‘People should come first’

VAN METER — David Young launched a campaign Monday to represent Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, once again, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Young, a Republican, was a two-term representative of the 3rd district. He served in Congress from 2015-19, before Cindy Axne defeated him in the 2018 election. Young said he’s seeking reelection because he feels the values and priorities of the people of the 3rd district are not being advocated for in the U.S. Congress.

“We have a very strong economy, things are getting better, but the policies the U.S. Congress are putting out right now could throw the economy backward and we need to go forward,” said Young. “Right now, Congress is talking about giving themselves a pay raise and they just passed a bill in the House of Representatives to take taxpayer dollars, the tax that Iowans pay, and they want to put them in their own political campaign to enrich themselves. So the people’s business is not being done and the politicians are trying to do everything for themselves right now and Iowans deserve better than that. The 3rd district deserves better representation than what they are getting right now.”

Accomplishments

In November 2016, the “No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act” – sponsored by Young –  was signed into law by President Barack Obama. Young said the legislation is one of his greatest accomplishments.

“Passing the bill ... would make sure ... that their call gets answered and they get the help that they need for those mental and emotional wounds that they have,” said Young.

Young said part of his run for reelection is to protect Iowa’s rural economy.

“Being on the appropriations committee, especially being on the agriculture subcommittee, to make sure that Iowa’s agriculture and rural communities are looked out for,” said Young. “You know that’s a big deal for Iowans to make sure someone is on that committee. We don’t have anyone on that committee anymore looking out for Iowa and our rural economy.”

Additionally, Young added that in his two terms, he never missed a vote and “kept that commitment” to meet monthly with constituents in all of the 3rd district counties – Guthrie, Dallas, Polk, Pottawatomie, Cass, Adair, Madison, Mills, Warren, Montgomery, Adams, Union, Page, Fremont, Taylor and Ringgold.

“I showed up to work,” said Young. “... just always reminding the people of the district that they are the boss and I am their employee.”

A third term

Young said, if elected for a third term, he will seek permanent tax relief, more secure borders, ensure a strong military, and fight for lower health care and prescription drug costs. Additionally, he said he will work with whoever is in the White House to get the trade deals done and address issues surrounding flooding in western Iowa, such as bringing accountability to the Corps of Engineers and making sure they are prioritizing people and not endangered species.

“People should come first,” said Young.

Term limits

As some individuals take to social media to vocalize their support or opposition for congressional term limits, Young was asked his opinion on the topic.

“I’m not one who wants to restrict any person’s right to vote for who they want to, so we, in a sense, do have term limits – that’s the ballot box,” Young said.

Young said term limits would hurt the residents of Iowa by allowing larger states – California, Texas, New York and Florida – which don’t share the same priorities of Iowa “snap up” chairmanships.

“If we had term limits, Tom Harkin (D-IA) would never of been chairman of the agriculture committee and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) would never have been chairman of the Judiciary Committee,” said Young. “So we need to make sure Iowa always has a voice and I believe term limits would hurt a small state like Iowa ... I just leave it up to the people at election time.”

Down time

Since Jan. 3, his last day in office, Young said he has been at home in Van Meter attempting to hunt for mushrooms with little luck, attending his niece’s track meets, visiting with friends and family, and volunteering with organizations he’s passionate about that advocate for human trafficking victims or advocate for research funding to fight diseases.

“It’s good to be home, but I want to take this fight for Iowa back to Washington, D.C.,” he said.

Young said he’s appreciative of the support he’s received in the past.

“I just want to let people in the 3rd district know it has been an honor to represent them in Congress before and I want to fight for them again. I’ve got the fire in the belly and I always put the people of the third district first.”