Iowa Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn speaks Friday at the Republican Party of Iowa’s annual Lincoln Dinner fundraiser at the Hilton Des Moines Downtown.
Erin Murphy/The Gazette
DES MOINES — The Iowa Republican Party’s nominees for governor and U.S. Senate both made their pitches to the party faithful Friday night at the Iowa GOP’s annual Lincoln Dinner fundraiser in Des Moines, which this year also served to honor retiring Gov. Kim Reynolds.
In sharing their reasons for running and their visions for the state, the speakers touched on key campaign issues such as healthcare and the economy. They also sought to reunite the party after a contentious primary last month.
First to speak was Eastern Iowa U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for the open U.S. Senate seat created by the retirement of Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst.
Hinson told attendees that Iowa is a model for the rest of the country, and the state needs someone who can advocate for Iowans in Washington, D.C.
“I wanted to do something to help really restore that dream and help to protect our shared Iowa values, and they seem to have gotten lost in Washington,” Hinson said. “I think we need a strong voice, someone who could tell Iowa stories, advocate for Iowa.”
In introducing Hinson to the audience, Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann referred to her as an “authentic conservative” who is going to listen to her constituents. In keeping with that description, Hinson brought up some of the issues that she said Iowans have raised to her on the campaign trail.
Eastern Iowa congresswoman and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Hinson speaks Friday at the Republican Party of Iowa’s annual Lincoln Dinner fundraiser at the Hilton Des Moines Downtown.
Erin Murphy/The Gazette
“No matter where I went around the state, Iowa families were telling me the same thing,” Hinson said. “They want the same thing we all want: affordable childcare, the ability to buy a home and achieve that American dream, access to quality healthcare no matter what the zip code is, and to know that their government is actually focused on solving real problems.”
Zach Lahn
Republican gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn, who received a standing ovation upon taking the stage, began his speech with a bit of American history.
Lahn, who was the surprise winner of a hotly contested Republican gubernatorial primary on June 2, spoke about the 1880 Republican Convention and how James Garfield became the Republican nominee that year.
Garfield did not want the nomination, Lahn said, but he took it as a great honor when he won.
“He said this is not a prize I have won, but it is a great responsibility to be earned. He understood what that meant, what they had bestowed upon him,” Lahn said. “I’ll tell you after the primary on June 2, I felt a lot the same way. I felt like yes we had won, but it was a great responsibility.”
Lahn said he wants to make Iowa the best place to raise a family, start a business, grow a farm and build community.
“Our campaign is different,” Lahn said. “It’s not just about what’s at risk, but even more about what the opportunity is.”
Kim Reynolds
Reynolds, who has been governor since 2017 but is not seeking reelection, closed out the event by sitting down with Kaufmann to talk about her time as governor.
“I love this state. I love Iowa. It’s been an honor of a lifetime to have the opportunity to serve in this capacity and I think, like everybody else, we want to leave it a little bit better than we found it,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds was presented with a video compilation of various figures across the country thanking her for her service in Iowa. Individuals in the video included the governors of Nebraska, Georgia, Montana and Arkansas, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, former U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and current U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.
Reynolds also was surprised with a visit from one of her younger brothers. She sat with her two daughters and one of her grandchildren.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann speak at the state party’s annual Lincoln Dinner fundraiser Friday in Des Moines.
Erin Murphy/The Gazette
Reynolds’ adult children talked about how growing up, the household was very family-oriented and still is today. They spoke about the competitiveness that runs in the family and how they may be a little loud when it comes to cheering at basketball games.
Reynolds’ granddaughter, Avery, also took a moment to speak, tearing up while saying that Reynolds “has been one of my best friends since I was born.”
Kaufmann ended the event by thanking Reynolds for her time in office and encouraging attendees to get out and spread the word to vote in the Nov. 3 general election.
“We realize that our similarities absolutely overwhelm any differences we have,” Kaufmann said. “We got a fight. We got one of the nation’s greatest governors leading that fight. We’ve got candidates in that fight.”
Protesters
About 40 people stood outside the building protesting the event and the Republican candidates.
“We need a change in Iowa,” said Deborah Gadlin, of Des Moines. “We don’t want to be number one in cancer. We don’t want to be last in economic growth, we don’t want to have terrible education, we don’t want to have water that you can’t drink … We don’t need a Kim Reynolds 2.0.”