<FROM PACKAGE :27- :32 MY GOAL MY CONSTITUENTS, TO TRAVEL TO EVERY COUNTY TWICE A YEAR LOOKING AT IOWA’S FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, WE TALK WITH REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT RANDY FEENSTRA ABOUT HIS REELECTION CAMPAIGN. EVERY ONE WHO GOES INTO POLITICS USUALLY HAS THAT ISSUE THAT CONVERTS THEM FROM CONCERNED CITIZEN INTO ACTIVIST AND REPUBLICAN. KEVIN VIRGIL IS RUNNING TO UNSEAT FEENSTRA. WHAT MOTIVATED THE ARMY VETERAN AND FORMER CIA WORKER TO LAUNCH A BID FOR THE FOURTH DISTRICT SEAT? I’M GOING TO SPEAK TO ANYONE, ANYWHERE, AT ANY TIME. THE FACT THAT I’M TRULY RUNNING TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF CORPORATE INTERESTS, AND DEMOCRAT RYAN MELTON LAUNCHING HIS SECOND RUN FOR THE DISTRICT FOUR SEAT. WHY, HE SAYS HE’S THE BEST FOR THE JOB, EVEN THOUGH A DEMOCRAT HASN’T HELD THAT SEAT SINCE THE 90S. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS KCCI EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. WELCOME TO CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER IN COMMITMENT 2024. WE ARE GETTING TO KNOW ALL THE IOWANS RUNNING FOR CONGRESS AHEAD OF THE JUNE 4TH PRIMARY ELECTION. TODAY, WE’RE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT IOWA’S FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT THAT INCLUDES MOST OF WESTERN IOWA RIGHT NOW. REPUBLICAN RANDY FEENSTRA HOLDS THAT SEAT, AND HE’S BEING CHALLENGED BY REPUBLICAN KEVIN VIRGIL. DEMOCRAT RYAN MELTON IS RUNNING UNOPPOSED IN THE JUNE PRIMARY. I SPOKE WITH RANDY FEENSTRA ABOUT WHY HE WANTS A THIRD TERM ON CAPITOL HILL. WELL, WELL, FOR IOWANS WHO MAY NOT KNOW, WHY DON’T YOU START BY SHARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR BACKGROUND AS WELL? ABSOLUTELY. SO I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN NORTHWEST IOWA, IN HULL, IOWA, UH, STARTED DELIVERING PAPERS AS A SMALL KID AND, UH, UH, WAS HEAD OF SALES FOR A LARGE CANDY COMPANY AND THEN CITY ADMINISTRATOR, COUNTY TREASURER FOR, UH, SERVED IN THE IOWA SENATE, CHAIR OF WAYS AND MEANS FOR 12 YEARS. AND. NOW I’M IN CONGRESS AND I SERVED 36 COUNTIES IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT. AND MY GOAL IS ALWAYS TO LISTEN TO MY CONSTITUENTS, TO TRAVEL TO EVERY COUNTY TWICE A YEAR AND LISTEN TO THE FAMILIES, SMALL BUSINESSES AND AGRICULTURE AND SEE HOW I CAN HELP THEM IN CONGRESS. AND YOU’VE SERVED FOR, UH, MULTIPLE TERMS NOW, YOU KNOW WHY. WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR REELECTION? BECAUSE I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT DELIVERING RESULTS. I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT WORKING WITH FAMILIES, SMALL BUSINESSES AND FARMERS THAT I CAN DELIVER RESULTS AND DELIVER SOLUTIONS FOR THEM. UH, SO WE CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE SO WE CAN HAVE A BETTER IOWA AND A FOURTH DISTRICT. UH, THAT IS MY GOAL. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR TOP ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN CONGRESS? WELL, THE BIGGEST THING IS A FIGHTING AGAINST THE LIBERAL, PROGRESSIVE AGENDA. THAT BITE OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. UH, THERE’S SO MANY THINGS THAT AFFECT AGRICULTURE, UH, THAT HAS COME DOWN, THAT HAS BEEN COMMUNITY. AND THEN ALSO SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR FAMILIES. YOU THINK ABOUT INFLATION, UH, WHEN YOU’RE PAYING SO MUCH MORE AT THE GAS PUMP, WHEN YOU’RE PAYING SO MUCH MORE FOR