Just over two years ago, Gabe Swersie picked up the phone to hear an unusual request from his pastor at the Newton Christian Reformed Church. The clergy was asking the Newton Republican to put his hat into the political ring against Democrat Paul Bell. But when Swersie asked how long he had to think and pray about the decision, his pastor said all the paperwork was due within 24 hours.

“He told me I had to have 50 signatures in by 5 o’clock tomorrow,” Swersie said during a phone interview Thursday. “I gathered 100 and got them in on time.”

In an unfortunate turn, Bell died before the two could finish the campaign. Swersie ended up facing Newton Democrat and his former Newton Senior High classmate Dan Kelley for the Iowa House District 29 seat. Swersie lost the 2010 contest, but he once again has put himself on the Republican ticket in 2012 for a rematch that shows stark differences in ideologies and a campaign based on policy debate, not rhetoric.