The months of political ads and campaign rallies finally ended on Nov. 3 when Gov.-elect Rob Sand won against Zach Lahn with 55.5% of the vote, following a heated campaign battle.
Similarly, in the U.S. Senate race, Josh Turek won with 50% against Ashley Hinson, setting a new trend of Democratic support following a longstanding tradition of Republican voting in Iowa.
This election cycle was particularly important for Kirkwood Community College because of the proposed bond referendum, which passed with 67% of the vote. The $88 million approved by voters will go toward modernizing equipment and learning spaces on the college’s main campus, with an emphasis on improving programs such as industrial technology, agriculture, health care, business and information technology.
Students at Kirkwood have mixed views when it comes to these results.
Isabella Montoya, political science, is a member of the Kirkwood Democrats club. Montoya campaigned for Turek and was excited to see the wave of Democrat support in the midterm elections.
Montoya was concerned about affordability and the cost of living, an issue she feels Sand is capable of solving.
“Rob Sand promised to make living more affordable in so many ways. Montoya said he wants to raise the minimum wage, cap insulin prices, lower utility fees and so much more, I think this election proves that Iowa cares more about our quality of life rather than if a candidate is red or blue.”
Despite support shown by Kirkwood students for Iowa’s newly elected officials, some students, like Asa Tew, journalism, were not as excited about the election’s outcome.
“I was disappointed about the election results, but not surprised,” said Tew. “I wished that specifically Zach Lahn had won the governor’s race.”
Tew explained that he voted in favor of the Republican Party out of concern for LGBTQ-related issues and the desire to retain policies instated by Gov. Kim Reynold, including her Students First Education Savings Account program and Iowa’s six-week abortion ban.
Regardless of his support of former gubernatorial candidate Lahn, Tew expressed hope that elected officials like Sand can work together with Republicans in the best interest of Iowans to tackle issues like water quality and corruption.
“While I was disappointed in the results, I still wish the best for the incoming elected officials because if Iowa is succeeding, then it’s better for everyone no matter the party,” Tew said.
Even among students who express strong approval for the newly elected candidates, there is still a general sense of caution against blindly trusting elected officials.
Ashbin Bhandari, information technology, expressed support for Sen.-elect Turek, yet they remain in disagreement over negative views Turek expressed about the transgender community.
Similarly, Jaden Fox, nursing, also holds reservations over some of Turek’s beliefs.
“I don’t think he’s overall a bad person or anything,” Fox said. “We’ll say a little more loosey with what he believes. With Rob Sand, I feel somewhat similar, but he at least seems more set in his beliefs.”
Idailyah Bradford, business administration, feels hopeful after the recent election, but she finds it important to hold politicians accountable.
“No matter what political side you’re on, I feel like a lot of people just have a general sense that any candidate or politician in general just doesn’t do what you want them to do, or you never feel properly represented,” she said. “It’s why people don’t vote.”
“It’s nice that this happened, but now it’s actually time to crack down and do what you promised you were going to do.”
Regardless of how students voted, civic engagement doesn’t begin or end at the ballot box. Elected officials don’t always fulfill their campaign promises or act in the best interests of the people they represent.
Whether students support Iowa’s newly elected officials or not, staying informed about current events and policies and contacting elected representatives are important ways to hold those officials accountable and ensure they work in the best interests of Iowans.
Categories: News