GROCERIES AND PAYING SO MUCH MORE FOR INPUTS, WHEN IT COMES TO SMALL BUSINESS AND AGRICULTURE, THAT’S WHAT I’M FIGHTING AGAINST. BUT I’M ALSO PASSING BILLS. I JUST PASSED AN AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR TO STOP CHINA FROM BUYING OUR FARMLAND. THAT’S USED FOR ENERGY. I ALSO PASS A BILL TO GET SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT TO, UH, CONTROL OPIOIDS AND WORK WITH THOSE THAT ARE ADDICTED TO OPIOIDS. SO I WORK EVERY DAY TO TRY TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR NATION. AND YOU ARE FACING A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY CHALLENGER IN THIS UPCOMING JUNE 4TH PRIMARY ELECTION. WHAT SEPARATES YOU FROM YOUR REPUBLICAN OPPONENT? AGAIN, IT’S ALL ABOUT DELIVERING RESULTS FOR FOR IOWANS, FOR OUR FAMILIES, FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, FOR AGRICULTURE. UH, I HAVE I’VE SIT ON WAYS AND MEANS. UH, THAT WORKS WITH TAX POLICY ON HOW WE CAN REDUCE TAXES. IT WORKS WITH HEALTH CARE ON HOW WE CAN CREATE A BETTER HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. IT ALSO WORKS WITH, UH, TRADE, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO EXPORTING AND IMPORTING PRODUCTS. THEN I ALSO SIT ON THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE. WE’RE WORKING ON THE FARM BILL RIGHT NOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A, A BILL THAT HELPS OUR PRODUCERS AND HELPS GROW AGRICULTURE IN OUR STATE. UH, THE BOTTOM LINE IS GETTING RESULTS AND GETTING SOLUTIONS. AND THAT’S WHAT I’M FOCUSED ON. AND THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO DO FOR FOR MY 36 COUNTIES, I REPRESENT. I KNOW TWO YEARS AGO, WE TALKED ABOUT THE EMERGING ISSUE OF CARBON CAPTURE PIPELINES. UM, ACROSS THE STATE. UM, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT, UM, YOU KNOW, BOTH SIDES TO THAT. THOSE PROJECTS HAVE CONTINUED, PARTICULARLY WITH SUMMIT CARBON SOLUTIONS. I’M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON, UM, AS THESE PROJECTS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THIS? THE LANDOWNERS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EMINENT DOMAIN PART OF THIS ISSUE AND, AND THE, THE, THESE PIPELINES ARE CRITICAL TO, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CONTINUATION OF THEIR INDUSTRY? WELL, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. UH, THIS IS A BIG ISSUE, AND I’VE ALWAYS SAID THAT THE PIPELINE HAS TO BE BETWEEN THE LANDOWNER AND THE PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT WANT TO PUT THE PIPELINE THROUGH. THEY HAVE TO WORK IT OUT. THEY’VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION. RIGHT. I’M NOT A BELIEVER IN EMINENT DOMAIN. UH, I DO LOOK AT WHAT IT DOES FOR ADDED VALUE TO ETHANOL AND BIOFUELS AND WHAT IT ALSO DOES TO OUR CROP COMMODITIES, WHETHER IT BE SOYBEANS OR CORN. AND YOU WILL ADD 50 TO EXTRA 50 TO $0.75 TO THE BOTTOM LINE OF THOSE COMMODITIES. SO IT’S VERY IMPORTANT. BUT AGAIN, IT’S BETWEEN THE LANDOWNER AND THE PRIVATE COMPANY. AND THEY HAVE TO DECIDE HOW THEY’RE GOING TO CREATE A SOLUTION TO GET THAT PIPELINE THROUGH. DO YOU THINK THERE’S ANY ACTION THAT YOU OR CONGRESS SHOULD TAKE ON THAT ISSUE? UH, IT IS A STATE ISSUE. SO IT’S GOT TO GO THROUGH THE IOWA UTILITIES BOARD, WHICH THEY’VE HAD THE HEARINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND AND THAT’S WHERE IT STANDS RIGHT NOW. SO WE’LL HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT. TWO YEARS