Candidate Q&A: Lemke v. Rowley

Voters in Clay and Osceola counties will have a rare opportunity Dec. 14 to cast a ballot in a contested state senate race.

Republican Dave Rowley, of Spirit Lake, and Democrat Mark Lemke, also of Spirit Lake, will square off in the special Iowa Senate District 1 election. The winner will succeed Republican Zach Whiting, who resigned from office in October due to an impending move out of state.

There is one year left on the term. The special election marks the first time a Democrat has run in District 1 since it was formed in 2012.

Polls open Dec. 14 at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Eligible voters in Clay County can cast their ballot at any of the following three polling locations on Election Day: Webb Community Center, Royal Community Building and Clay County Regional Events Center.

Osceola County voting locations include: Ashton Legion Building, Harris Civic Center, May City Fire Station, Melvin American Legion Building, Ocheyedan Town Hall, Sibley Senior Center and Sibley United Methodist Church.

District 1 includes all of Clay, Osceola, Lyon, Dickinson and Palo Alto counties. The newspaper sent each candidate a questionnaire. What follows are their responses.

Why are you running?

Mark Lemke: I would like to represent the hard working people of northwest Iowa and hopefully restore a little balance in the state Senate.

Dave Rowley: Being a resident of Spirit Lake, our Iowa Great Lakes and our District 1 counties here in northwest Iowa, I know the priorities of Iowans in our communities. They deserve a voice that will fight for them. Whether it's for tax relief or fighting back against the burdensome policies being put forward by the federal government. We've witnessed the importance of our individual liberties, and how important it is to protect those freedoms, and I believe I can bring our voice to Des Moines to advocate for those rights.

I am also running to ensure we have good career opportunities and great schools in northwest Iowa. I will work to create a tax and regulatory environment at the state level so young people can stay or return to northwest Iowa and enjoy the high quality of life we have.

Provide information about your personal background (occupation, family, hobbies, etc.)

ML: I grew up in Armstrong, Iowa and graduated from AHS. I studied Business Administration at Iowa Lakes Community College and went to work for Sears in Estherville as a service tech. In 1982 moved to Des Moines worked for RCA, which was acquired by GE in 1987. I worked my way up to a management position. I left GE in 1999 to start my own business, retiring in 2016. I live in Spirit Lake and am married with five kids and eight grandkids.

DR: My wife, Kris, and I have lived in Spirit Lake for the last 25 years. Here we raised our four children Erik, Krista, Kathleen and Connor. They all attended and graduated from Spirit Lake High School. I have been in the insurance business for over 35 years, and I am currently an insurance agent with Blum and Leonard Insurance in Estherville, and HP Insurance in Sibley and Rock Rapids.

I also serve as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Iowa (IIAI). I enjoy music (guitar and singing) and entertaining with great friends in our lakes area. I attended the University of Iowa, receiving a B.A. in Psychology.

Do you have any experience in elected office or other public service positions?

ML: I have been on the board of Monarch Cove Association for 5 years. I was precinct captain for Amy Klobuchar in 2020 and also delegate to Dickinson County Democratic Convention in 2020.

DR: This is my first experience running for an elected office, though I have been involved in party politics for several years.

When Kris campaigned for Dickinson County Treasurer in 2006, I helped with her campaign. Through that experience we became more involved in our county Republican Party. This led to attending the central committee meetings regularly. I was elected to co-chair and then chair of the Dickinson County GOP. I served in that role until this summer.

I have volunteered on a number of non-profit boards in our area and served in leadership roles. I've served twice as president of the Pearson Lakes Art Center and president of the Iowa Great Lakes Rotary Club. I've also been a Sunday school teacher and perform regularly with the praise band for our church.

I continue to serve on the Spirit Lake Community Schools Foundation promoting and raising post-secondary financial support to help graduating students achieve their dreams. I've participated in a number of community forums exploring ways to grow our economy locally and in NW Iowa.

Explain your political beliefs.

ML: I believe hard work should equal good pay, good healthcare and a secure retirement.

DR: I am a conservative Republican, as are many people in this Senate district. I believe government's role is to protect Iowans' God-given rights, not infringe upon them. I believe in individual freedoms, good schools and great jobs. I want to help make northwest Iowa an excellent place to live, where people can come, enjoy our natural resources, have a good job and be a part of our communities.

What main issues do you think are affecting Iowa, and how would you like to address them?

ML: Issues concerning Iowans: Wages and benefits, education, healthcare, clean water and air. I support strengthening Social Security and expanded Medicare.

DR: Many of the issues that Iowa has been facing are critical. One is making sure our schools remain open so students have the opportunity to be in the classroom full-time. The schools in northwest Iowa have been doing so through most of the pandemic. If elected, I would continue to ensure schools have that opportunity.

I also will work to support our first responders and police and make sure they have the resources they need to make our communities safe and secure.

I want to ensure that our Iowa Election Law is followed and enforced. Elections must be fair and have integrity.

I think Iowa's income tax rates are still too high. With the new state budget surplus, it is time to lower them again. I want to ensure northwest Iowa is included in the use of that surplus to benefit economic growth. I look forward to being a part of the effort to make Iowa's income tax rates more competitive with other states.

There are many issues that affect our farmers and agricultural businesses. Whether it's environmental issues or others, I have a deep respect for the care our farmers demonstrate to be sure our communities are safe. I also support ethanol production, as it is a vital part of our farm economy. As we've seen our gasoline prices increase 45 percent or more this past year, it is a real concern if this trend continues.

I am also concerned about COVID-19 vaccine mandates and the impact these are having on Iowans' employment. I have heard about staff shortages at hospitals and schools due to employees resigning rather than take the vaccine. There has been no discussion on the protection of natural immunity for those who have recovered from COVID-19. If elected, I will work to safeguard our freedom to make health choices.

What main issues do you think are affecting District 1, and how would you like to address them?

ML: See answers for Question 5.

DR: Specifically in District 1 and in rural areas like our district, people need services that aren't always readily available, like hospitals and EMT services. I want to support resources to help ensure these services are available to those who need them. I also want to safeguard northwest Iowa from regulations that would tax mileage. This would impose an unfair burden to those of us who live and travel throughout our rural areas.

There are so many great volunteers in our communities that work to help others. We need to work with them to find the resources they need to be more efficient, better equipped, and develop common sense efficiencies to take at least some of the burden off the very few who are carrying that load.

What are your favorite things about living in northwest Iowa?

ML: I moved back to northwest Iowa because it is a great place to live, hard working good people, the outdoors and the small communities.

DR: What I love about northwest Iowa is the people. We are a community of people who are kind and hard-working. We care about families, safety, security and raising our children to love and respect others. Northwest Iowa is a great place to live, and we have a lot to offer families and people who want to enjoy our natural resources, including but not limited to the Iowa Great Lakes region. We have excellent farmland and agricultural resources, many manufacturing careers and lots of opportunities for growth. I'm so proud to call NW Iowa home.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

ML: If elected I will work hard to represent all the people of northwest Iowa and listen to the people I represent.

DR: I am grateful for this opportunity to represent District 1 as your senator. Thank you all for your kind words and support. If elected I will carry your voices forward to Iowa's Capitol.