Sanborn and Sheldon, Iowa — Half of the candidates running for the Democratic nomination for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives will be visiting O’Brien County in the next week.
John Paschen, a pediatrician from Ames, will meet voters at Jay’s Restaurant on Highway 18 in Sanborn on Saturday, March 3, at 1:00 p.m.
Leann Jacobsen, a businesswoman from Spencer, will be at Truly Scrumptious at 316 9th street in Sheldon at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, March 5.
The O’Brien County Democrats tell us that everyone is welcome at these events.
According to his website, after graduating from Camanche High School, Paschen took his passion for agriculture and livestock to Iowa State University where he majored in Animal Science. He went on to medical school at the University of Iowa to earn his MD. In addition to his work as a pediatrician, Paschen has served as board president of the Child Abuse Prevention & Education Council, is currently Chairman of the Story County Board of Health, and is active with Operation of Hope, a nonprofit delivering medical care during annual mission trips to Zimbabwe.
According to her website, Jacobsen grew up in Minnesota and moved to Iowa in the 90s as a vice president of state government affairs with AT&T. In 2001 she retired to launch Capitol Gains, an advocacy firm focused on business, economic development, arts & culture, and child welfare. During that time, she says she also devoted a great deal of energy to Iowa Women in Public Policy, an organization she founded to help encourage women to actively engage in public office. From Capitol Gains, she moved to the Technology Association of Iowa. She also runs Bear Coffeehouse and Wine Bar in Spencer.
The two other Democrats running for the seat currently held by Republican Steve King are Paul Dahl, a bus driver from Webster City, and JD Scholten, a paralegal, and former Sioux City Explorers baseball player.
King also has one Republican challenger, Dr. Cyndi Hanson of Sioux City, who is a post-secondary administrator.
