(Zach Lahn - Community First Broadcasting Staff Photo)Orange City, Iowa (Sioux County Radio) — Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn told supporters Thursday that northwest Iowa could play a key role in the November election while outlining proposals related to agriculture, education, and retaining young people in Iowa.
The meet-and-greet took place at property owned by Verlyn Sneller, founder and president of Terra Transitional Solutions. State Sen. Jeff Taylor welcomed attendees, and State Rep. Skyler Wheeler led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Lahn’s stop came two days after his first debate with Democratic candidate and State Auditor Rob Sand.
Northwest Iowa Turnout and the Next Generation
Lahn told supporters he expects to spend much of the campaign’s final weeks in western and northwest Iowa.
He encouraged supporters to reach out to friends, family members, neighbors, and fellow churchgoers, describing the governor’s race as competitive and emphasizing the importance of voter turnout.
The Sioux City native also reflected on leaving Iowa as a young adult before eventually wanting his own children to experience the same sense of community he remembered growing up.
Lahn said retaining young people in Iowa requires opportunities to build careers, raise families, and start businesses or farms. He said concerns about future generations helped motivate his decision to run for governor.
Agricultural Competition and Education
Lahn argued that consolidation in agricultural industries has reduced competition and created additional challenges for farmers. He proposed increasing funding for the Iowa Attorney General’s office and dedicating those resources to cases involving anticompetitive business practices.
Lahn said he believes successful cases in Iowa could encourage similar actions in other states. He tied agricultural competition to his broader goal of creating more opportunities for families to remain in rural communities.
On education, Lahn said public schools should have greater flexibility to test new approaches through innovation waivers. He said allowing parents to choose among different instructional models could help identify successful ideas that could be adopted elsewhere.
Lahn also called for additional one-on-one and small-group assistance for students whose behavioral needs interfere with classroom participation. He described the approach as a way to help students return successfully to the classroom rather than punish them.
He also criticized what he described as political agendas in classroom instruction and said education should reinforce cultural values and traditions that have benefited Iowa communities.
Following his remarks, Lahn answered questions from attendees and spoke with reporters.
Lahn and Sand face each other in the Nov. 3rd general election.
