Ernst focuses on military, veterans in Cedar Falls stop

CEDAR FALLS - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst launched her 99-county tour in Black Hawk County last month, but she made a second stop Monday morning to rally supporters and get them to help make her visit official by signing the RV she's been traveling the state in leading up to the Nov. 4 election.

She didn't have the RV the first time - she announced the tour during a speech at the local GOP's Lincoln Day Dinner - but she did bring the same date: U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

'I don't know any person better than the first female member of the U.S. Senate who's been a combat veteran to know more than anybody else about the national defense of our country, because she's been on the front lines,” Grassley said in introducing Ernst Monday morning at Sidecar Coffee to a full crowd. 'She'll be on the front line for you in the United States Senate.”

Ernst's short speech - she spent more time individually greeting supporters - regularly highlighted her military service, and she grew animated in highlighting the differences with her opponent Democrat Bruce Braley on national security and veterans affairs issues.

Ernst, a lieutenant colonel who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, reiterated criticisms of Braley's absence during veterans committee hearing meetings in 2011, where concerns with the health care delivery system in the VA were raised. Her anger was apparent as she repeated the critique of Braley's votes as a congressman to defund the troops serving in the Middle East.

'Twice he voted to defund our American servicemen and women while they were serving overseas in combat. Now, he has said, ‘I was opposed to the war. It was just a political statement.' Whatever. Well, I can tell you Congressman Braley, when we have men and women serving in harm's way, you don't pull the rug out from under them.”

The Braley for Iowa campaign clarified the congressman's votes by offering the statements he sent after casting those votes. Braley voted against a bill that included funding for troops in 2007, because it did not include an adequate timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, and again in 2012, because he did not want to see the United States continue its war in Afghanistan any longer.

Iowa National Guard 1/133rd infantry battalion member Jesse McCunniff, who voted with Braley in Waterloo on Friday, said in a statement that he supports Braley on veterans' issues.

'As a member of the Iowa National Guard, I'm insulted that state Senator Ernst is trying to politicize veterans' issues. Like so many veterans and service members across our state, I know firsthand that Bruce has stood up for us and delivered results - like when he successfully secured benefits initially denied to hundreds of members of my unit,” McCunniff said. 'Bruce has been a passionate and outspoken voice for Iowa's veterans and service members, and I know he will have our back in the U.S. Senate.”

Cedar Falls resident Sid Morris, a Korean War veteran, said he came out to see Ernst on Monday morning because he's supporting her and he believes she's right on the issues, especially when it comes to national security and veterans issues.

'We have so many issues right now that are really affecting our life in this country, and I think her stance on these political issues will benefit our country,” Morris said, adding, 'I just know Joni will do a better job of serving veterans.”

Where polls show Ernst and Braley in a dead heat in the contest to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Ernst and Grassley both highlighted the desire to have another Republican voice in the Senate. The Iowa race could determine which party controls the Senate in the next session.

'America is at a crossroads right now. We have to get America going again, and we have proved that we can do that here in Iowa,” Ernst said. 'We need this seat back, and I tell you, some of you, this will be the most important election of your lifetime, to take this seat back, give the good senator, Chuck Grassley, an additional voice in the U.S. Senate, not someone who will cancel him out.”

Grassley, who has served in the minority since 2007, said by helping to elect Ernst it would help ensure a Republican victory.

'You know her as a person that is committed to a tough campaign, and that convinces me that she's going to be a tough hombre when it comes to the U.S. Senate. She'll work hard and do what it takes to represent Iowa and the United States,” Grassley said. 'It will be a pleasure for me to have Joni Ernst as a colleague in the U.S. Senate, and with that process, we'll never have Sen. (Harry) Reid running the U.S. Senate again.

There was a competing vehicle to protest Ernst's stop. A truck reading 'Joni the job killer” was positioned outside Sidecar Coffee before Ernst arrived, but it had left by the time she returned to her RV for her next stop in Waverly.

One activist also tried to question Ernst as she met with supporters on her position on education funding, but supporters blocked his access to Ernst.