Harris Announces GOP Bid in Iowa House District 26

MOULTON, Iowa – Austin Harris announced today that he will seek the Republican nomination for Iowa House District 26, saying he is committed to working for a parental bill of rights, reforming the state’s tax structure and standing against the rise of the politically correct “cancel culture.”

“I’m running to minimize the pain Iowans are feeling because of rising inflation and supply chain disruptions that have reduced economic output. I’ll work to ease their impact by cutting taxes and attracting new businesses and jobs to southern Iowa.” Harris said. “My campaign will also focus on supporting local law enforcement, ensuring that there is adequate funding, resources and training needed to keep our citizens safe.”

Growing up on his family farm in Moulton, Harris spent his summers and weekends feeding and working cattle, mending fences and doing other chores on the farm. A 2014 graduate of Moulton-Udell High School, he earned an associate of arts degree from Indians Hill Community College in 2015. His time on his family farm taught him the same hard-work ethic and determination shared by Iowans, the value of a dollar, and how to listen, work with others and treat everyone with respect.

A former Republican Party of Iowa staffer, Harris managed then-state Sen. Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ successful 2020 congressional campaign and helped lead the effort to stop House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from invalidating the narrow victory and overturning the will of the people of Iowa. He served as deputy chief of staff in Miller-Meeks’ congressional office and his previous experience includes his work in the Trump administration at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Agency.

“My role at the USDA included work to find unnecessary spending and red tape and streamline the bureaucracy. I’ll do the same thing here in Iowa. I’ll fight to empower parents to have a more active role in their children’s education by working to pass a parent’s bill of rights,” Harris said. “I will also focus on growing the local workforce by attracting new residents to Iowa to fill good-paying jobs that sit vacant. Like many Iowans, I value life and will fight to pass a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to life.”

He added, “Additionally, our unemployment system and property tax structure are outdated. I will make it a priority to reduce tax rates and ensure that unemployment benefits require a waiting week so that benefits are given to only those who qualify. If given the opportunity to serve, I will owe this privilege to only the people of southern Iowa and not donors or special interest groups.”

The district includes Monroe and Davis counties; all of Appanoose County except for Lincoln, Johns and Independence townships; and Adams, Cass, Columbia, Highland, Polk, and Richland townships in Wapello County.

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