×

Meet the Candidates 2024: Iowa Senate District 26 pt. 2

(Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part series.)

Ahead of the June 4 primary vote, the Times-Republican sent questionnaires to all of the candidates in contested races for county, state and federal offices. Our second feature is on Iowa Senate District 26, which encompasses all of Marshall County and most of Story County outside of Ames.

In SD 26, two Republicans, Gannon Hendrick of McCallsburg and Kara Warme of rural Ames, and one Democrat, Mike Wolfe of Maxwell, are in the running to replace retiring Republican Jeff Edler of State Center, who served two terms. The first half of their questionnaire responses were printed in Tuesday’s T-R, and the rest are included below. Hendrick and Warme, along with GOP House District 51 hopefuls Brett Barker and Marty Chitty, will appear at a candidate forum sponsored by the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, May 23 from 6 to 7 p.m. at Dejardin Hall on the Marshalltown Community College campus.

7. The state currently has a record surplus. What, if anything, would you propose spending that money on?

Gannon Hendrick: I support the path that the state is currently on, which is to continue letting Iowans keep more of their hard earned dollars. The surplus is an over-collection of taxes, and we should continue reducing the tax burden on Iowans.

Kara Warme: Continue to find ways to return the money to Iowa taxpayers. We must always remember every dollar is the taxpayers’ money and not the governments’. When Democrats talk about state spending, they make it seem like the government owns the money. In reality, this money belongs to the hard-working Iowans who earn it with their strength, talent, and effort. State government must be careful to manage every dollar and whenever possible ensure Iowans keep more of what they earn. I plan on continuing this practice and support Iowa cutting taxes even further.

Mike Wolfe: We have a surplus because Republican lawmakers have been hoarding money to justify tax cuts instead of investing in our state. Public education funding hasn’t kept up with inflation in 11 of the last 12 years – then the schools get blamed for not improving performance! Defunding education isn’t a fiscally responsible policy, it’s a recipe for disaster.

8. Should the state of Iowa legalize marijuana for recreational use? Why or why not?

Hendrick: At this time, I do not support the legalization of recreational marijuana. The only compelling argument I’ve heard is to legalize marijuana in order to tax it, and I am generally not supportive of creating new taxes. I do support the federal rescheduling of marijuana for the purposes of conducting research on it, so we can better understand what potential uses are available.

Warme: I do not support the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. After years of working with Iowa’s youth and specifically in the areas of mental health and substance abuse, I have seen firsthand the impacts of decreased perception of risk among young people in our state. Drug use is detrimental to developing brains, and marijuana can be a gateway to other drugs. The opioid epidemic continues to touch many Iowans, including tragic fentanyl overdose deaths, and I would like to bring more focus to prevention and recovery programs.

Wolfe: Iowa should legalize marijuana. There is widespread voter support for legalization, and Iowans that want to legally purchase marijuana currently just need to drive to our neighboring states. Colorado recently had to change the way it spends its marijuana tax receipts because they had TOO MUCH MONEY going to their public education system! We should find a way to integrate marijuana cultivation with Iowa agriculture as a cash crop, and keep tax proceeds here at home.

9. What, if anything, do you believe the state legislature should do to help catalyze economic development and growth outside of the Des Moines area and the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor?

Hendrick: I believe the best thing we can do is to modernize our tax system. We need to eliminate the income tax and reduce property taxes. This eliminates the “sticker shock” when businesses are looking to expand or relocate to Iowa. Additionally, I believe that making our property tax system more uniform among communities will create greater opportunities in rural Iowa as businesses conduct market research and see that it is more cost effective to do business outside of urban areas.

Warme: When it comes to encouraging economic growth not just in our area but all across the state, the last thing we need is more government intervention. We’ve seen the results of that with the Biden Administration’s disastrous policies. The best thing the legislature should do to encourage economic growth is stay out of the way and continue passing policies that support Iowa’s families and small businesses, attract people to our state, and make Iowa more competitive with the states around us.

Wolfe: A key barrier to economic growth in any location is access to childcare.

10. If elected, how would you address the childcare situation in Iowa?

Hendrick: The state’s childcare shortage is a microcosm of the broader labor shortage. As we’ve seen at the federal level, the solution is not increased government spending on subsidies. This only puts more money towards an already scarce resource and drives up inflation. The solution is multifaceted and complex, and it requires private sector support. Making it easier for childcare centers to operate is one aspect where the state can assist, and there have been a number of bills brought forward to address this. Many businesses have chosen to start offering childcare as a benefit of employment. This is an area where the state could help invest in building capacity. The labor shortage will still be a hurdle, but state policies can help recruit and retain residents. Continuing to drive a conservative agenda has made Iowa a more attractive place for people to live, work, and raise a family, and ultimately, this will ease the labor shortage.

Warme: Fostering a system that allows working families access to affordable childcare is the goal. Like I mentioned earlier, government intervention is not necessarily the answer to problems like this. What the legislature can do is create an environment that fosters growth and makes operating a childcare facility in Iowa less burdensome on those trying to help Iowa’s working parents. I am also interested in eliminating any needless regulations that make childcare more expensive and harder to access.

