one of the major trade centers for the Eastern Hemisphere. ... None of the other candidates have military experience and certainly none have the extensive overseas background I have. We are negotiating in the Middle East, trying to get out of the quicksand we’ve been in. We need somebody who knows a little about that (for) when it comes time to advise the president and set budgets.”
Tom Fiegen
Age: 57
Resides in: Clarence
Party: Democratic
Work history: Iowa State senator from 2001 to 2003 and bankruptcy reorganization lawyer for the past 28 years
Why are you running for this position? “The No. 1 goal is to change the direction of our country by ending ... the corrupt campaign finance system. ... The second thing is to (change) the economic roles that have been leading to the decline in working people ... by breaking up the big bank, increasing minimum wage, increasing collective bargaining and free college tuition ... The final thing is to write the next farm bill and change the direction of agriculture. I want Iowa farms to go back to growing more food than soybeans and corn as commodities.”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “All my life, I’ve been standing with people who had no one to represent them – farmers being foreclosed, small businesses under the gun and homeowners. ... I also see every day how the rubber meets the road in the economy and how, despite the promises of the politicians involved in Washington, D.C., and Des Moines, things have actually gotten worse in rural counties like Union County ... I’m out to change the system.”
Rob Hogg
Age: 49
Resides in: Cedar Rapids
Party: Democratic
Work history: State senator since 2007, former state representative from 2003 to 2007, former law clerk for two federal judges, attorney in Cedar Rapids in private practice
Why are you running for this position? “I am running because, for the good of our people, our country and our future, I believe we badly need Congress to work again. If we can make Congress work again, we can make progress on a whole range of issues, including the economy, social security and Medicare, public health and public safety issues and promoting clean water, clean energy and actions to address climate change.”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “I can bring to the position my record as a state legislator in terms of working in divided government, in the majority and in the minority – I’ve been in all three situations. I believe I’ve found ways to pass legislation to help people and address important issues. I know government is not a debating society; it’s a practical tool we have to help people and solve real problems, and I think that’s what Iowans are hungry for – new leaders who can do the job and help make Congress work.”
U.S. House of Representatives, Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District
Incumbent Rep. David Young, R-Iowa, is running against Republican Joe Grandanette, while Mike Sherzan, Desmund Adams and Jim Mowrer are vying for the Democratic nomination. The Republican and Democratic nominees will face off in the general election.
David Young
Age: 48
Resides in: Van Meter
Party: Republican
Work history: Presently the U.S. Representative for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District; former chief of staff to Sen. Grassley for seven years
Why are you running for reelection? “I’m running because I love Iowa, and I have a proven record of effective leadership for Iowa in advocating good policies and fighting bad policies.”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “I bring great accessibility to the position because I’m in every county every month. ... The work ethic I have as well – I’ve never missed a vote, and I am able to have a seat at the table to make sure Iowa and our rural economy is protected from the seat I serve on the appropriations committee. Iowans want effective leadership, and they want to make sure we have a strong nation – that it’s safer and more prosperous. That means working to provide economic and job security during these uncertain times and providing security from the threats that are out there today in the world, and we have to make sure we uphold our guaranteed, constitutional rights and freedoms.”
Joe Grandanette
Age: 61
Resides in: Des Moines
Party: Republican
Work history: Former teacher, school board member and business-owner
Why are you running for this position? “To go to Washington, D.C., and tell the truth”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “My opponent, Mr. Young, betrayed us when he was elected into office. I will bring honesty, integrity, and you have to be honorable. You don’t say one thing to get elected and then do exactly the opposite when you get into office ... If you consider yourself a Republican, you must follow the things we believe in.” Some of Grandanette’s goals include helping “lead and form strategies to destroy ISIS, stop illegal immigration, defund ObamaCare, defend the Second Amendment, protect life from conception to death and preserve religious liberty.”
Mike Sherzan
Age: 64
Resides in: West Des Moines
Party: Democratic
Work history: Former press secretary for Jim Schaben for Governor campaign, member of a committee with the Des Moines City Council and finance chair for Holy Trinity Church; currently on a subcommittee with National Futures Association and founder of Investment Advisors Corporation based in West Des Moines
Why are you running for this position? “When I talk about paying for college, it’s because I’ve done it in my life. I have three grown children that we’ve helped pay for college. When I talk about minimum wage increases, I made my employees owners ... When I talk about social security, my father died when I was a junior in college, and I collected social security survivor benefits, which helped pay for tuition my last (year), so these are real things to me and things that I’ve done in my life. ... I look at what I’m doing right now as applying for a job that’s extremely important to the citizens of our district.”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “I believe I have something to offer that the other candidates don’t. Everything I believe and my experience would allow me to be a better and more qualified legislator. I’m good at working with people, organizing and setting goals.”
Desmund Adams
Age: 42
Resides in: Clive
Party: Democratic
Work history: Owner of BFGG Holdings for the past 10 years, attorney, licensed educator
Why are you running for this position? “I have a 7-year-old son and a 20-year-old son, and I am gravely concerned about their futures, not only in Iowa but in our nation. That is what has been the impetus – caring about not only my family but other families in our 3rd Congressional District.”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “There are three things that differentiate me from my opponents: No. 1, my focus on rural repopulation; No. 2, focusing on building a broad coalition of support in different communities within the third district and No. 3, my personal and professional experience in being able to relate with a large cross-section of voters and constituency groups in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District.”
Jim Mowrer
Age: 30
Resides in: Des Moines
Party: Democratic
Work history: Served in the Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq as an intelligence analyst, worked on veterans issues and policy for Joe Biden, appointed in 2010 to a position in the Pentagon involving oversight of the Army’s Office of Business Transformation, former vice chair of the Iowa Democratic Party
Why are you running for this position? “(I’m) looking to serve Iowans in Congress because, when at the Pentagon, (I had) a first-hand view of how dysfunctional Congress is ... (I have) always been a strong fighter for Iowans and for our country and will continue to do so in Congress.”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “(I am) a progressive fighter with a proven record of results. (I) spent three years working in the Pentagon as a part of the Obama Administration and had to go line by line through the law and the budget to implement policies. While at the Pentagon, we repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, oversaw the implementation of the president’s executive order to limit carbon emissions by the federal government and saved over $3 billion without cutting services to soldiers. Iowa needs a representative who will fight to get the job done for Iowans, not for party bosses or Wall Street banks.”
Iowa House of Representatives, District 21
Incumbent Iowa House District 21 Representative Tom Moore is running unopposed on the Republican ticket, and no one is running for Democratic candidacy.
Tom Moore
Age: 64
Resides in: Griswold
Party: Republican
Work history: Current Iowa House District 21 Representative, 33 years as a teacher in Griswold and eight years with Southwest Iowa EGG Co-op
Why are you running for reelection? “I served one year of Jack Drake’s term after he passed away, and I am seeking reelection.”
What can you bring to this position that someone else can’t? “I think I bring a wealth of knowledge as far as education is concerned and have some agricultural background. I have worked well with the public for a long time being an educator, and I see my abilities as bringing a lot to the table.”