Swampy Adam Steen Under Fire for Botched Attempt to Bully Political Opponent Off the Ballot
Randy Feenstra’s campaign calls on Steen to drop out of the race, Brad Sherman piles on
DES MOINES – GOP gubernatorial candidate and Kim Reynolds’ right hand man Adam Steen is in the hot seat for trying and failing to kick his political opponent and fellow candidate for governor, Eddie Andrews, off the ballot. Steen’s fellow Republicans are now taking aim at him for his swampy political games, including a key member of Randy Feenstra’s campaign calling on Steen to drop out of the race.
Fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate Brad Sherman piled on, calling Steen’s failed attempt to bully Andrews off the ballot “extremely disturbing for someone who is asking for the trust of Iowans.”
Catch up quick on Steen’s swampy behavior:
- Campaign caught coordinating to kick Andrews off the ballot: Despite lying and claiming they had nothing to do with the petition challenge, Steen’s Campaign Manager Rob Peters and Communications Director Rebekah Oleson were both caught red-handed coordinating with a donor to get Andrews kicked off the ballot. The Iowa Secretary of State’s office confirmed the backroom dealing, saying “the only people involved in reviewing [Andrews’ petition] papers were” Steen’s campaign staffers.
- Steen called Andrews to threaten him: New reporting also revealed that Steen himself called Andrews to bully him to drop out of the race. On March 17, Steen threatened Andrews’ candidacy via a phone call, telling him “if you’re not going to be on Team Steen, we are going to challenge you.”
- Feenstra campaign tells Steen to drop out: Feenstra’s campaign chair Brian Dumas was quick to call out Steen’s “disgusting tactics” and is now demanding Steen drop out of the race. Dumas responded to the Steen campaign coordinating with a donor by saying “two sources now confirming @adamsteen public statements that they had nothing to do with challenging @eddieandrews petitions were in fact bold faced lies. Caught red handed. Steen should drop out.”
- Brad Sherman throws shade at Steen: Fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate Brad Sherman piled on to the GOP infighting, saying he was “glad Adam Steen’s attempt to use dirty tricks and deceitful statements to remove Eddie Andrews from the ballot was unsuccessful.” Sherman also threw shade at Steen’s viability, saying “Steen had reason to worry about more people being on the ballot, and his continued pattern of telling half-truths and deceptive statements is extremely disturbing for someone who is asking for the trust of Iowans.” Yikes!
From Iowa Democratic Party spokesperson Terra Hernandez:
“Adam Steen tried – and failed – to get Eddie Andrews kicked off the ballot, then got caught red-handed trying to lie about it and cover it up. Swampy Steen is clearly trying to bully his way to the governor’s office, even if it means overturning the will of Iowa voters in the process. It’s exactly the type of slimy and corrupt behavior Iowans hate about politics, and it’s why Steen is totally unfit to be Iowa’s next governor.”
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