AGO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND INFLATION. AND VOTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY LIST INFLATION AS AN ISSUE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH. IF YOU WERE REELECTED TO THIS SEAT, HOW WOULD YOU HELP IOWANS FEEL RELIEF FROM THE HIGH PRICES THEY SAY THEY’RE STILL DEALING WITH? YEAH, THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC. I HEAR THIS ON MY 36 COUNTY TOUR. UH, EVERY TIME I GO OUT, I TRY TO HIT EVERY COUNTY. I HIT EVERY COUNTY TWICE A YEAR. AND THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH INFLATION. AND HOW CAN WE STOP IT? AND THE NUMBER ONE THING IS WE GOT TO STOP THIS OUT OF CONTROL SPENDING. UH, THERE’S BIDEN ADMINISTRATION LIBERAL PROGRESSIVE AGENDA THAT CONTINUES TO SPEND MORE AND MORE MONEY. THAT’S, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT WE HAVE TO STOP. NUMBER TWO IS I SIT ON WAYS AND MEANS. WE HAVE TO FIND TAX SOLUTIONS, TAX REDUCTIONS TO PUT MORE MONEY IN PEOPLE’S POCKETS. UH, THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT THEY TALK ABOUT IS THE INCREASE IN GAS PRICES INCREASING IN FOOD PRICES. AND THEN OUR SMALL BUSINESSES TALK ABOUT THE COST OF INPUTS, WHETHER IT BE HEALTH INSURANCE, WHETHER THAT BE, UH, ENERGY COSTS. AND THE SAME THING FOR AGRICULTURE, WHETHER IT BE FERTILIZER OR SEED. AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I MEAN, THESE ARE BIG ISSUES WHEN THAT BOTTOM LINE, YOU ONLY HAVE X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS AND YOU GOT TO BUY ALL THESE EXTRA THINGS. SO TO SLOW IT DOWN, WE’VE GOT TO STOP SPENDING NUMBER ONE. AND NUMBER TWO IS TRY TO PUT MORE MONEY IN PEOPLE’S POCKETS BY LOWERING THE TAX BURDEN, UH, ON SMALL BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES. AND MY FINAL QUESTION FOR YOU WOULD BE IN 30S OR LESS. WHY SHOULD IOWANS VOTE FOR YOU? BECAUSE I DELIVER RESULTS FOR IOWANS. I GO TO ALL 36 OF MY COUNTIES TWICE A YEAR TO LISTEN TO FAMILIES, TO LISTEN TO THE FARMING COMMUNITY, TO LISTEN TO SMALL BUSINESSES. AND I TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND I BRING IT TO CONGRESS AND TRY TO FIND AND CREATE SOLUTIONS FOR TO LIVE AND MAKE SURE OUR NATION IS SAFE AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE ARE PROTECTED. AND, UH, BY THE RULE AND THE LAW OF THE LAND, WHEN CLOSEUP RETURNS, WE HEAR FROM PRIMARY CHALLENGER KEVIN VIRGIL, WHO SAYS HE’S A BETTER FIT FOR NORTHWEST IOWA. AND OUR CONVERSATION WITH DEMOCRAT RYAN MELTON, WHO’S RUNNING UNOPPOSED IN THE JUNE PRIMARY. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP REPUBLICAN KEVIN VIRGIL IS ALSO RUNNING FOR THE FOURTH DISTRICT SEAT ON POLICY. HE’S RUNNING TO THE RIGHT OF INCUMBENT RANDY FEENSTRA. KCCI’S LAURA TERRELL SAT DOWN WITH VIRGIL TO TALK ABOUT THAT POLICY PLATFORM AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR NORTHWEST IOWA. I GREW UP IN SUTHERLAND AND O’BRIEN COUNTY, AND I GRADUATED IN 1991, WHICH WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF WHEN WE COMBINED WITH TWO NEIGHBORING TOWNS TO CREATE SOUTH O’BRIEN HIGH SCHOOL. SO I GRADUATED FROM THERE AND WENT TO WEST POINT AND, UH, SERVED FIVE YEARS IN THE ARMY IN THE 82ND AIRBORNE AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE RANGER REGIMENTS, UM, LEFT THE ARMY AND THEN, UH, TOOK A JOB IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN NEW YORK. UM, ACTUALLY, WHILE I WAS IN BUSINESS SCHOOL, I WAS DOING AN INTERNSHIP FOR THE SUMMER WITH THE BANK