With sincere gratitude, I wish to acknowledge my community of supporters of all political camps. I could not have run such a strong campaign without your energy, time and many talents.
Many kudos to the Republicans who have supported me. To all those in Jasper County, especially those who serve on the Republican Central Committee, thank you for your hard work, encouragement and financial support which kept me energized and on course. To our committee and those individuals that kept us focused and directed true to our values, thank you.
Thank you to NAMI for hosting their well-organized, non-partisan forum on mental health issues in October.
And, most importantly, thank you to my family: my husband Richard, father Tim, and mother Barbie, and my children, for your love, support and encouragement throughout the process.
While I would have liked to see different results on Election Day, I’m proud of our efforts. We proved that a competitive campaign for the Iowa Legislature can be run without large amounts of money, particularly the dollars that come with outside interests of Iowa.
I’d like to give a sincere congratulations to my Republican Party ticket-mates who were successful in their runs for public office at the Statehouse and Courthouse. My best wishes and prayers go with you as you step up to the challenges that await you. I’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate my opponent.
Election Day brought unprecedented winning results for local Republican candidates. We must keep this momentum going into the next election cycle. On Election Day, three Democrats were returned to county office without facing a Republican challenger. These days must come to an end as local taxpayers can no longer afford to hand out these county offices and salaries unopposed to our area values and smart growth. I encourage fellow Republicans to step up, run and, hopefully, take these offices to live with check and balances again. I encourage conservatives to get involved in their local, city and state interests.
I speak from experience when I say it was an enjoyable learning experience to run for office. It was also a tremendous honor made possible by our veterans. Thank you.
Ann Howell
Colfax