National themes in closing messages from Iowa politicians

WAUKEE — With one more day on the campaign trail, Iowa’s top-of-the-ticket candidates are emphasizing national themes.

Republicans like Governor Kim Reynolds frame the election as a referendum on President Biden. Here’s Reynolds Sunday night at a rally in Waukee: “Passionate Iowans…have had it with the direction that this president is taking the country and they are not going to take it anymore, so thank you for being fired up.”

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, at the same rally, picked up that theme. “This Biden Administration and everybody associated with it…they want to fundamentally change America…We want to preserve America,” Grassley said, to cheers.

Abortion has been a major issue for Democrats. Grassley’s opponent, Mike Franken, drew extended cheers at a Des Moines rally for saying he supports “a woman’s right to choose.”

“In those deeply personal moments, the last person you need in the delivery room are Chuck Grassley, a constitutional lawyer and the federal government,” Franken said.

Deidre DeJear, the Democrat running against Reynolds, criticizes the governor for asking a judge let a six week abortion ban take effect in Iowa. “Kim Reynolds wants to be in your doctor’s appointment, helping you make the most important, critical, personal decision that a person could possibly make,” DeJear said in a video posted online, “and that is unacceptable.”

Today’s the last day of early voting in Iowa. Tuesday’s Election Day voting begins at Iowa precincts at 7 a.m.

Election officials say it’s too late to mail an absentee ballot, because absentee ballots have to be inside your county auditor’s office by 8 p.m. Tuesday. You may drop off your absentee ballot at your county auditor’s office today or turn it in tomorrow at your precinct, where you’ll be given a regular ballot to fill out instead.