The Platform
A Lifetime of Service
I have dedicated much of my adult life to some form of service:
- 5 years active duty Army as a Military Police Officer/Investigator.
- 5 years as a board member on Strawberry Point Chamber of Commerce.
- 4 years as a board member on the Jr. Stars Athletics Organization.
- 5 years coaching youth boys basketball.
- Entering third year coaching Starmont Middle School girls basketball (current coach).
- 4 years of service on the Strawberry Point City Council.
- Elected to the Starmont Community School Board and have been serving in that capacity since January 2024.
Supports Iowa's Farmers
It is crucial that our district representative support our area farmers and ag industry. Agriculture is very important to our state and has had a major impact on my life. I grew up on a farm that my great grandparents and grandparents farmed, and my dad currently farms. In high school I was active in my local FFA chapter, serving as chapter secretary and president, participating in livestock judging events, and showing livestock at the county and state fair. I also received the State and American FFA degrees. Farm life taught me the importance of being a good steward of the land, having conservative values, taking pride in working hard, and the important meaning behind a handshake and giving someone your word. It is important that we remember meat comes from an animal and not a plant or laboratory, and milk comes from a teat and not an almond.
Support for Iowa's Businesses
It is very important for our district representative to support home grown businesses. This is important to me because I want our youth to have enough economic opportunities here to want to stay home/come back after high school/college. You can build a great life right here in rural Iowa but they need the opportunities. Otherwise, our kids and grandkids will continue to gravitate towards urban areas.
Supports Iowa's Public Schools
Our district representative should support our rural public schools. Like many of you, I am the product of Iowa's public education system. One of the biggest concerns I have for small rural districts is that they will be forced to consolidate into larger rural districts as student populations decline and teacher shortages continue. Just like the one room schools of my grandparents' generation and the individual town schools that my parents' generation attended, I have concerns that the small rural school districts I enjoyed and my kids enjoy today will one day just be an old abandoned building that my kids will tell their kids and grandkids used to be their school.
Will Strongly Support the Constitution
I believe it is important for our district representative to support the Constitution of the United States and the Iowa Constitution. I was 19 years old when I raised my right hand and swore an oath to support and defend the United States Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. Here we are, 22 years later and I am still proud to honor that oath. Elected officials must be held accountable when they are caught trampling on our God-given rights! (disclaimer: The military photos on this website are mine to share and in no way an endorsement from the US Army)
Meet The Candidate
Part 1
Meet the candidate Part 1:
I live in Strawberry Point with my wife Kayela, who is a 4th grade teacher at Starmont, and my children Jayden and Kendyl, who are 8th and 9th grade students at Starmont.
Like many of you, I am a product of the public education system. One of the biggest concerns I have for small rural districts is that they will be forced to consolidate into larger rural districts as student populations decline, teacher shortages continue, and schools are required to pay teachers more (which is great) but not given more state funding. Just like the one room schools of my grandparents' generation and the individual town schools that my parents' generation attended, maybe the small rural school districts I enjoyed and my kids enjoy today will one day just be an old abandoned building that my kids will tell their kids and grandkids that used to be their school.
Agriculture is very important in our state and has had a major impact on my life. I was born and raised right here in northeast Iowa and have lived here my whole life, with exception of the 5 years I left home to serve our country in the Army. I grew up on a farm in northeast Iowa that my great grandparents and grandparents farmed, and my dad continues to farm. In high school, I was active in our local FFA chapter, serving as chapter secretary and chapter president. I was on the livestock judging team and enjoyed showing livestock at the county and state fair. I was also awarded the state and American FFA degree. While I didn't always appreciate my conservative farm upbringing at the time, I learned the meaning of hard work, responsibility, and giving someone your word and a firm handshake.
Part 2
Meet the candidate Part 2:
I have dedicated much of my adult life to some form of service. I served in the United States Army for 5 years as a military police officer and investigator stationed at Camp Page and Camp Casey South Korea and Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
I have served as a board member on the Strawberry Point Chamber of Commerce for 5 years. I have grown giant pumpkins and donated them to the community to be smashed at the Chamber's Annual Pumpkin Walk. I served as the event coordinator for our town's annual namesake festival, Strawberry Days in 2022 and 2023.
I served on the Jr. Stars Athletics board for 4 years and I have coached youth basketball for the last 5 years. I will be entering my third season (this fall) as the Starmont Middle School girls basketball coach.
I was elected to the Strawberry Point City Council and have been serving in that capacity for the past 4 years. I was also elected to serve on the Starmont School Board. I know first hand what it is like to work with people with strong, and differing opinions.
Part 3
Meet the candidate Part 3:
Being on the Strawberry Point City Council I am well aware of how important it is to be fiscally responsible. With tight budgets, sometimes hard decisions need to be made in order to keep the budget under control. As a servant leader, all of the decisions I make as an elected official are for the betterment of the many and not the few. Many times I have been the lone voice of reason when questioning frivolous spending or bad policy. I was the lone vote of opposition to Strawberry Points speed cameras. I question things that I don't understand or disagree with to ensure our constituents' tax dollars are spent wisely.
I was 19 years old when I raised my right hand and swore an oath to support and defend the United States Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. Here we are, 22 years later and I am still proud to honor that oath.
My reasons for running for the Iowa House are pretty simple. I want someone representing our district that is from rural Iowa, that will take our conservative values like being ethical, having common sense, and unwavering integrity to Des Moines.
Anne Osmundson has done a great job representing us during her time in office and I hope to continue her legacy by representing you to the best of my ability, making sure the voices of District 64 are heard loud and clear in Des Moines. I would greatly appreciate your consideration in the General Election on November 5th, 2024.
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