(Cedar Rapids, IA) Former Iowa Secretary of State and Mayor of Cedar Rapids Paul D. Pate exceeded the necessary petition signature requirement by 100% while submitting over 2000 in 60 days. Pate announced on Monday that he has over $55,000 cash on hand from over a hundred donors in just a few short months demonstrating that he continues to build momentum.
“I’m overwhelmed by the continuing rapid growth of support Iowans are showing for this campaign. It is clear they do not want nor can they afford to have Iowa’s chief elections commissioner be a partisan political operative from either party. I have served the people of Iowa as Secretary of State and hold the proven experience to be that non-partisan leader they desire,” stated Pate.
A nationally recognized small business leader by the Small Business Administration, Pate is the President of Pate Asphalt Systems in Marion and recently served as Mayor of Cedar Rapids from 2002 -2006. While Mayor, Pate was elected President of the non-partisan Iowa League of Cities representing over 870 municipalities. Previously, he served as Iowa Secretary of State from 1995-1999 and represented NE Cedar Rapids, Marion and parts of Linn, Buchanan and Delaware Counties in the Iowa Senate from 1989-1995.
“As I travel across the state the consistent message that I’ve been receiving is that Iowans want access to voting with safeguards to protect against potential voter fraud. Those two priorities are not mutually exclusive and will take real leadership to ensure both,” said Pate.
Pate and his wife, Jane, of 35 years are the parents of three adult children and five grandchildren.