Pearson making good on anti-GOP-incumbent promise
Although some in GOP politics have called her actions “ divisive ,” freshman lawmaker and tea party favorite Kim Pearson is only making good on a promise. Pearson, a Pleasant Hill Republican, taped a segment with faux Democratic presidential candidate and anti-abortion extremist Randall Terry this spring that spelled out her intentions toward the state political party and GOP lawmakers who did not live up to her level of conservatism.
Jul 31, 202015.2K Shares435.5K Views
Although some in GOP politics have called her actions “divisive,” freshman lawmaker and tea party favorite Kim Pearsonis only making good on a promise.
Pearson, a Pleasant Hill Republican, taped a segment with faux Democratic presidential candidate and anti-abortion extremist Randall Terry this spring that spelled out her intentionstoward the state political party and GOP lawmakers who did not live up to her level of conservatism.
“„Image has not been found. URL: http://media.iowaindependent.com/kim_pearson_125.jpgKim Pearson
“„… “I stayed to the right because that’s where my principles are even in the primary,” she said. “After the primary, [Republican Party leaders] said, ‘OK, you’ve won the primary, so come over to the left if you want to win.’ I said no, I’m not hiding who I am. You’ll vote for me if you like me and won’t if you don’t. I stayed way to the right and I was able to, by God’s grace, win.” …
“„“I am shocked with what happens behind closed doors when I have grown men that will stand up and say that they have all of these problems with a bill, but if leadership tells me to vote for it I’ll do it.”
“„Speaking specifically about an anti-abortion measure sponsored by Pearson and 27 other Republican House membersto outlaw all abortion services in Iowa, Pearson noted that the measure would be returning and will keep returning until it passed and signed into law. And, if current Republicans won’t get on board, Pearson said she’s willing to help replace them with Republicans who will.
“„“We have revealed the hypocrisy,” Pearson said, referring to herself and a few other unnamed Republican lawmakers. “Now we have people coming to us who actually want to run against some of the [GOP legislative] leaders. It’s an amazing turn-around.”
“„When asked specifically if she would publicly endorse an opponent of a sitting Republican in a primary, Pearson responded “absolutely.” Redistricting, she added, has already created situations where one Republican will face another “and I already know who I will be supporting in some of those races and I will do so publicly.” …
Pearson told reporter Jason Clayworth of The Des Moines Register that she is actively leading an effort to do exactly what she already promised: Replace existing Republican incumbents that aren’t conservative enough on certain issues, especially social issues.
“[T]hey have absolutely undermined themselves, because we’ve been able to force votes and actually show by the votes where they actually stand,” Pearson is quoted as saying.
Looking back at what happened in the Iowa House — the votes that Pearson said were forced to show who really is and isn’t conservative — it was on May 10 that Pearson made a motion to suspend the rules so that the body could consider a bill that would ban all abortions in Iowa. The attempted to suspend was squarely squashed by a vote of 72 to 25. A total of 33 House Republicans joined with Democrats to block consideration of the measure. Those are likely the same individuals now being targeted by Pearson.
Paula M. Graham
Reviewer
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