(Arnolds Park)– Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckebee was in the Iowa Great Lakes Wednesday expressing his support at two events for Sioux City businessman Bob VanderPlaats, who has expressed interest in running for Governor.
About 300 people were on hand Wednesday at a fundraiser for VanderPlaats in Arnolds Park. Speaking at that event, Huckebee, a former Republican Presidential candidate, jokingly commented about his win last year in the Iowa caucuses, saying if it hadn’t been for Iowa “my campaign would have ended sometime in the early part of January…as on the third. Of course because of you guys we took it all the way into March–and just think if the rest of the country had been as smart as you guys…”.
Huckebee said he’s throwing his support behind VanderPlaats, even though he hasn’t even officially announced his candidacy yet, saying VanderPlaats has the convictions of moral clarity and moral courage. Huckebee says if there was ever a time for a person with such convictions, this is it.
VanderPlaats again stopped just short Wednesday of officially declaring his candidacy, saying he was in the Iowa Great Lakes to “test the waters, and the way it looks right now the waters look pretty good. I think we might just jump in.”
VanderPlaats spoke on the need of improving Iowa’s business climate, healthcare, human services, education, and energy independence. He also blasted gay marriage, saying his view is that marriage is strictly between a man and woman. VanderPlaats added that if he’s elected Governor, he would issue an executive order giving Iowans the right to vote on gay marriage.
