Battaglia: And justice reformed for all

I am in a two-way race for attorney general with incumbent Tom Miller, as a candidate from Iowa's newest state recognized political party. The Libertarian Party has worked hard every cycle since 1971 to give people like me opportunities like this. Despite this, some in the mainstream media have falsely reported that Tom Miller is running unopposed a second time, and thus far a two-way attorney general race has gone without polling and without debate for the first time in modern American history.

This race is a first for Iowa and a first for the nation. My grandparents moved their family here from Italy to give us the protections of the constitutions and the bill of rights and I intend to pride and maintain the heck out of them! I've been featured prominently in many of the papers in the state, and I challenged my opponent to friendly debates at the Iowa State Fair and on radio and television. I've gotten silence in return.

I am directly inspired by personages of historical significance, including people like Frederic Bastiat, Filippo Mazzei, Sir William Blackstone, Frederick Douglass and former Iowa Gov. Harold Hughes. I've spent over a year campaigning, listening to citizens and meeting with county attorneys, law enforcement, farmers and business owners. I've met with press all over the state and answered all questions from the left, right and everywhere in between.

I had some in the media laugh at me because I said I was going to lead the way on getting money out of politics by only taking donations from individual Iowans. I said I was going to offer Iowans a chance to effectively 'term limit” Tom Miller by electing me. We the people have the power to term limit and to get money out of politics.

I stand for personal responsibility and individual liberty. My platform has been welcomed with tri-partisan support around the state. I will champion occupational licensing reform, harm reduction, mental health and addiction rehabilitation, civil and criminal justice reform, and a winding down of the war on drugs so that Iowans may work to end racial disparities and unscientific scheduling, grow hemp, utilize cannabis and work together to end the opioid and suicide epidemics.

If you would like to see justice reformed in Iowa, I am your candidate.

' Marco Battaglia is a Libertarian candidate for Iowa Attorney General.