This is incredible – thank you so much for being here this evening. I want to start just by thanking the lieutenant governor for first of all those kind words and for being such a tremendous important part of this team. I also want to take a moment to just to thank the Iowans who shared their story with us – really thanks for demonstrating the pride that Iowans fill in this incredible place we call home. And I also, most importantly, I want to thank my family for being here. My dad, Kevin, Nicole, Jen, Jess, Ryan, Jason, Scott – and of course those 11 grandchildren who I love dearly and keep me going every single day. My mom isn’t with us tonight but she’s here in spirit and we love her dearly and I know she’s thinking of me; so, … my heart goes out to my mom – but I want to say thank you for being my rock and for reminding me, every single day, what is important.
And just a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for being here tonight. I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am for your support; for your prayers; for those notes of encouragement – you know I say it over and over: I am so blessed to be the governor of this great state.
Every single day, I am in awe of your spirit, of your kindness and generosity. And I was reminded of that this weekend when tragedy hit again as the tornadoes ripped through the central Iowa. The outpouring and compassion and hope, even in the face of tragedy, was moving. The number of volunteers on the ground that next morning – inspiring. As I visited some of the homes that were impacted, you know I would thank the volunteers that were there helping haul the debris away and almost without hesitation, I’m telling you as I thank them, their response was ‘well for heaven’s sakes we’re Iowans. Where else would we be?’
So tonight, if you want to continue to support those affected by the tornadoes, we do have baskets in the back of the room for donations as well as information on a website where you can also contribute – but most importantly let’s continue to keep all of those families that were impacted in our prayers.
Okay – now we’re going to get going. I just want to start again by saying what an honor it is to serve as your governor; to stand alongside of you in the defense of life, liberty, of freedom, and a constitution that protects that protects those rights.
So I’ll be honest, when I was elected governor I could not have imagined what would lied ahead of us – floods, a pandemic, a derecho, tornadoes, drought, civil unrested – you name it, we faced it. It hasn’t been easy but let me just say: Iowans came through – you, everyone in this room, came through. And I knew you would, and that’s why I put my faith in you and that’s why I’m so lucky to be your governor; because no matter what comes at you, each and everyone of you, you show up every time and you do what you need to do. What I love about Iowans are they’re humble, they’re hard working, and patriotic. You step up and you take responsibility for your communities, for your neighbors, and ultimately you take responsibility for yourself.
Last week I had the incredible honor of carrying that message – your message – to the entire country.
I told your story – it was about each and every one of you! It was about Iowans doing what they do every single day – and I got the opportunity to share that story with the nation, and with the world. So thank you, thank you, for giving me a platform to tell that story. And here’s the good news – that contrast could not be more stark. It was fun.
Over the last few years when you turned on the television and you watched the nightly news, you’d see one America, where cities were defunding the police and crime was rampant; businesses were locked down and kids were out of the classroom – you would see a nation in chaos. But in Iowa, when you stepped outside of your home, you experienced something completely different. Businesses were open; kids were in school; law enforcement proudly and effectively enforced the rule of law; neighbors were helping neighbors – let’s thank your men and women in uniform who keep us safe every single day.
That’s Iowa. This is Iowa. In all of that chaos and all of that madness we didn’t lose ourselves, we didn’t lose our character – instead when democrats across the country pushed for more government control, Iowa stood up and we stood out. We fought for greater freedom; we took on Biden’s COVID mandates; we banned mask mandates in our schools.
Well here’s the little secret and the facts – we did it last spring not last week.
We got our kids back in the classroom and again, we did it before anyone else. Unlike democrats we didn’t wait for bad poll numbers to, finally, discover science.
In Iowa we said no to a world of cancel culture, where an elite few try to tell us what we can and cannot say; what we can and cannot believe – because despite, despite, what you hear from President Biden and liberal elites, the threats facing this nation aren’t from Canadian truckers; Joe Rogan’s podcast; or parents who care about their child’s education.
The threats come from politicians who tell parents they should sit down, be silent, and let government control their kids’ future. From Elected officials who restrict your freedoms with COVID mandates that they don’t even follow. From a United States president who refuses to do his job and secure our border.
