In The News
Vander Plaats Stops in Webster City
Mar 09, 2010
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats stopped in Webster City Monday night and gathered with supporters at Godfather’s Pizza for what he called “pizza and politics.”
Vander Plaats’ Webster City stop was part of a statewide tour, with stops on Monday in Rock Valley, Fort Dodge and Webster City. Vander Plaats, Sioux City, is a former teacher, coach and high school principal. He is a former nonprofit CEO and is currently the president and CEO of MVP Leadership Inc. in Sioux City. Vander Plaats sought the Republican nomination for governor in 2002, losing to Doug Gross. He was on the ticket in 2006 as a candidate for lieutenant governor, running with Jim Nussle. The pair were defeated by the ticket of Chet Culver and Patty Judge.
Prior to meeting with supporters, Vander Plaats stopped by the Daily Freeman-Journal. The candidate said Iowans have told him “there’s a leadership void in the state.”
“People in Iowa - not just Republicans but Independents and Democrats as well - want someone who is going to provide leadership so we can open up this state for business, so we can have good jobs. They want leadership so we can have a limited government - a government that performs well,” he said.
“I think they also want a candidate who can provide a world-class education,” Vander Plaats said. That education, according to the candidate, should be based on parents’ rights, not government control.
Vander Plaats said bringing in new jobs and opportunities to the state was high on his list of priorities.
“When we talk about opening up Iowa for business, we need to understand that we’re not competing Webster City against Fort Dodge or Iowa Falls or other communities. We have to recognize that it’s a global climate today,” he said.
Vander Plaats said state needed to do everything possible to maintain it’s right to work status.
“In fact, we need to market the state’s right-to-work status. And we need to streamline government services so we don’t have a bloated government that increases the tax base,” he said.
“Companies are are looking for tax structure, regulatory structure and to know Iowa is a right-to-work state. If it is, they will grow here, and they will develop here,” he said.
“I think that people like that I come from the private sector, where we’ve actually created jobs,” he said.
Vander Plaats faces a three-way primary battle with former Governor Terry Branstad and state Rep. Rod Roberts. Vander Plaats said he stands apart from the crowd as the only one of the three who has not held public office.
“To be quite frank, people are tired of politics as usual. I think what people are looking for is someone who comes from them not to them,” he said. “They want someone who has real-life experience in the classroom, real-life experience leading a school district, and real-life experience being a CEO in the business sector with real-life results to back it up.”
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