IRWIN, Iowa – Republican Bret Richards is the first candidate in Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District to gather the necessary signatures to have his name placed on the 2020 Republican primary ballot.
Republican candidates in the congressional district next year are required to gather 1,874 signatures, which is 1 percent of the total number of votes cast for the party’s 2018 gubernatorial nominee, Gov. Kim Reynolds. Candidates must also gather eligible voters’ signatures equal to at least 1 percent of the GOP vote in at least 20 of the district’s 39 counties.
The Richards campaign has gathered more than 3,650 signatures to date, topped the 1-percent threshold in 26 counties and has collected signatures in every county.
The Shelby County businessman, U.S. Army veteran, and former mayor of Irwin spent the summer at almost 30 county fairs, listening to thousands of voters who “want a representative focused on fixing America’s health care system, securing our borders and making immigration laws work, and solving the debt crisis.”
“I’ve met so many people across the district who say they just want to see their elected leaders in Washington, D.C. stop bickering, start solving our country’s problems and move us forward to a new era of prosperity,” Richards said. “Everyday Iowans are able to solve big challenges and get things done because they listen to and work with others. That’s a big part of what Iowa values are. I’ll take true Iowa values to Congress and focus on the work that needs to get done.”
Iowans seeking federal offices must file their nomination petitions with the Secretary of State Paul Pate’s office between Feb. 24 and March 13, 2020. “Our early success in qualifying for the ballot demonstrates our growing organizational strength and grassroots support,” he said.