Who refuses to stop human trafficking, and who refuses to stop the staggering influx of deadly drugs that are pouring into our neighborhoods. The problems come from a government that pays people to stay home and taxes those who go to work. That borrows and spends trillions, bankrupting your children, and sending inflation soaring. I think it’s fairly clear that the democrats aren’t focused on the problems that you’re facing. When you elected me to serve as your governor, I promised that I would never lose sight of who I was working for. I promised that I would deliver on the policies I ran on, and with the help of the republicans in the legislature, we’re keeping those promises.
We are protecting the unborn and standing up for our law enforcement. We’re preserving girls’ sports for girls.
We’re protecting the integrity of our elections. We’re promoting energy independence and our homegrown biofuels.
And unlike D.C., we’re not overspending – we’re balancing our budget and we’re cutting taxes.
Last week was a big week – not only did I get to tell our story, but I signed the third tax cut since taking office. Four – it’s big news, this is a legislature and a governor that gets things done – four years ago, four years ago, our top rate was almost nine percent. Now it’s going to 3.9, flat and fair.
And my dad is really, really happy about this one – we eliminated taxes on your retirement income.
I think there’s a lot of happy Iowans – we’re going to keep them in Iowa, we’re not sending them to Texas and Arizona anymore. We’re going to keep them home.
You know everyday we continue to support our schools, but we’re also, we’re also empowering parents with greater parental control and transparency in our education system. Because you know, and as the signs show, parents matter. These are your kids, not the governments’. As long as I’m governor Iowa is going to a state where you can live your life freely; where you don’t have to wake up in the morning and worry about the next thing that the government is going to do to you, your business, or your children. After all, Iowa’s state motto is: “our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.” That’s what I believe, that’s what republicans believe, and that’s what this next election is about. It is not about liberal versus conservative; it is not about republican versus democrats – it’s about who’s going to fight to keep Iowa and America free.
It's about who’s going to put their trust in you. President Biden won’t. Blue state governors across the country didn’t. But I did. Your republican legislators did – and we will continue to do so.
So that’s why I’m fired up, and I am so excited to finally announce tonight my candidacy for governor of the great of the great state of Iowa.
I love you guys.
I’m going to hold you to this excitement and this momentum – so we’re all gonna go, we’re all going to keep going because the fight isn’t over, and with your vote, your support, your prayers – we can continue to get this done.
I want to use the next four years to show how much further we can go when we trust Iowans. And I need your help, the team needs your help, and this year we have an incredible opportunity – to not just keep the governor’s office and our majorities in the house and the senate – we have the opportunity to expand those majorities; to reelect senator Grassley; to take all four congressional seats. And for the first time in a long time, we have an opportunity to take statewide offices that we haven’t held in decades.
So I want to take a moment to invite that Republican team up on the stage. Majority Leader Whitver. Speaker Grassley. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. Secretary of State Paul Pate. Treasurer candidate Roby Smith. Attorney general candidate Brenna Bird. Auditor candidate Mary Ann Hanusa. And I got a whole lot of legislators out there and candidates that are running for the congressional seat, but this is the team that’s gonna get it done!
I’m so excited – we’re ready to hit the road, we’re ready to make this the best November ever. With a victory in November we can ensure that Iowa remains a beacon of freedom, liberty, and unlimited prosperity – a state that’s known for opportunity. And Iowa where your young people will grow up here and want to stay here to raise a family. Yes – got eleven grandkids over there – and an Iowa even greater than the one we have today. So let’s get out there, let’s spread the message, and let’s make sure that Iowa’s Iowans show up to the polls in November. Now I want your help with this okay, this is a participation park – and I think you’re the right crowd to do it so I’m feeling pretty confident about this. Because when we show up we win. Because when we show up we win.
Thank you for being here, thank you for your support. God bless you and God bless the great state of Iowa – thank you.
Neither the Catt Center nor Iowa State University is affiliated with any individual in the Archives or any political party. Inclusion in the Archives is not an endorsement by the center or the university.