CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Adam Orton of Cedar Rapids said he knows a lot of people who talked about moving to Canada because of politics — but he actually did it.
“I knew the moment Harris became the presidential nominee,” Orton said. “It became a real threat that Trump was going to become elected again. That’s when we started making plans.”
Orton owns DreamCity Cinema. He said more opportunities in filmmaking is one reason he moved to Vancouver.
But the shift to conservative politics in Iowa was also a factor.
“I just kind of have grown, you know, disappointed in a lot of Iowa leadership like some of the laws regarding gun legislation [and] gender identity being removed from civil state protections.”
But Iowa Senator Joni Ernst praised those policies as a reason to live in Iowa. She said in a statement, “I know strong, conservative policies have made Iowa the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
So is Orton alone?
Researchers aren’t sure.
The nonprofit Common Sense Institute based in Iowa shows the state is seeing population declines from college educated Iowans leaving the state each year.
What’s not clear is how much of that is due to jobs, politics or something else.
“Common Sense Institute is likely going to do more research on this issue because it’s something that comes up a lot in the community across the state, a lot of folks asking this question,” Ben Murrey, director of policy and research, said.
Foreign immigrants are the primary reason Iowa’s overall population is growing — albeit slowly.
Orton isn’t sure if he might one day become one of those, too.
“I ultimately am disappointed to have to leave all that and and say goodbye to those people,” Orton said.
While researchers are hoping to find out exactly why Iowans like Orton are leaving.
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