The reelection campaign of U.S. Rep. David Young of Van Meter received the endorsement of the Iowa Farm Bureau Political Action Committee (PAC) Monday morning in a brief ceremony on the Jonbar Ranch in southeastern Dallas County.
Young, a Republican, is running for a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa’s Third Congressional District. He was welcomed to the 1,100-acre Ruan family ranch by Dan Golightly, president of the Dallas County Farm Bureau and a longtime commissioner in the Dallas County Soil and Water Conservation District.
“Farm Bureau is very proud to be able to endorse a candidate who works hard for rural Iowa and the agricultural interests here in the state,” Golightly said. He said the congressman received the Iowa Farm Bureau PAC’s Friend of Agriculture designation as a result of his strong support of Iowa agriculture.
“I’m humbled to receive the endorsement of the Farm Bureau,” Young said. “Agriculture is such a part of our fabric here in Iowa, economically and culturally, historically. We take advantage of the goodness that the good lord gave us and are good stewards as well of the land here.”
Young said he works to educate his colleagues in Washington D.C. about agriculture, especially lawmakers from the coasts, and he will continue to champion lower taxes and fewer regulations and greater overseas and domestic markets for Iowa’s agricultural commodities.
Young faces Democrat challenger Cindy Axne of West Des Moines in the November race for the Congressional seat representing 16 counties in southwest Iowa.
In a state-level campaign, the Iowa Farm Bureau PAC last week named Ray “Bubba” Sorensen of Greenfield a Friend of Agriculture. Sorensen, a Republican, is a candidate for Iowa House District 20, which includes Perry.
“I always have been and always will be a friend,” said Sorensen, a small business owner and noted artist of the Freedom Rock. “From showing in 4-H to working in livestock advertising to helping my dad out on his farm and getting started with my own small acreage, I’ve lived with and loved our rural life and values, and you can count on me to represent those values at the statehouse.”
Sorensen and Democrat Warren Varley of Stuart are vying for the seat in the Iowa House of Representatives left vacant by the retirement of nine-term lawmaker Clel Baudler of Greenfield.
So it seems Young is being endorsed by the Farm Bureau. Please forgive me if I’m shocked with surprise.