DeJear posts first ad in Iowa’s campaign for governor

DES MOINES — Democrat Deidre DeJear’s first television ad in Iowa’s campaign for governor is out, headed to Iowa’s airwaves and containing plenty of criticism of incumbent Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Reynolds’ campaign also published a new ad, which takes DeJear to task over her support for law enforcement.

In DeJear’s ad, the Des Moines businesswoman levies criticisms of Reynolds on public school funding, abortion policy, prescription drug costs and the government allowing private companies to use private land for pipeline projects.

A campaign spokeswoman said DeJear’s ad will go on TV next week and will air in the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids TV markets. It was posted on social media Thursday.

“I’ll be a governor who works with both parties so Iowa can start saying yes again,” DeJear says in the ad.

In the ad, DeJear criticizes Reynolds’ proposal to shift taxpayer funding for public schools to private school tuition assistance, her legal attempt to enact restrictions on abortion access and her opposition to Democrats’ federal legislation that included provisions designed to reduce prescription drug costs.

The ad also notes Reynolds has not taken any action to prevent state regulators from allowing private companies to use eminent domain for construction of carbon dioxide capture pipelines through Iowa farmers’ land. Landowners across the state have been speaking out against the proposed pipelines, while proponents say they will help sustain Iowa’s ethanol industry and help reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere.

Reynolds ad

Reynolds’ latest ad, her third of the cycle and also published Thursday, criticizes DeJear for not joining the rest of the state lawmakers and their guests in standing and applauding when Reynolds praised law enforcement officers during her annual condition of the state address to the Iowa Legislature in January.

DeJear attended the address as a guest of Democratic Iowa Rep. Chris Hall, of Sioux City.

“She refused to stand up, insulting law enforcement, dishonoring their sacrifice,” the ad says. “Liberal Deidre DeJear refused to stand for police. Can you imagine what she’d do as governor?”

DeJear has responded to the criticism on multiple occasions, saying she supports law enforcement officials and does not support limiting their budgets, but that she also does not support some of Reynolds’ law enforcement policies.

DeJear told The Gazette she has discussed many issues with law enforcement officials during her campaign, including addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system and recidivism in the state corrections department.

“I talk a great deal with law enforcement, and they’ve been a part of my campaign since the beginning,” DeJear said last month. “They have to be partners in this work with us, which means that they need the resources to be able to do their job better. But law enforcement is telling me right now, ‘We’re not having conversations about defunding. We’re having conversations about needing more resources.’”

Reynolds and DeJear are scheduled to debate at 7 p.m. Oct. 17 on Iowa PBS.

Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com