Zaun headlines Mahaska Republican Eat and Greet

Brad Zaun speaks to a crowd at the Mahaska County Republican Eat and Greet

Brad Zaun (R) made another visit to Oskaloosa this evening to join fellow Republican’s for the annual eat and greet put on by the Mahaska County Republican’s. The event held around the bandstand gave residents the opportunity to chat with the candidates on issue’s that concern them.

Zaun, running for the 3rd Congressional District against incumbent Leonard Boswell (D). Boswell first elected to the US House of Representatives in 1996 has been facing one of his biggest challenges for re-election. In our own non-scientific poll we showed Zaun the winner over Boswell, but that could be because of a more conservative area that Oskaloosa represents. The 3rd Congressional District has 151,112 registered Democrats and 127,519 registered Republicans. There are 124,210 independent voters in the same district. Early voting has begun by absentee voting, and so far in Mahaska County, Democratic voters have 337 ballots to the Republicans 252. Independent voters have requested an additional 165 for a total of 754 total. Statewide the Democrats have a commanding lead in absentee ballots with Democrats having 59,557, to the Republican’s 22,268. Independent voters have requested 17,897 and other’s representing an additional 64 for a total of 99,786 absentee ballots so far for the State of Iowa.

Guy Vander Linden meets the crowd at the Mahaska County Republican Eat and Greet

Boswell’s war-chest is brimming with cash, with recent financial disclosure putting his coffers at $733,991 to Zaun’s $100,400. Expect the tempo to pick up with only 33 days until election, and the Democrats leading in getting out the early vote to their party members.

Guy Vander Linden (R), former Marine Corp General, and Marine One pilot for President Ronald Reagan, is running for Iowa House District 75 against incumbent Eric Palmer (D), a local attorney and business owner. Rich Arnold (R) the incumbent for Iowa House District 72 is facing off against Deb Ballalatak (D). Greg Gordy and Ken Rozenboom the 2 Republican candidates for Mahaska County Supervisor are facing no Democratic opposition, greeted visitors to the event as well. Kent Frankenfeld, candidate for Mahaska County Treasurer handed out cards and greeted those in attendance.

Dave Jamison (R), State Treasure candidate made his way around the crowd, letting those that listened what his position on what he could do for the State if elected to the position. He made one of the more interesting speeches of the evening using a teddy bear as an object lesson. Jamison, the current Treasurer of Story County is facing off against incumbent Mike Fitzgerald (D). In our non-scientific poll, this race was near a dead heat, with Jamison winning by the slimmest of margins.

In the next week, we will run another poll to see how voter’s have changed their mind if at all in the time since our original poll.

Rich Arnold speaking at the Mahaska County Republican Eat and Greet

The crowd at the Mahaska County Eat and Greet