Congressman Steve King (left) examines a set of shoulder pads manufactured at AAI in Jefferson with vice president of operations Mark Lane during a tour of the 250,000-square-foot Jefferson operation.

King: ‘I’ve stayed true to my values’

Outspoken Congressman tours AAI ahead of election

By DOUGLAS BURNS
d.burns@carrollspaper.com

U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, said his belief system is a direct product of the largely rural — and sweeping 32-county congressional district — he is seeking re-election Nov. 4 to represent for another two years.

“I have a proven record,” King said of his decade in Congress. “The things I said as a first-time candidate are the things that remain true today.”

King on Tuesday talked with business leaders from Greene and Carroll counties in Glidden before touring the AAI facilities in Jefferson, where he walked much of the 250,000 square feet used for production of shoulder pads for NCAA and NFL teams, Olympic-caliber gymnastic equipment and a raft of other high-end sporting gear.

Bottom line, King said in an interview with The Jefferson Herald, he believes he’s a good match for the citizens of the district.

“I’ve stayed true to my values and those values I think index well with the values of the people who live here,” King said. “There’s still many things we need to do and accomplish.”

King said he is seeking to raise foreign policy discussion to a higher priority in Iowa politics.

“The destiny of the country is important to this,” King said. “If we don’t make foreign policy a big issue here in Iowa, the presidential candidates are unlikely to make it a big issue in places like New Hampshire or South Carolina.”

King said the economy has not fully recovered. Buying power and full-time employment are down, he said.

“The closer I get to home, though, and the closer the policy gets to home, the more satisfied people are,” King said. “That tells us something. We do a better job representing people the closer we are to them.”
Dealing with issues at the local level empowers individuals and families, he said.

“The federal government should do that which the local government cannot do,” King said. “And individuals should do that which government cannot do and should not do. That’s been the philosophy I’ve brought.”

During a time of partisan gridlock, King said Congress and the president were able to join in support of a farm bill that will benefit agriculture in Iowa.

King said he plans to be involved in the 2016 presidential election process in Iowa — not as a candidate himself — but as a Republican who brings potential contenders to the state.

“Iowa needs to stay the first-in-the-nation caucus because the values we have here are the values that America needs,” King said. “And every year that goes by, they need them more desperately. So let’s transfer them from Iowa to Washington.”

Democrat Jim Mowrer of Boone is challenging King for the 4th District seat.

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