State Senator Dennis Guth, a Republican from Klemme, is running for reelection for the Senate District 28 seat this year.
Guth will be challenged by Cynthia Paschen, a Democrat from Jewell, during the November 5th election. Guth has been in the Iowa Senate since 2013 and tells RadioOnTheGo News if he is reelected, one of his main focuses will be the use of eminent domain as it relates to the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline in Iowa.
“That’s a really big deal. Two years already I have submitted legislation that has been killed by leadership before it gets to the floor. I am continuing to refine that, trying to find the balance that we can have that will move forward. What I would like to do is make sure that eminent domain is only used for things that are truly for a public benefit for all of the people of Iowa, not just for an economic gain. So I think that’s something that’s very important. I have in my bill that we should have at least a 90% participation voluntarily before easements can be granted. But beyond that, I think if it’s something that is not truly benefiting the public, there shouldn’t be any eminent domain used.”
Paschen works as a journalist in Webster City and says there are several reasons she entered the race for the Senate District 28 seat this year. Paschen adds that she will focus on public education if she is elected.
“I want to restore the cuts to the AEAs, get rid of the private school vouchers. I want to fully fund our public schools. I agree with Senator Guth that we shouldn’t be using eminent domain to take over for a for-profit enterprise. Eminent domain is something we use for roads, bridges, and utilities, things like that. The third thing that I’m concerned about is reproductive freedom. We are dead last in this country for the number of OBGYN doctors per capita, that’s not going to improve with a six-week abortion ban. This is a private decision. It’s none of our business what somebody chooses to do with their reproductive health. I want to roll that back too.”
Iowa Senate District 28 covers all or parts of six counties in north-central Iowa, including Franklin and Wright counties in the RadioOnTheGo broadcast area.
