Local Republicans Gear Up for Final Campaign Stretch as Victory Office Opens in Cedar Falls

With just over two months to go until Election Day, local Republicans are gearing up and hitting the phones and the pavement.

About 50 gathered Wednesday to hear speeches and sign up to volunteer at the grand opening of the Cedar Falls Republican Victory Office, a campaign headquarters equipped with a phone bank and piles of yard signs.

The Victory Office, 4807 University Ave., Suite 103, was opened to support local Republican candidates at all levels, from presidential hopeful Mitt Romney all the way down to the local county supervisor race.

Several of those candidates spoke at the grand opening celebration. They said they'd been out pounding the pavement, some with goals of knocking on every door in their constituency. They called on supporters to help in any way they could, whether with time volunteering or with donations.

Here are a few things they had to say at the event:

Ben Lange, running against Bruce Braley for the U.S. House, Iowa's first district:

"We are more effective, we are better organized, we are better financed. We are ready to finish what we started four years ago."

He also decried Braley's attack on what Braley termed the "Romeny-Ryan-Lange Proposal" on Medicare.

"That's giving Lange a little too much credit," Lange quipped.

He said something must be done to save Medicare from insolvency.

Matt Reisetter, running against Jeff Danielson for Iowa Senate district 30:

"Limited government is more effective government. These things create more freedom."

He also thanked supporters for the grassroots support that has propelled his campaign.

Walt Rogers, incumbent running against Bob Greenwood for Iowa House district 60:

"My campaign is about smaller, smarter government. Every dollar in your hands is more efficiently spent than in government's hands."

He also talked about his guiding principals, which include: 1. Budgets must not spend more than they take in. 2. The United States is providentially formed to promote liberty and freedom. 3. Morals are taught by family, supported by churches and backed up by laws. 4. Safety nets are best using family, churches and when needed, government. 5. Energy resources are gifts from God. We should steward them wisely and not waste them on cronyism. 6. Second Amendment laws should favor and trust law-abiding citizens.

Jim Kenyon, running against Bob Kressig for Iowa House district 59:

"I really believe in fiscal responsibility."

He also talked about the need to reform corporate taxes and invest in education.