[Iowa-dx] Iowa Independent: Lady House Challenger To Grassley

[GreenParty Ron]

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Iowa Independent Daily Digest
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Link to Iowa Independent - Front Page

House Challenger Baresel Ready to Battle Iowa Namesake

Posted: 11 Apr 2008 09:50 AM CDT

Cayla Baresel, Democratic candidate in Iowa House District 17Cayla
Baresel is the first to admit that a successful campaign against
Republican incumbent Pat Grassley in Iowa House District 17 is going to
take a lot of work, but she says that she has the energy and dedication
to get the job done.

At age 23, Baresel is the youngest woman currently seeking a legislative
seat. She's also an Iowa native and a 2007 graduate of Wartburg College
where she obtained her bachelor of arts degree in political science. Most
recently, she's put shoe leather to asphalt in Butler and Bremer counties
as a field organizer for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential
campaign. Baresel says expanding the voter and supporter grassroots
network she's already helped forge will be key in her upcoming campaign.


"When I was working on the Clinton campaign, I developed even more of an
attachment to this area and the people who live here," Baresel said. "As
I met people and listened to their experiences, I became inspired and
motivated to do all I could to make a difference for them. That's why I'm
running. I really feel that things need to change and that the concerns
of the people in this district need to be heard. Their concerns need to
be addressed at the state level."

Statistical information & map of house districtBefore Baresel can go to
work for constituents, however, she has a significant hurdle to overcome
in Pat Grassley, grandson of long-standing U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley. In
2006, the House seat was vacated by Bill Dix when he decided to pursue an
unsuccessful bid to represent Iowa's 1st District in the U.S. House of
Representatives. Grassley and Democratic candidate Alek Wipperman faced
off in the state race. Of the nearly 12,000 votes cast, Grassley netted
55.5 percent.

"I'm excited about the opportunity, but I'm not suffering from any
delusions. It's going to be tough, but I'm willing to work for it,"
Baresel said. "I know how tough this district is -- not just for me, but,
historically, for any Democratic candidate -- and I'm going to use my
energy and determination to give it my best shot."

While in most districts Baresel's age might play more of a role, it would
be difficult for it to be factor against the 24-year-old Grassley. When
first elected to office, he was younger than Baresel is now. One thing he
has that she does not, however, is name recognition.

"I am a woman and I am young," she said. "I don't know how that will be
initially perceived. What I hope is that people will see how hard I'm
working -- that they'll see my motivation and the reasons for it. I've
got to get my name out there."

Getting her name out there is going to be part of the learning
experience, she says, and also something she's sure will "open a lot of
doors" despite the fact that she never really pictured herself running
for public office.

"I've always been interested in politics," she said. "I majored in it in
college because I had an interest. But running for office? Not really. My
friends would say to me, 'Oh, Cayla, you are so smart and I just know
you're going to be president one day.' I'd roll my eyes and tell them,
'Oh yeah.' So, I guess it was something that I joked about, but never
seriously wanted to pursue it until I became more involved after college
graduation. Just talking to so many people in Bremer and Butler counties
really motivated me to want to help. It also gave me the confidence I
need to seriously think, 'I can do this.'"

Having grown up in a single-parent household in Iowa, Baresel says the
issues she feels most deeply about are education and health care. Those
are followed closely by concerns for the economy and a need for more
biofuels technology and environmental issues.

"It was a challenge for my mother, but she did an excellent job [raising
my sister and me] and working two jobs most of the time," Baresel said.
"Higher education can sometimes feel as if it is out of reach. It's
expensive now and it gets more and more expensive every year. I also know
there are people in this district who can't afford health care premiums
so they do without insurance. We've got to create more opportunities.
We've got to give young Iowans a reason to remain in our state. Those are
big concerns not only for the individuals in those situations, but for
the district as a whole."

When the election is said and done, Baresel says she wants the voices and
needs of the people to be the driving force in Des Moines.

"I've had the opportunity to hear the stories of the people in Butler and
Bremer counties. I've heard what's important to them," she said. "I know
I would represent them and this area well. I know I would be a good
representative because I would always represent the people."

