“The Democrats want to transform America,” the Republican said Monday evening in Fort Dodge. “We Republicans don’t want to transform America. We want to preserve America.”

Grassley was one of about 10 Republican elected officials or candidates who addressed about 150 people gathered for the Webster County Republican Party’s Ken and Jane Rasch Chili Supper at Fort Frenzy.

Grassley said Republicans want to preserve the principle of limited government.

“We’re an exceptional country because we have the principle of limited government,” he said.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, speaks Monday evening at the Webster County Republican Party's Ken and Jane Rasch Chili Supper at Fort Frenzy.

“It puts individuals above the government,” he added.

U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, said that since the American Revolution, some 4 million American troops have died fighting for this country.

Those troops died to protect democracy, he said, but only 12 to 16 percent of voters voted in the last primary election.

“It’s our job to vote,” he said.

Feenstra also compared the situation in the United States today with the state of affairs when President Donald Trump was in office. He said under Trump the southern border was “almost locked down” and inflation was low.

“In four years, this country has gone a long ways downhill due to this liberal progressive agenda,” he said.

Steve Scheffler, Iowa’s representative to the Republican National Committee, said that Democrats are “by and large crazy, radical and in many cases downright evil.”

He added that he is “so disgusted” with U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, former President George W. Bush, former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney and former Vice President Dick Cheney, all of whom have been critical of Trump.

“Your least favorite Republican on the ballot is 200 percent better than any Democrat,” Scheffler said.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig noted that two-thirds of Iowa’s six-member congressional delegation is on the Agriculture Committee in either the Senate or House of Representatives.

“Our American agriculture system is essential to the American dream,” he said.

Webster County Sheriff Luke Fleener touted his 35 years of law enforcement experience and the staff he has built in patrol, investigations, the jail and the 911 dispatch center.

“All of them are dedicated to serving all of you,” he said.

Nathan Montgomery, who is running for the Webster County Board of Supervisors from District 2, said he wants to “roll up my sleeves, get my hands dirty and serve the people.”

Clayton Bills, who is running for the Board of Supervisors in District 3, said public safety and school safety will be his priorities if he is elected.

“Let’s flip this board and finally have some real Republican representation,” said John Cochrane, who is running for the Board of Supervisors in District 5.

Also, during the dinner, Jim Kersten was presented the local party’s Tom Latham Award.

He was the chief of staff to former Gov. Terry Branstad and a state senator. Today, he is the vice president of government affairs and external relations at Iowa Central Community College.