Tommy Hexter (D-Grinnell).

Since I started campaigning back in February, my major goal has been to encourage respectful conversations about politics in Poweshiek and Tama County. Campaigning for an election is like applying for a job. The employer is the American people, and the job description is to engage and support all of the people of the represented community, not just for those who share your personal or party beliefs. The biggest threats to our country today are division and lack of transparency.

Democracy works when we elect politicians who offer their communities unity and accountability. We should move away from the practice of celebrating boastfully if our “side” wins and feeling completely devastated if our “side” loses. We are all on the same team. Whoever gets elected, we can and should come together as American people and hold our leaders accountable to make decisions that represent all of us. The truth is, neither my friend Dean Fisher nor I are running for office for our own benefit – if we were, we’d do something less stressful. We are both trying to use our skills to serve our community by holding office. We have different approaches to governing and campaigning, different personalities, different visions for the future of Iowa, and we each are more closely connected with different communities while trying to represent everyone living here.

For my part, I have an open campaign website and social media and I attend every event I’m invited to. I am closely connected with farmers doing conservation and growing local food, young people, and the diverse populations of our district. I stay away from culture wars issues like gender identity and choose to focus on issues that impact our community – school funding, healthcare access, and rural economic development so that there are opportunities for all.

When I meet voters who disagree with me, I learn ten times more than when I am meeting with voters who I share opinions with. I am able to understand that between two opposing positions there is a unifying way to govern and to lead our community through compromise. If elected, I will gather input from Poweshiek and Tama County and make transparent decisions that reflect all opinions.

I am not a party politician. I am a new generation of representative. When you vote in this election, I hope that you vote based on who you think will be the better representative for all, not the difference in the letter next to our name. Parties can make us hate each other at exactly the time when we need to come together. Most importantly, get out and vote on or before November 5th!

Tommy Hexter

Democratic nominee for Iowa House District 53

Grinnell