DES MOINES — Deidre DeJear says the latest campaign ad from Gov. Kim Reynolds — which shows a Black official who is not DeJear calling to defund the police — shows the Republican incumbent is not focused on issues relevant to Iowa.
“She doesn’t even talk about elected officials in the state of Iowa. That’s unfortunate. You see images throughout her ad that aren’t even representing Iowa,” DeJear, the Democrat and small businesswoman from Des Moines who is running against Reynolds in this fall’s election, said Monday.
“None of what she said was founded in this state, and it’s unfortunate. Honestly, I think it’s shortsighted and lazy. But it’s also unfortunate,” DeJear said. “What she showed Iowans was a figment of her imagination, not what Iowans need for them.”
In Reynolds’ latest campaign ad, she talks about what she believes are problems facing other areas of the country before pivoting to say to viewers, “Aren’t you glad you live in Iowa?”
A Reynolds campaign spokesman said the ad highlights issues that are facing other states, in comparison with Iowa. In the ad, Reynolds cites “attacks on police, open borders, paying people not to work.”
“The campaign ad contrasts the failed policies supported by liberal Democrats across the country with the common sense leadership of Gov. Reynolds,” Reynolds campaign spokesman Pat Garrett said.
The ad opens with Reynolds watching a news clip of Missouri Democratic U.S. Rep. Cori Bush calling to defunding the police. Bush, like DeJear, is a Black woman.
DeJear has on multiple occasions said she does not support any policy that would be considered defunding law enforcement agencies. DeJear said she has discussed many issues with law enforcement officials during her campaign, including addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system and recidivism in the state corrections department.
“I talk a great deal with law enforcement, and they’ve been a part of my campaign since the beginning,” DeJear said. “They have to be partners in this work with us, which means that they need the resources to be able to do their job better.
“But law enforcement is telling me right now, ‘We’re not having conversations about defunding. We’re having conversations about needing more resources.’”
Libertarian Party candidate Rick Stewart also is on the ballot in Iowa’s campaign for governor. The election is Nov. 8, and early voting starts Oct. 19.
The City of Davenport is planning to apply for a state tourism grant to build a new regional destination area on the riverfront.
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