SCARVILLE — Ted Gassman of rural Scarville is seeking the Iowa House of Representatives District 7 seat.
Gassman, a farmer, is running as a Republican.
District 7 is a newly created district that includes Winnebago and Emmett counties and Eagle, Grant, Springfield, Hebron, Swea, Harrison, Ledyard, Lincoln, Seneca, Greenwood, Fenton, Burt and Union townships in Kossuth County and most of the city of Algona.
Forest City businessman Mark Frakes announced this fall he is also seeing the House seat as a Republican.
Gassman has been involved in the Republican Party at the county, district and state level for many years.
“I’ve been very active in the Republican party over the past 30 years,” Gassman said.
He has served as the chairman of the Winnebago County Republican Party and has also been president of the Thompson School Board.
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“I think I have ideas that will work,” Gassman said of improving the state as a whole. “One of my main things is going to be family.”
Gassman said the state’s welfare and related programs need changes.
The state also needs to level the playing field for businesses so that more jobs can be created in Iowa, Gassman said.
Gassman also said in a news release the state’s education program needs changes.
“Over the years Iowa’s test scores have dropped,” Gassman said in the news release. “The Legislature has tried every new and expensive fad that has come along. I say it’s time to get back to the basics and focus on math, reading and scienes. Our kids need to think about competing in a global economy. This should be the focus for our schools.”
Gassman said he’s been married to his wife Jodee for 49 years and they have three children and 14 grandchildren.
Gassman has also worked for Farm Bureau Insurance since the 1970s and now sells crop insurance on a part-time basis for Farm Bureau.
Rae Yost is editor of the Forest City Summit and Britt News-Tribune, which like the Globe Gazette, is a Lee Enterprises newspaper.
