The Last Word… The Last Candidate Interviews?

Voters head to the polls Tuesday to make their decision.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – ‘It all comes down to this.’ It’s a familiar saying that, for three candidates on the ballot in Mahaska County, couldn’t be more true. The next time I interview these people, the race will have been decided one way or another. For most Iowa residents, Tuesday isn’t coming fast enough.

This week I caught up with Tom Rielly working at his local business, Ken Rozenboom as he made his way from one meeting to the next, and Mike Vander Molen as he was recovering from the flu, to ask them about the race and what they would take away from this election.

As things near the end, an excited Senate 40 candidate Ken Rozenboom says he believes the candidates are like all the voters, “They’re probably ready to get the election over and get life going again by getting back to normal.”

Rozenboom sees the striking differences between the conservative viewpoint and liberal viewpoint of what role government plays as something that helps define this election. “I’ve become more and more aware of how important this election is in terms of stopping the growth of government. We simply can’t afford to borrow forty cents of every dollar we spend.”

“When a child is born today, he can’t vote for 18 years but we’ve already got $50,000 in debt assigned to that child,” Rozenboom said of the growing debt. “That bothers me, so I think we need to learn to control the government.”

Rozenboom expressed the nearly unanimous answer among all candidates, which has been the opportunity to meet and talk with the people in their district as the greatest experience and memory they will take with them from their campaign.

“I’ve made friends.  I’ve met people. I’ve heard life stories that I won’t forget anytime soon. The process of talking to voters… really helps one focus their thinking on a lot of issues,” says Rozenboom. He said that it may not change his thinking, “it reinforces my thinking.”

Mahaska County Supervisor candidate Tom Rielly has been a staple of area politics since his days as Mayor of Oskaloosa. At this time, Rielly says that getting the vote out is the focus he and his supporters have been working on. “Get out and make sure people are voting,” Rielly said of the continuing work on his campaign.

Rielly is an outgoing Iowa Senator who’s district took on an all new landscape after redistricting. With some changes at home, a desire to grow his business. Running on his “track record… and experience” Rielly hopes to continue his life of public service.

He expresses a desire to, “Hold the line on taxes,” and improve roads and bridges.

“I want to try and bring more transparency and openness to the county government,” Rielly says. He expressed his desire to listen to new ideas. “If there’s better ways we could try and govern at the county level, I’m open to those types of ideas.”

Attracting business and people to the community is something Rielly intends to explore as supervisor. “I’ve done that as senator, I’ve done that as mayor; is reach out to the business community,” to find out if there are burdensome regulations “and try to get beyond that” and to find out what the local business needs for their employees. He says that many times, businesses and good schools and competitive property tax rates, “they also want things for their employees to do too.”

Rielly says that quality of life is important for growing a community. Looking at different housing stocks, recreation trails, and Rielly believes that a partnership between the chamber of commerce and the business community, in step with city and county government. “I think there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be able to come together and look for ways to attract young people and retain young people and create those jobs here.”

Mahaska County Supervisor candidate Mike Vander Molen has been working on his campaign by finishing up some door knocking. “I’ve set out a pretty ambitious goal for door knocking at the beginning of the campaign and I think I’ve pretty much exhausted my list,” Vander Molen says.

“I’ve had a lot of conversations with the people out in the county and Oskaloosa on the future of the county.” Vander Molen says he’s learned a lot during the process, “I’ve also learned a lot about what the county needs to do on the challenges going forward.”

“It’s been a good trip for me,” Vander Molen says.

Vander Molen announced last October that he was going to run for the position and, in doing so, has probably been on the campaign trail longer than most local candidates seeking a local office. In that time, he says the most important thing he is taking away, “All the people I’ve met.” He says that the encouragement he gains from those supporting him in his bid has been important and something he will remember. “They’ve got my back,” Vander Molen says.

“One thing I know is… I’ve worked really hard at it and I’ve laid all my cards on the table,” Vander Molen says. And for the most part, his campaign and his drive for office have reminded me, and others, of one seeking an even higher office than that of county supervisor. “In the end, I’ll sleep well at night knowing I gave it my all,” Vander Molen says.

Vander Molen knows he had to work hard because, “Tom has an incredible amount of name recognition and I had to overcome that, and counter that, and I think I’ve done that in many ways. We’re going to know a whole lot more on Tuesday.”

In my closing talk with Vander Molen, I asked him what his closing argument to the voter would be. “I got into this because I’ve been really blessed in my life and I thought it was going to be a good way to give back. I don’t look to be a career politician. I don’t look for this to be my main source of income, I’ll probably actually lose money being a supervisor,” Vander Molen said, reinforcing that his desire was to help people.