Wolfe: We need to make childcare more accessible and affordable. We could increase or expand the Child and Dependent Care tax credit. We could expand state funding in early childhood education – changing the goal from a place for kids to stay to a place for kids to start learning. This could benefit not just working parents, but the public education system as more kids are introduced earlier to the skills they will need to succeed in school and life.

11. Are there any major agricultural policy changes you would suggest if elected?

Hendrick: Agriculture is under attack, and I will do all I can to protect it. The foreign ownership of land is a real threat in Iowa. I will continue to work on policies that restrict foreign land ownership to protect Iowans and our food supply. The theft of technology by the Chinese Communist Party remains a threat to agriculture, and I will support prosecuting these individuals to the fullest extent of the law. Frivolous lawsuits against producers and agribusiness threaten our way of life and the ability to utilize technology. I will fight back against these bad actors to prevent costly and unnecessary lawsuits.

Warme: The legislature discussed one very important bill to the agriculture industry this year. It protects affordable access to safe and effective pesticides for farmers and their crops by limiting junk lawsuits against manufacturers of products like RoundUp. The bill failed to pass the House, and I think, especially as a fifth-generation farm owner, this is an important issue we just cannot afford to ignore. Additionally, I am committed to hearing and supporting the hard-working farmers across our entire district so they can do what they do best: feed our families, fuel our economy, and create great-paying jobs.

Wolfe: In the last session, I was very alarmed at the prospect of Iowa farmers and their families being banned from taking legal action against large corporations over legitimate health and safety concerns. I support protecting our farmers versus global corporations.

On a more local level, I’d like to explore increasing support for 4H and FFA programs to connect suburban kids with opportunities to work with on-farm projects. Connecting kids with rural life could be one more draw to keep them here in Iowa.

12. If it hasn’t been asked yet, what’s another topic you’d like to address once you take office?

Hendrick: There are two broad topics that I will address. First, I will continue to push back against the failed policies of the Biden administration. We have passed laws in Iowa to protect girls’ sports by keeping biological males out of these competitions, and the Biden administration just recently overstepped their authority to allow biological males to participate in girls’ sports. I will fight against this federal overreach. We recently passed a law empowering law enforcement and the courts to enforce immigration laws in the absence of federal enforcement. As a result, the Biden administration is threatening to sue us. I will fight for Iowans against this attack and others like it.

Secondly, I will spearhead the cause to make the Iowa Code simpler, clearer, and easier to understand. My experience on staff has shown me how the code continues to grow and get more complex with layer upon layer being enacted while outdated and unused portions are not removed. This only serves to make government less efficient and increase the administrative costs and burdens on Iowans. Cleaning up the code will make government more efficient and reduce confusion and costs on Iowans.

Warme: The biggest issue I hear from Republicans at their doors is real concern about the disastrous Biden Administration. From inflation, to immigration, to foreign policy, Iowans have a real fear for the future of our nation. My top issue will be fighting back against federal overreach and ensuring Iowa continues to set a national example for excellent conservative governance. Iowa has been a national leader in empowering parents, cutting taxes, reducing barriers to job creation, reforming government, and controlling state spending. The success of those policies shows the bright contrast between conservative Iowa values and the failures in DC.

Wolfe: Iowans deserve a government that will serve the needs of our own, rather than passing legislation written by out of state special interests. We need our lawmakers to seek input from Iowans.

13. Why are you the most qualified candidate for this seat?

Hendrick: I have the experience to be a highly effective senator on Day 1. I am a combat veteran with nearly 22 years in the Army Reserve, and I am currently a lieutenant colonel. I run a small business as a livestock farmer on my family farm. I have served in public office, and I currently work for Senate President Amy Sinclair in the Iowa Senate. I have served 14 sessions as a staff member in the Iowa Senate, and I have the relationships, knowledge, and skills to be immediately successful and effective for the residents of Senate District 26. I have been endorsed by United States Senator Joni Ernst, Iowa State Treasurer Roby Smith, and 30 of my future colleagues, including Senate President Amy Sinclair and Senator Jeff Edler. All of these current and former state senators believe I am the most qualified candidate for this seat, and they know I have what it takes to be a great state senator.

Warme: I am proud to live, work, and serve in this wonderful community. My husband and I chose to settle in Iowa almost two decades ago and are raising our two daughters, who are now in middle school, in rural Story County. As the Chief Development Officer for YSS (formerly Youth & Shelter Services), an American Heritage Girls troop founder and leader, a school-based mentor, and a substitute teacher, I am dedicated to seeing District 26 grow and thrive, and ensuring Iowa is a great place for future generations.

With my professional background in business, engineering, and family farming, I bring a unique blend of innovation and practicality. I have real-world experience solving complex issues — gathering stakeholders, reviewing research and data, listening first, and acting with urgency.

I want to be a strong voice for the residents of District 26, speaking up for Iowa’s agriculture and small businesses, and for parents and their kids, to make sure Iowa continues down the right path.

Wolfe: I am the best candidate for this seat because I will work to undo the damage to public education and personal freedom done by the last few legislative sessions. I’ve listened to my potential opponents speak in strong support of vouchers, gutting the AEA, and banning abortion. I hope people see the stark difference between my desire to work for positive change and their rubber stamp on more of the same bad policies.

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today