SENATE SHOWDOWN

JONI ERNST
RED OAK — Promising to reduce the size of government, Montgomery County’s Auditor is trying to take a big step in her political career.

After spending the last six years working in county government, Joni Ernst announced last week she will be seeking the Republican nomination for Iowa Senate to serve the remainder of Kim Reynolds’ term.
Reynolds, the lieutenant governor-elect, resigned the District 48 Senate seat Friday.
Gov. Culver has five days to set the date of the special election, which according to state law, must occur within the next 40 days.
Ernst will be seeking the Republican nomination, and has been endorsed by Reynolds and State Representative Cecil Dolecheck.
“I look forward to serving the people of Senate District 48 and making sure government is once again accountable to the people,” Ernst said. “We need to reduce the size of government and get it back to serving the people. We, the people, also know how to spend, save, and invest our paychecks better than government.”
Born and raised in Montgomery County, Ernst has served 18 years in the U.S. Army Reserves and the Iowa Army National Guard. Currently serving at the rank of Major in the National Guard, Ernst is assigned as Operations Branch Chief, Logistics, with Joint Forces Headquarters in Johnston, Iowa.
Ernst also spent 14 months deployed overseas in Kuwait in 2003-04, during the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Ernst received a Bachelors of Science degree from Iowa State University, and Masters of Public Administration from Columbus College. She has been married to her husband Gail for 18 years, and they share three daughters.
They are members of Mamrelund Lutheran Church in Stanton, where they teach Sunday school.
“I have a career of service and dedication to the people of Iowa,” she said. “I want to continue service in the Iowa Senate, and look forward to representing the voters.”

RUTH SMITH
LAMONI — A self-described “moderate Democrat” will be making a second run at the Iowa Senate following Kim Reynolds’ resignation last week.
Ruth Smith, a 45-year-old Lamoni resident, ran against Reynolds two years ago, losing the election by about 1,400 votes.
Despite Southwest Iowa’s tradition of supporting Republicans, and the recent mid-term elections in which Republicans gained numerous Congressional seats nationwide, Smith believes she will do well in this race.
“I don’t see myself as someone who is representing the party,” Smith said. “I see myself as someone who is representing the people of the district.”
While she won’t commit to supporting the national health care bill, stating she isn’t familiar enough with its “in and outs,” she is in favor of providing health care for everybody.
“The base premises of providing quality, accessible health care, to me, is as important as providing education,” Smith said. “Health care for a westernized country like ourselves, we should be considering it a right rather than a privliege.”
Smith is a physical therapist and coach, and believes in the small-town lifestyle of rural Iowa and recognizes its potential to attract business and industry.
“I am committed to fighting in the Capital for good-paying jobs and economic recovery for Southern Iowans,” Smith said. “Too many Southern Iowans are still out of work. We must do more to ensure that working families can get on their feet again.”
She said government needs to do a better job of providing the needed infrastructure to attract new business, adding Southwest Iowa has been largely ignored by the state.
“I will go in to the Iowa Senate fully aware the southern part of the state needs to be provided the basic infrastructure to recruit business,” she said. “Southwest Iowa needs to have as much opportunity as the rest of the state.”
Grassroots legislation and healthy community-building are highlighted in Smith’s campaign message. She plans to draw from here experience in healthcare, education, small business, and community service to promote practical and effective policy-making in the Iowa Senate.
Much of Smith’s motivation to serve as a legislator stems from her perception that state government is disconnected from rural Iowa, adding she wants to strengthen the relationship between the legislative branch and the constituents of Senate District 48.
“I believe legislators should clearly understand how Iowa law and regulation affect the work and family lives of Iowans,” she said.
She said that this goal can only be accomplished through personal and frequent interaction with people of the district.
“In my opinion, legislators should seek out ways to gather information and perspectives from their constituents,” Smith said. “I can promise a genuine effort to represent the needs and concerns of the district.”
According to her website, ruthforsenate.com, Smith will attend six public meetings per year in each county she represents to help foster this relationship.
District 48 includes Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Montgomery, Ringgold, Taylor and Unions counties.