OF NEW YORK AND NARROWLY MISSED BEING ACROSS THE STREET FROM, UH, FROM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, UM, IN THE SUMMER OF 2001 BY A COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND THAT WAS A FORMATIVE EVENT FOR ME. UH, IT WASN’T LONG AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, WORKING FOR A BANK SEEMED LIKE KIND OF A HOLLOW ENDEAVOR AFTER 911. SO I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK INTO GOVERNMENT SERVICE, UH, A SECOND TIME WHEN I JOINED THE CIA NOT LONG AFTER 911 AND SERVED FOR A FEW YEARS, UH, WITH THAT ORGANIZATION. ULTIMATELY LEFT GOVERNMENT SERVICE FOR A SECOND TIME. AND THEN, UH, STAYED IN THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA FOR MOST OF THAT TIME. AFTER THAT, WITH SOME TIME OVERSEAS, UH, BUT STARTED A BUSINESS THAT THAT I’M STILL AN OWNER IN, UM, BUT, UH, NO, NO LONGER INVOLVED IN THE DAY TO DAY MANAGEMENT, BUT, UH, JUST RECENTLY MOVED BACK TO IOWA IN ORDER TO, UH, TO, TO TO RUN FOR THIS OFFICE, FOR THE CONGRESS IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT. WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR CONGRESS? SO, SO EVERYONE WHO GOES INTO POLITICS USUALLY HAS THAT ISSUE THAT CONVERTS THEM FROM CONCERNED CITIZEN INTO ACTIVIST. AND FOR ME, IT WAS THE THE CARBON CAPTURE PIPELINE, OR RATHER, YOU KNOW, EFFORTS TO ENACT EMINENT DOMAIN OVER PRIVATE LANDOWNERS FOR FOR A PUBLIC BENEFIT. RIGHT. I FOUND THAT TO BE EXTREMELY UN-AMERICAN. UM, AND I’VE ALWAYS MAINTAINED CLOSE TIES WITH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THE COMMUNITY BACK IN O’BRIEN COUNTY. YOU KNOW, I BRING MY KIDS BACK REGULARLY AND VERY CLOSE TO MY FAMILY. MY TIES THERE RUN DEEP. MY ROOTS WERE THERE. THEY RUN DEEP. BUT I THINK THE THE CARBON CAPTURE PIPELINES, WHAT REALLY GOT ME INTERESTED IN LOCAL POLITICS. UM, AND AS, AS I SPENT MORE TIME WORKING WITH SOME OF THE LOCAL ACTIVISTS TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR WHAT WAS HAPPENING, I STARTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT, UH, CONGRESSMAN RANDY FEENSTRA’S VOTING RECORD. UM, AND HOW, YOU KNOW, IN ONE OF THE MOST CONSERVATIVE DISTRICTS IN AMERICA, CERTAINLY THE MOST CONSERVATIVE IN THE STATE, UM, WE’VE GOT A CONGRESSMAN IN WESTERN IOWA WHO ONLY VOTES WITH THE CONSTITUTION. ASHTON ROUGHLY HALF THE TIME. RIGHT. AND I DON’T THINK THAT REFLECTS THE VALUES OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE. AND I THINK WE COULD DO BETTER. SO THAT’S WHY I DECIDED TO RUN. WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM DEMOCRAT RYAN MELTON, WHO IS ALSO RUNNING? YOU KNOW, IT’S A GREAT QUESTION. I ACTUALLY JUST MET RYAN FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS MORNING. UM, HE AND I WERE BOTH ATTENDING THE CARBON CAPTURE PIPELINE PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE STATE CAPITOL. SO. SO, UH, LOOK, I THINK RYAN AND I HAVE A SHARED OBJECTIVE, AND AND ELIMINATING THE THE PROSPECTS OF EMINENT DOMAIN ON ON A PART OF THAT PIPELINE. