Top strategist to Governor Reynolds and Senator Ernst issues a “call to arms” over legal counting of ballots in IA-02 race
Last week, the U.S. House Committee on Administration announced that they are moving forward with a review of Iowa’s Second Congressional District election to ensure all legally cast ballots are counted. Following that announcement, the chief political strategist to Governor Kim Reynolds and Senator Joni Ernst issued a “call to arms” this week in response to a legal process in a race separated by just 6 votes of the nearly 400,000 cast. This dangerous rhetoric comes at a time when the Republican Party of Iowa is fundraising to benefit Mariannette Miller-Meeks using violent and threatening imagery.
“After all this country has been through, the last thing people should be doing is encouraging violence and irresponsible behavior. Amped up and dangerous rhetoric have no place in our politics. This legal process needs to play out in accordance with the law to ensure that every Iowan’s vote is counted and every Iowan’s voice is heard,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Ross Wilburn.
In the past, Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was the victim of violence following heated rhetoric aimed at her. More recently, Governor Grethen Whitmer in Michigan has faced threats, and a U.S. Capitol police officer was murdered during the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol after Republicans recklessly and irresponsibly lied to their supporters. At least 22 disenfranchised Iowa voters who cast their votes legally are waiting to have their ballots counted through this legal process following errors that left their votes wrongly excluded in the IA-02.
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