The Iowa Democrat Party and liberals across the state are having a meltdown over a campaign ad recently released by Governor Kim Reynolds. In the campaign ad Governor Kim Reynolds is seen watching a CBS news clip of Representative Cori Bush (D-MO) call for defunding the police. The ad also shows riots, open borders, and paying people not to work—all issues Iowans are concerned about. Governor Reynolds asks a question that many people are asking, “has the rest of the country lost its mind?” The Des Moines Register’s editorial argues that the ad “is dehumanizing. It’s racist. It’s embarrassing. It’s indefensible. It should be beneath any Iowa elected official.” Another Register article, which appeared on the opinion page, argues that the ad is misleading. The article relies on the analysis of University of Northern Iowa digital journalism Professor Chris Martin, who argues that the ad is misleading and the issues brought up are not state issues.
The liberal hysteria over the ad assumes that Governor Reynolds is making race an issue. This is false, and it is just further evidence that Democrats and liberals do not have any issues to campaign on and they must rely on personal attacks. Governor Reynolds has every right to raise the issues that were addressed in the ad. Many Americans are wondering what is happening to our country.
Professor Martin may try to argue that these issues may not be impacting Iowa, but this is not true. As an example, he tries to explain that the video image of open borders did not occur in Iowa. That may be true, but does that mean that Iowa is not impacted by illegal immigration? How many Iowans have died as a result from the fentanyl and other illegal drugs that are flooding across the border because of the failure of the Biden administration to secure our borders? As for defund the police this was an issue that many Democrats and liberals embraced and now many are trying to backtrack on this issue because of escalating crime.
The Governor was also correct to highlight paying people not to work. The Biden administration’s COVID-19 stimulus measures did encourage people to stay home and not return to the workforce. In addition, the massive amounts of spending enacted by the Biden administration and Congress is resulting in a record high inflation that is hurting families across Iowa. As a result, many economists are already arguing that the nation is entering into a “Biden recession.”
The issues highlighted in the ad are real and even though they may be national they are still impacting Iowa. Governor Reynolds is also highlighting that Iowa is doing better than many other states. Governor Reynolds fiscal conservatism is creating a stronger and more competitive economic climate and she has stood to protect and honor law enforcement throughout the state. She also understands, just as with many other governors, that the disastrous open border policy is a national threat. Finally, Governor Reynolds is standing against the cultural Marxist onslaught that is plaguing Iowa’s schools and culture.
In 1955, William F. Buckley’s mission statement for National Review famously wrote that its purpose was to stand “athwart history, yelling Stop.” Governor Reynolds is also standing and yelling stop. As Governor she is standing for Iowans who are tired of the radical liberal agenda and wanting someone to take a stand for traditional values. Governor Reynolds is asking a question that many of the great silent majority are asking, “what is happening to our country?”
It is unfortunate that Iowa Democrats and liberals must bring the race card into the election. Why not debate the Governor on the issues? Iowans are proud of Governor Reynolds and thankful for her bold defense of traditional values and conservative policies that work. It is for this reason that Iowa is not Illinois or California or any other failed liberal “Blue” state.
John Hendrickson serves as policy director for Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation