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE WAS A TIME IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS ACTUALLY HAD, UH, SHARED OBJECTIVES, RIGHT? LIKE PROSPERITY OF THE MIDDLE CLASS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH BOTH PARTIES SEEM TO HAVE ADVOCATED, UM, UH, RECENTLY, WHICH IS VERY, VERY UNFORTUNATE. SO HE AND I HAVE VERY DIFFERENT WORLDVIEWS WHEN IT COMES TO THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT. AND. YOU KNOW, IN THE ROLE OF THE AVERAGE AMERICAN CITIZEN. UM, OBVIOUSLY, I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD DRASTICALLY REDUCE IT. UH, HE PROBABLY DOESN’T SEE THINGS THAT WAY. BUT WITH REGARD TO THE CARBON CAPTURE PIPELINE, AND FRANKLY, I THINK THE EXTENT TO WHICH CORPORATE CAPTURE OF OUR FEDERAL AGENCIES HAS LED TO JUST RAMPANT CORRUPTION. NOT JUST IN WASHINGTON, D.C., BUT RIGHT HERE IN DES MOINES AND AT HOME. UH, I THINK BOTH HE. AND I ARE ALIGNED THAT WE WE NEED TO LIMIT THAT. FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, VOTERS HAVE CONSISTENTLY LISTED INFLATION AS A TOP ISSUE THAT THEY’RE FACING. HOW CAN YOU HELP IOWANS FIND RELIEF FROM HIGH PRICES AS WELL? I MEAN, THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS TO, I THINK, IS TO PROTECT THE PURCHASING POWER OF THE DOLLAR, WHICH IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF INFLATION, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE’VE SEEN, UH, CONSUMER PRICES GO UP ROUGHLY 18% UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. ARDON. UM, AND THAT’S A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FACT THAT THE THAT THE FEDERAL RESERVE HAS INCREASED THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF DOLLARS. IN THE MONEY SUPPLY, UH, THE CIRCULATION OF MONEY BY 40% SINCE 2020, OBVIOUSLY, AS A DIRECT RESULT OF COVID. AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GIVE GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF OF THE MONEY SUPPLY AND. THE AND THE PRINTING PRESS. RIGHT? SO SO I MEAN, ONE GREAT WAY THAT WE COULD, UH, WE COULD SLOW DOWN THE GROWTH OF INFLATION WAS IT WOULD BE TO RESTORE FISCAL RESTRAINT TO WASHINGTON AND STOP THIS PROCESS OF JUST PRINTING OUR WAY OUT OF, UH, A SHORT TERM PROBLEMS. I THINK THAT’S THAT’S THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO. BUT REALLY, UH, THE THE KEY TO UNLOCKING ALL OF OUR. ECONOMIC PROBLEMS IS JUST GROWTH. IT’S IT’S ECONOMIC GROWTH. I MEAN, IF WE COULD DOUBLE THIS COUNTRY’S GDP GROWTH AND GET IT NORTH OF 4%, WE COULD CLIMB OUT OF THIS DEFICIT WITHIN A DECADE. AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO REDUCE ALL OF THE THE BURDENS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PLACING ON AMERICAN CITIZENS, RIGHT NOW WITH ALL OF THE JUST THESE, THESE INSANE TAX INCREASES, UM, ALL THESE STEALTH TAXES AND REGULATORY HURDLES THEY IN PLACE ON ON SMALL BUSINESSES AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY. I THINK IF WE COULD LIMIT THAT OUT AND CURB THE GROWTH OF OF THE GOVERNMENT AND RETURN POWER BACK TO LIKE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN AMERICA, I THINK WE COULD WE COULD TURN THIS AROUND EXTREMELY QUICKLY. IT’S IT’S A SOLVABLE PROBLEM IN 30S OR LESS. WHAT’S YOUR FINAL PITCH TO TO IOWA VOTERS ON WHY THEY SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU? UH, THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED, BASED ON CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES, AND MY INTENT IS TO ADHERE TO THOSE AND I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR ANY LEGISLATION THAT DOES NOT PASS THAT LITMUS TEST. I INTEND TO SCORE A PERFECT 100. UH, ACCORDING TO ALL THOSE ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT TRACK THE CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLIANCE OF YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, UH, AND I WILL I WILL I WILL FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF