Smith, Ernst offer differing approaches to improve Iowa

AMY HANSEN
Creston News Advertiser
CRESTON — After a fall season of political tension and heated name-calling, the two candidates for a special Senate election in Southwest Iowa took a much more respectful approach during a forum last week.

Iowa Senate District 48 candidates Republican Joni Ernst and Democrat Ruth Smith participated in a candidate forum Tuesday night at Southwestern Community College.
The event, sponsored by Creston News Advertiser and KSIB radio, had nearly 60 people in attendance.
There is a special election scheduled for Jan. 4 to elect a candidate to fill the Senate seat of Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Reynolds.
Senate District 48 covers the counties of Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Montgomery, Ringgold, Taylor and Union.
While both Ernst and Smith agreed there needs to be a better vision for Iowa, the two had different ideas on how to get there.
Judges
One of the prescreened forum questions dealt with the merit selection of Iowa Supreme Court judges and retention votes. This question also dealt with the issue of allowing a marriage amendment to come to the floor of the Senate.
Ernst said she believes every Iowan deserves the right to vote on the judges and issues.
“I believe that Iowans deserve the opportunity to vote on the marriage amendment,” she added.
Smith’s response began with stating the need to protect the judicial system from political activism, and that judges should solely be focused on interpreting the laws.
Smith said she would stand by the ruling to allow same-sex marriage.
“I know it’s a difficult thing when you go through a social change,” she said. “ …It takes time for society to get used to it and realize there’s not going to be any harm done. I would never expect a man to understand a woman completely, and I would never expect a heterosexual to completely understand a homosexual. But, that doesn’t mean we don’t respect them and give them equal rights.”
Goals
Smith and Ernst were also asked to give the top three goals they would have in the first year as a senator.
Smith said her first focus would be fixing the economy, as well as the state’s deer population.
Her next goal is to find a way for the Department of Inspection Appeals to appropriately regulate and protect the state's elderly without fear of being fined.
One last goal was to have truthful, open and honest sources when in comes to candidates during political campaigns.
“I don’t know about you, but this last election cycle just about hit rock bottom,” Smith said.
Ernst’s first goal was to make sure government is accountable to the district’s citizens.
“As long as we are representing the people of our district, we shouldn’t have anything to worry about when we are approaching those elections,” she said.
Her next goal was to streamline the budget and get rid of wasteful spending.
Smith’s last goal was to strengthen rural Iowa and jobs on main street. She also wanted to protect Iowa’s right to work laws.