Rants, Narcisse to debate education reform in Cedar Rapids

By James Q. Lynch

The Gazette

A Republican gubernatorial hopeful and an advocate for government reorganization will square off in a series of debates around Iowa, including one in Cedar Rapids Dec. 9.

Rep. Chris Rants, R-Sioux City, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor, and Jon Narcisse, a former Des Moines school board member who is rumored to be considering an independent run for governor, are billing their tour as a solution-oriented debate series addressing issues facing the state.

They're hoping to promote vigorous debate on issues such as public safety, education, tax reform and economic empowerment.

In Cedar Rapids, Narcisse and Rants will debate education. The debate will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 350 1st Ave. NE.

Rants hopes the debate moves the race for governor beyond name identification and popularity. He and Narcisse have criticized some candidate for not having plans for reorganizing state government.

 “I don't believe in campaigns that are just sound bites and 30-second ads,” Rants said. “I believe campaigns have to be about ideas and if the other Republican candidates won't engage in that kind of debate, I'll take it where I can get it.

Narcisse framed the debates in the tradition of the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858.

“Iowans are hungry for solutions,” he said. “The negativity, the sniping, the pandering, the platitudes have grown tiresome.  Iowans want answers.”