Cannabis issues bring Republicans out for Democrats

As a Republican that’s a fiscal conservative, I am voting for Deidre DeJear in November because of one issue: Cannabis, or the legalization of marijuana.

Republican leadership has no interest in legalizing marijuana. Gov. Kim Reynolds has stated that she will not be the governor to legalize marijuana because she believes it’s a gateway drug.

If Reynolds wins the election and Republicans maintain control, Iowa will be the only remaining state in the Midwest that hasn’t legalized marijuana or THC-infused products. In November, voters in South Dakota, Missouri, North Dakota and Oklahoma will be voting on marijuana legalization.

Unfortunately, in Iowa, this issue can’t be put on a ballot for voters to decide. If given that opportunity, Republicans would lose and Democrats would win. In fact Donald Trump warned Republican leadership about making marijuana legalization an issue because it “brought out like a million people that nobody ever knew were coming out.”

If DeJear and the Democrats want to win Iowa in November, you have to make marijuana legalization the number one issue because it brings out the voters no one was expecting.

Michael Anthony

Waterloo