Matt Tapscott interview with decorahnews.com's Ben Gardner

Matt Tapscott interview with decorahnews.com's Ben Gardner:

Matt Tapscott—a professional child care provider and former Marine—is affable and welcoming when he ushers me into his home in Decorah. Tapscott, who runs a child care service out of his home, is holding an infant as he shows me around his home. "She'll likely accompany us during the interview," said a smiling Tapscott. And she did...until naptime.

Tapscott, who formerly chaired the Winneshiek County Democrats, is running for the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent State Senator Michael Breitbach, who represents Iowa Senate District 28. State Senator Breitbach has held the seat since 2012.

Tapscott was born and raised in Des Moines and moved to Decorah with his wife and three children ten years ago. He started his child care service out of his home eight years ago.

Tapscott is campaigning as a progressive Democrat. The governmental policies close to his heart—child care and education, government oversight, infrastructure funding—are classic tenets of most modern U.S. Democrats.

"I'm running for office to make government work for working families," said Tapscott. "Our government is uniquely designed for us to do together what we can't do alone: roads, environmental protection, wages and job security, health regulations. They're the outcome of our collaborative efforts."

Tapscott recently returned from a professional child care conference. He is the President of the Iowa Family Child Care Association. According to the organization's website, their mission is to provide "information, training, and support to child care providers, parents and advocates, becoming involved in legislative issues affecting child care, promoting quality child care."

Tapscott notes: "There's a greater need in Northeast Iowa for child care than in any other part of the state. And Iowa is consistently ranked in the top three states needing funding. Yet we continue to underfund the Department of Human Services. How is a solution going to come from that situation?"

During his campaign, Tapscott plans to knock on thousands of doors of potential voters. "Win or lose, if we brought new people to the polls, then we will have been successful. It's all about making face-to-face connections." Tapscott is enthusiastic to begin the campaign process. He also knows it will be grueling and difficult, as it should be, he said.

Tapscott is currently running unopposed for the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent State Senator Michael Breitbach of Iowa Senate District 28.

Tapscott will hold a campaign fundraiser at the home of Cathy and Bill Pardee at 1552 Manawa Trail Road on Saturday, October 12th, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. To contact Matt Tapscott, call 563-387-7413 or email: tapscottforiowasenate@gmail.com.