IOWANS. UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE WAKE OF EVERYTHING WE’RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW, WITH YOU KNOW, THE CRONY CAPITALISM AND CORPORATE CAPTURE THAT WE’RE DEALING WITH, WHETHER IT’S WITH SUMMIT CARBON SOLUTIONS OR ANY OF THE OTHER, THE FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT CONTINUE TO ACT ON BEHALF OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, UH, WEALTHIEST LOBBYISTS, RATHER THAN REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. I INTEND TO BE A LOUD ADVOCATE FOR THEM. AND THAT’S WHY I THINK THEY SHOULD VOTE FOR ME. STILL TO COME ON, CLOSE UP OUR ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW WITH DEMOCRAT RYAN MELTON. WHY? HE SAYS HE’S ONCE AGAIN RUNNING FOR IOWA’S FOURTH DISTRICT. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. AFTER RANDY FEENSTRA AND KEVIN VIRGIL FACE OFF IN THE REPUBLICAN JUNE PRIMARY, THE WINNER WILL FACE DEMOCRAT RYAN MELTON IN NOVEMBER. I SAT DOWN WITH MELTON TO ASK WHAT HE’S DOING DIFFERENTLY IN HIS SECOND BID FOR IOWA’S FOURTH DISTRICT. WHAT? I’M A 39 YEAR OLD FATHER OF TWO BOYS, MARRIED TO MY WONDERFUL WIFE, LAURA. UH, BORN AND RAISED IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA. ACTUALLY, EVEN THOUGH I SPENT A FEW YEARS UP IN LAURENS, IOWA, IN POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS. UH, CENTRAL IOWA BECAME MY HOME AFTER I WENT TO IOWA STATE, GOT A BACHELOR’S IN HISTORY AND POLI SCI THERE. UH, EARNED MY MASTER’S IN US HISTORY FROM KANSAS. UH, AND THEN HAVE BEEN WORKING AT NATIONWIDE EVER SINCE. MOVED BACK HERE AFTER GRAD SCHOOL AND, UM, YEAH, JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO DO WHAT I CAN TO MAKE IOWA THE BEST STATE WE CAN MAKE IT. YOU RAN FOR THIS SEAT BEFORE AND LOST TO REPRESENTATIVE RANDY FEENSTRA. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THAT CAMPAIGN AND WHY DID WHY ARE YOU CHOOSING TO RUN AGAIN FOR THIS SEAT? YEAH, WELL, I LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS. YOU KNOW, I DECIDED TO RUN THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE IF I DIDN’T RUN, NO ONE ELSE WAS GOING TO. AND I KNEW THAT I’D BE BETTER THAN A BLANK SPOT ON THE BALLOT. AND I THINK WE PROVED THAT. BUT WE LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS. I MEAN, NUMBER ONE, THROUGH A LOT OF TRIAL AND ERROR, YOU FIND OUT ON ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET HOW TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN AS EFFECTIVELY AND AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. UM, I ALSO LEARNED THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF REASON TO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PUT A BIGGER AND BIGGER DENT INTO THE STATUS QUO IN OUR FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. CERTAINLY. I’M NOT NAIVE TO THE FACT THAT THERE’S A LOT OF MATH DISADVANTAGES TO A DEMOCRAT RUNNING. A DEMOCRAT HASN’T WON THIS SEAT IN MY LIFETIME. UM, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER FIGHTS THAT NEED TO BE FOUGHT THAT WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN FOUGHT WITH A BLANK SPOT ON THE BALLOT. AND LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FACT THAT THE CARBON CAPTURE PIPELINES ARE FACING A LOT MORE OPPOSITION THAN INITIALLY WAS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN. WE PLAYED A ROLE IN THAT. AND SO REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE WIN OR LOSE AN ELECTION DAY, THERE’S STILL A LOT OF OTHER THINGS WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IN THE MEANTIME, SEEING. A DEMOCRAT ON THE BALLOT. WHAT’S YOUR MESSAGE TO VOTERS WHO YOU MAY HOLD VERY CONSERVATIVE IDEOLOGY AND WONDER, HOW COULD A DEMOCRAT REPRESENT ME? WELL, I’D SAY THAT THE FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT HAS BEEN RUN BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE. 40 YEARS. AND WHAT WE’RE SEEING IS, IS A BACKSLIDING ON QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATORS ACROSS THE BOARD THAT IMPACT CONSERVATIVE, LIBERAL, SORRY, LIBERAL AND CENTRIST FOLKS ACROSS THE BOARD. UM, THE FACT THAT OF OUR 36 COUNTIES AND OUR FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, WE’VE SEEN A STEADY POPULATION DECLINE IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM, THE FACT THAT STATEWIDE, WE’RE LAST IN THE COUNTRY IN OBGYN AVAILABILITY RATE, WE WERE LAST IN THE COUNTRY IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE, BED AVAILABILITY RATE. WE’RE SECOND HIGHEST AS FAR AS CANCER INCIDENCE RATE IN THE COUNTRY. OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION RANKINGS ARE PLUMMETING. SO I’D ARGUE THAT FOR THE CONSERVATIVES IN OUR FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, THEIR PARTY OF CHOICE IS NOT STANDING UP FOR THEM. AND SO I’D ARGUE THAT IF THEY LOOKED AT MY WEBSITE, MY STANCES, WHAT I’VE DONE THROUGHOUT OUT BOTH OF THESE CAMPAIGNS, THEY’D SEE I’M A NON CORPORATE DEMOCRAT WHO SPEAKS TRUTH TO POWER ALL THE TIME, WITHOUT HESITATION. ARDON AND THAT THEY CAN TRUST THAT I’M STANDING UP FOR THEM AND NOT SOME BIG CORPORATE DONOR LIKE RANDY FEENSTRA IS, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, YOU HAVEN’T HELD STATEWIDE PUBLIC OFFICE. WHAT QUALIFIES YOU TO HOLD A CONGRESSIONAL SEAT? I THINK IT’S A GOOD QUESTION. YOU KNOW, I THINK MY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, I’VE EARNED A BACHELOR’S AND A MASTER’S DEGREE FROM VERY RIGOROUS INSTITUTIONS OF STUDY. I RUN TEAMS OF PEOPLE AT A FORTUNE 100 COMPANY, SO I HAVE TO MAKE BIG DECISIONS AND SOLVE BIG PROBLEMS ON A VERY BIG SCALE. AND I’VE BEEN DOING THAT VERY SUCCESSFULLY FOR A VERY LONG TIME. AND I THINK THE FACT THAT I’VE ALREADY RUN ONCE, AND I THINK IF YOU TALK TO PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, THEY’LL RESPECT THE WORK ETHIC THAT I SHOWED LAST TIME THAT I’M SHOWING IN THIS TIME, THE FACT THAT I’M WILLING TO SPEAK TO ANYONE, ANYWHERE, AT ANY TIME, THE FACT THAT I’M TRULY RUNNING TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF CORPORATE INTERESTS. IF YOU WERE IN CONGRESS, HOW WOULD YOU HELP IOWANS FEEL RELIEF FROM THE HIGH PRICES? THEY SAY THEY CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH? YEAH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I DO. THAT WE’RE SEEING RIGHT NOW STARTED WITH COVID AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS THAT CAME ALONG WITH THAT. BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS HAPPENED WAS, WAS CORPORATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT BUMP IN INFLATION. AND SO WE HAVE STUDY AFTER STUDY. NOW THAT SHOWS THAT GREEDFLATION OR CORPORATE DRIVEN INFLATION NOT RELATED TO THE COST OF INPUT, BUT JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR DESIRE TO GROW PROFIT REALLY TOOK OVER. WE’VE SEEN CORPORATE AFTER CORPORATION SEE MASSIVE PROFITS, RECORD PROFITS ACROSS THE BOARD. SO THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD DO IS I’M A BIG BELIEVER IN A CORPORATE WINDFALL TAX. SO THAT IN TIMES OF MASSIVE INFLATION, IF WE SEE VERY CLEARLY THAT THE CORPORATIONS ARE RAKING IN MASSIVE PROFIT OFF OF AN INITIAL INFLATIONARY BUMP CAUSED BY OTHER REASONS, THAT WE WOULD CLAW BACK SOME OF THAT PROFIT AND DISPERSE IT TO THE PEOPLE AND DISCOURAGE CORPORATIONS FROM THAT GREED, INFLATION THAT IS VERY CLEARLY PROVEN AT THIS POINT. THE OTHER THING WE REALLY NEED TO WORK ON IS TO INCREASE DOMESTIC PRODUCTION. I THINK WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN DID WITH THE CHIPS ACT, FOR EXAMPLE, INVESTING IN AND IN DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF CHIPS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE IS REALLY GOING TO HELP QUITE A BIT. UM, AND I THINK ALSO WITH THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS ABOUT THAT ACT THAT I WASN’T HAPPY WITH THAT I DISAGREED WITH, BUT. IT CERTAINLY DID A LOT TO START US ON A CONVERSATION. AS FAR AS COST OF MEDICINE, FOR EXAMPLE, HEALTH CARE COSTS, UM, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A REALLY BIG PROBLEM IN OUR COUNTRY AS WELL. UM, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT I’D FOCUS ON IN 30S OR LESS. WHAT IS YOUR FINAL PITCH TO IOWANS IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU? WELL, I THINK GOING TO WHAT WE TALKED, GOING BACK TO WHAT WE THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN RUNNING THE STATE FOR A LONG TIME NOW, AND THE FACT THAT WE’RE SEEING QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATORS BACKSLIDE ACROSS THE BOARD, AND A LOT OF IT IS, IS BECAUSE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND A LOT OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, I’M GOING TO BE HONEST, IS OWNED BY CORPORATE INTERESTS. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS WHEN YOU HAVE A RANDY FEENSTRA THAT’S TAKEN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM BRUCE RASTETTER AND SUMMIT, IT IS GOING TO MAKE HIM INCAPABLE OF SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER. AND SO I THINK YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THERE’S A LOT OF CORPORATE CAPTURE OF BOTH THE REPUBLICAN AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN MANY WAYS, AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR A CANDIDATE THEY CAN TRUST A CANDIDATE WHO DOESN’T USE SOMEONE ELSE’S TALKING POINTS, A CANDIDATE WHO’S REAL, WHO DOES THEIR OWN RESEARCH, WHO REACHES OUT TO PEOPLE, IS WILLING TO TALK TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE, AND WHO KNOWS THAT WHEN THEY LOOK AT THEIR FEC FILINGS, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BE OWNED BY CORPORATE AMERICA. AND SO I’M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER AND BE A FIGHTER FOR THE PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR POLITICAL AFFILIATION. CLOSE UP. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS. NEXT WEEK ON CLOSE-UP, WE’LL LOOK AT IOWA’S THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT THAT STRETCHES FROM DES MOINES TO THE MISSOURI BORDER. DEMOCRATS LANDON BASHAM AND MELISSA VINE ARE FACING OFF IN THE JUNE PRIMARY ELECTION, AND THE WINNER WILL TAKE ON REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT ZACH NUNN IN NOVEMBER. WELL, THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR KCCI EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY. HAVE A GREAT DAY.