Des Moines, IA – Today, ONE launches the “ONE Vote 2012” campaign in Iowa to engage directly with candidates, their staff and voters about the importance of maintaining American leadership in the battle to alleviate extreme poverty and preventable disease. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will manage the effort with the help of ambassadors serving on ONE Vote 2012’s local advisory committee of political and community leaders including Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds, Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and State Auditor Dave Vaudt. (See complete list of ambassadors below.)

“I’m honored to join this group of distinguished conservative leaders from across Iowa who are committed to ensuring our next president fights to preserve American programs that save the lives of the world’s poorest and help build friendships with nations around the world,” said Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds. “We must protect the less than 1% of the U.S. budget that is helping to build safer, more stable and productive states abroad, while ultimately increasing our security here at home.”

“As a farmer taking part in our harvest season, I know the key role agriculture plays in the livelihood of families whether they are in Iowa or sub-Saharan Africa,” said Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey. “Supported by less than 1% of the entire U.S. budget, America’s efforts like those to help poor farmers to grow more food to feed themselves and their families are critical to combating extreme poverty. In a volatile world, the stakes are too high to turn our backs on the most vulnerable – it’s not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.”

The Ambassadors will work throughout the primary season with Iowa’s ONE team and the state’s more than 15,000 ONE members to raise the profile of issues that affect the world’s poorest people.  Through the 2012 election, ONE and its members will ask those seeking to be president to support programs that address critical needs in developing countries.   Specifically, the ONE Vote 2012 platform encourages policies that will continue to support life-saving programs and promote the long-term health and economic progress of people in the world’s poorest places.

“ONE had a successful operation in Iowa back in 2008 working with the presidential candidates to incorporate plans to address extreme poverty in their platforms” said ONE Vote 2012 Campaign Manager, Sarah Huckabee. “This January, the eyes of the nation will be back on Iowa and we are asking local communities to stand up for the preservation of the less than 1% of the budget that gives a hand  up to those surviving on less than $1.25 a day.”

ONE has a solid grassroots presence in Iowa and had a strong showing at both the Ames Straw poll, and the World Food Prize in Des Moines.  To date, ONE volunteers and staff have met all of the Republican presidential candidates with more than 100 personal engagements.

Building on these activities, ONE will sponsor a community service project at the Ronald Reagan dinner on Friday, November 4^th.   Led by local veterans, the project is asking dinner attendees to donate canned goods to help re-stock the Food Bank of Iowa and to raise awareness of the national security significance of international health and development programs.

ONE Vote 2012 will work with the state ambassadors to ensure that each candidate understands the strategic, cost-effective steps that can continue to help the most vulnerable among us help themselves. They will advise the ONE team on the ground on best ways to reach more Iowa voters, will speak on behalf of the organization and urge this year’s Republican presidential hopefuls to help protect programs that provide childhood vaccines, antiretroviral treatments that prevent the transmission of HIV from mother-to-child and teach advanced farming techniques that help families feed and support themselves.

To learn more about ONE Vote 2012 in Iowa please visit www.ONEVote2012.com or email Iowa Field Organizers Amanda Sebastian ([email protected]) or Lauren Baker ([email protected]).

 

ONE Vote 2012 Iowa Advisory Committee

• Karey Claghorn, Chief Operating Officer of The Iowa Soybean Association and former Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.

• Teresa Dunbar, owner of T. Dunbar Consulting, is currently working on connecting Iowa agricultural specialists with mission, NGO or church groups doing work in developing nations.  Former Marketing Director of Inyana League for Rwandan Children and Youth and Heartland Fields, LLC.

• Joni Ernst, State Senator, LTC US Army Reserves and the Iowa Army National Guard, veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom in which she served her country in Kuwait and former Montgomery County Auditor.

• Randy Feenstra, State Senator, previous City Administrator for Hull and Sioux County Treasurer.

• Dave Funk, the Iowa Co-Chairman of Strong America Now as well as Co-Chair of the Polk County Republicans. Veteran of the United States Air Force and the Iowa Army National Guard.

• Chris Hagenow, State Representative, Chairman of the House Committee on Government Oversight and a partner with the Des Moines law firm Whitaker Hagenow GBMG.

• Erik Helland, State Representative, Assistant Minority Leader in 2010 and Majority Whip 2011, bank consultant and seventh generation family farmer.

• Mike Housholder, Senior Pastor at Lutheran Church of Hope. Served on the original Core Leadership Team for Alpha USA and is an advisory board member for Meals from the Heartland.

• David Johnson, State Senator and Assistant Republican Leader. Former State Representative and newspaper publisher and editor.

• Mark Lucas, Lieutenant and Platoon Leader in the United States Army. Former Mayor Pro Tem of Wilton, Iowa Republican State Central Committee Member and State Director of Americans for Fair Taxation.

• Steve Lukan, State Representative, Insurance Account Executive and veteran of the United States Navy.

• Secretary Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and fourth generation farmer from Spirit Lake.

• Dawn Pettengill, State Representative and former mayor of Mt. Auburn.

• Marlys Popma, Senior Projects Director at Campaign Headquarters. Previous Executive Director of the Republican Party of Iowa and the founding chair of Iowa Right to Life and executive director of the Iowa Family Policy Center.

• Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor and former State Senator, Clarke County Treasurer, President of the Iowa State Treasurers Association.

• Renee Schulte, State Representative and Mental Health Counselor.

• Maxine Sieleman, Christian radio show host at Praise 940 KPSZ. Started the first Concerned Women for America of Iowa and served on their National Board of Directors for several years.

• David Vaudt, Iowa Auditor of State. Previous partner at the CPA firm of KPMG LLP, Chairman of the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.

• Pat Ward, State Senator, Assistant Republican Leader, and former Director of the Senate Republican Caucus staff.