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<TD width=3D"1%"><A href=3D"http://www.iowaindependent.com/" target=3D_blan=
k><IMG id=3Dfeedimage style=3D"BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDE=
R-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADD=
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age" src=3D"http://iowaindependent.com/upload/logo.png"></A></TD></TR></TBO=
DY></TABLE>
<TABLE id=3Ditemcontentlist style=3D"CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: #999 1px soli=
d; PADDING-TOP: 0.5em">
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD style=3D"MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.4em">
<P style=3D"MARGIN: 1em 0px 3px; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%" xmlns=3D""><A style=3D"=
FONT-SIZE: 18px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif" href=3D"http=
://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IowaIndependent/~3/268407241/showDiary.do" targe=
t=3D_blank>House Challenger Baresel Ready to Battle Iowa Namesake</A> </P>
<P style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12px; MARGIN: 9px 0px 3px; COLOR: #555; LINE-HEIGHT:=
 140%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><SPAN>Posted:</SPAN> 11 A=
pr 2008 09:50 AM CDT</P>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12px; MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: #000000; LINE-HEIGHT: 14=
0%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
<P><IMG height=3D204 alt=3D"Cayla Baresel, Democratic candidate in Iowa Hou=
se District 17" hspace=3D4 src=3D"http://www.essentialestrogen.com/gfx/hous=
e_candidates/cayla_baresel.jpg" width=3D140 align=3Dleft vspace=3D4>Cayla B=
aresel is the first to admit that a successful campaign against Republican =
incumbent Pat Grassley in Iowa House District 17 is going to take a lot of =
work, but she says that she has the energy and dedication to get the job do=
ne.</P>
<P>At age 23, Baresel is the youngest woman currently seeking a legislative=
 seat. She's also an Iowa native and a 2007 graduate of Wartburg College wh=
ere she obtained her bachelor of arts degree in political science. Most rec=
ently, she's put shoe leather to asphalt in Butler and Bremer counties as a=
 field organizer for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign. B=
aresel says expanding the voter and supporter grassroots network she's alre=
ady helped forge will be key in her upcoming campaign.</P><BR>
<P>"When I was working on the Clinton campaign, I developed even more of an=
 attachment to this area and the people who live here," Baresel said. "As I=
 met people and listened to their experiences, I became inspired and motiva=
ted to do all I could to make a difference for them. That's why I'm running=
. I really feel that things need to change and that the concerns of the peo=
ple in this district need to be heard. Their concerns need to be addressed =
at the state level."</P>
<P><IMG height=3D676 alt=3D"Statistical information &amp; map of house dist=
rict" hspace=3D2 src=3D"http://www.essentialestrogen.com/gfx/house_candidat=
es/graph_HD17.jpg" width=3D200 align=3Dright vspace=3D2>Before Baresel can =
go to work for constituents, however, she has a significant hurdle to overc=
ome in Pat Grassley, grandson of long-standing U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley. In=
 2006, the House seat was vacated by Bill Dix when he decided to pursue an =
unsuccessful bid to represent Iowa's 1st District in the U.S. House of Repr=
esentatives. Grassley and Democratic candidate Alek Wipperman faced off in =
the state race. Of the nearly 12,000 votes cast, Grassley netted 55.5 perce=
nt.</P>
<P>"I'm excited about the opportunity, but I'm not suffering from any delus=
ions. It's going to be tough, but I'm willing to work for it," Baresel said=
. "I know how tough this district is -- not just for me, but, historically,=
 for any Democratic candidate -- and I'm going to use my energy and determi=
nation to give it my best shot."</P>
<P>While in most districts Baresel's age might play more of a role, it woul=
d be difficult for it to be factor against the 24-year-old Grassley. When f=
irst elected to office, he was younger than Baresel is now. One thing he ha=
s that she does not, however, is name recognition.</P>
<P>"I am a woman and I am young," she said. "I don't know how that will be =
initially perceived. What I hope is that people will see how hard I'm worki=
ng -- that they'll see my motivation and the reasons for it. I've got to ge=
t my name out there."</P>
<P>Getting her name out there is going to be part of the learning experienc=
e, she says, and also something she's sure will "open a lot of doors" despi=
te the fact that she never really pictured herself running for public offic=
e.</P>
<P>"I've always been interested in politics," she said. "I majored in it in=
 college because I had an interest. But running for office? Not really. My =
friends would say to me, 'Oh, Cayla, you are so smart and I just know you'r=
e going to be president one day.' I'd roll my eyes and tell them, 'Oh yeah.=
' So, I guess it was something that I joked about, but never seriously want=
ed to pursue it until I became more involved after college graduation. Just=
 talking to so many people in Bremer and Butler counties really motivated m=
e to want to help. It also gave me the confidence I need to seriously think=
, 'I can do this.'"</P>
<P>Having grown up in a single-parent household in Iowa, Baresel says the i=
ssues she feels most deeply about are education and health care. Those are =
followed closely by concerns for the economy and a need for more biofuels t=
echnology and environmental issues.</P>
<P>"It was a challenge for my mother, but she did an excellent job [raising=
 my sister and me] and working two jobs most of the time," Baresel said. "H=
igher education can sometimes feel as if it is out of reach. It's expensive=
 now and it gets more and more expensive every year. I also know there are =
people in this district who can't afford health care premiums so they do wi=
thout insurance. We've got to create more opportunities. We've got to give =
young Iowans a reason to remain in our state. Those are big concerns not on=
ly for the individuals in those situations, but for the district as a whole=
."</P>
<P>When the election is said and done, Baresel says she wants the voices an=
d needs of the people to be the driving force in Des Moines.</P>
<P>"I've had the opportunity to hear the stories of the people in Butler an=
d Bremer counties. I've heard what's important to them," she said. "I know =
I would represent them and this area well. I know I would be a good represe=
ntative because I would always represent the people."</P></DIV></TD></TR></=
TBODY></TABLE></DIV></DIV><BR>

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Get a <b>free e-mail </b>account today at <a href=3D"http://www.mail.com/Pr=
oduct.aspx" target=3D"_blank">www.mail.com</a>!</div>

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