We have not done enough for rural Iowa, says Democratic candidate John Norris

Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Norris was the first to the microphone Thursday night at the fall fundraiser for the Winneshiek County Democratic Party.  Norris, a 2002 Congressional candidate, stressed his campaigning in Iowa's rural counties.  "We have not done enough to preserve family farms," he told the audience, telling of his brother's struggles to keep the family's farm.  He stated, " We've got to create economic opportunities for folks in rural Iowa."

Norris served as Chief of Staff for both Congressman Leonard Boswell and Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. Under the last administration, he was a commissioner of the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission.  In the mid-80's he was state director for the Iowa Farm Unity Coalition.

Norris told local Democrats "we are failing our children," noting cuts in state support of education.  He criticized the privatization of Medicaid as failing the elderly.  He criticized cuts to the state's ombudsman program as failing our elderly.

Norris told the audience these issues are important to rural Iowa, which is why he's campaigning throughout the state to discuss the issues and to convince the public to support Democrats as a way of tackling these issues.