CLOSE UP SPECIAL SESSION ON ABORTION THE NEW RESTRICTIONS IOWA LAWMAKERS COULD TAKE UP THIS WEEK. RUNNING MATES AND NOW RIVALS. WHAT DONALD TRUMP AND MIKE PENCE TOLD VOTERS ABOUT THEIR CAMPAIGNS DURING THEIR STOPS RIGHT HERE IN IOWA THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS KCCI EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO CLOSE UP. I’M KCCI CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER AND I’M CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JAMES STRATTON. THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. LAST WEDNESDAY, GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WILL CONVENE A SPECIAL SESSION TO ADDRESS ABORTION IN OUR STATE. GOVERNOR REYNOLDS RELEASED THIS STATEMENT SAYING A SPLIT IOWA SUPREME COURT OPINION LAST MONTH ON THE 2018 FETAL HEARTBEAT LAW LEFT A LOWER COURT’S INJUNCTION IN PLACE. SHE SAYS THAT DISREGARDED THE WILL OF IOWA VOTERS. AND WE STILL DON’T KNOW WHAT NEW ABORTION RESTRICTIONS SHE PLANS TO PROPOSE, WHETHER IT WILL BE THE SAME FETAL HEARTBEAT BILL OR A DIFFERENT PROPOSAL. KCCI CONTACTED THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF IOWA FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION, BUT BOTH SAID THEY WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR AN ON CAMERA INTERVIEW. WE ALSO TRIED CONTACTING THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP IN THE IOWA HOUSE AND SENATE. THEY DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR REQUESTS. WE DID, HOWEVER, RECEIVE A STATEMENT FROM REPUBLICAN PARTY OF IOWA CO-CHAIR LINDA UPMEYER. SHE SAYS SHE COMMENDS THE GOVERNOR’S DECISION TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION TO SETTLE WHAT SHE CALLS A MATTER OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO IOWANS. AMES AND I SPOKE TO IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR RITA HART ABOUT ALL OF THIS. IOWA DEMOCRATS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH VOTES IN THE HOUSE OR SENATE TO BLOCK A NEW ABORTION BAN. BUT CHAIR HART SAYS HER PARTY IS FIGHTING BACK BY SPEAKING OUT AGAINST NEXT WEEK’S SESSION. SO THE GOVERNOR HAS CALLED A SPECIAL SESSION SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS ABORTION. WHAT’S YOUR EXPECTATION AS LAWMAKERS HEAD BACK FOR THAT SPECIAL SESSION? WELL, I THINK IT’S PRETTY APPARENT THAT THE GOVERNOR IS EXPECTING TO PASS SOMETHING A BIT MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT IS PRESENTLY ON THE BOOKS. AND I THINK IT’S CLEAR THE FACT THAT THEY’RE CALLING A SPECIAL SESSION WHEN PEOPLE ARE ON VACATION, NOT PAYING MUCH ATTENTION THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO TO PASS SOMETHING THAT IS MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. WHILE PEOPLE ARE NOT PAYING THAT MUCH ATTENTION AS CHAIR OF IOWA’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY. HAVE YOU BEEN TALKING TO SOME OF IOWA’S DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS? WHAT’S THE FEELING? AND THE EXPECTATION FROM DEMOCRATS IN THE PARTY HEADING INTO THIS? I DON’T THINK THERE’S ANYTHING THAT’S NOT EXPECTED HERE. I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT THAT THEY’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LONG TIME. WE KNOW THAT THE INTENT OF THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE IS TO PASS A MORE RESTRICTIVE ABORTION BAN. AND AND SO THEY’LL THEY’LL GO INTO SESSION. THEY WILL THEY’LL HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. AND WE WE KNOW THAT THAT’S WHAT WILL BE THE RESULT COMING OUT OF THAT SESSION. I KNOW. WE DON’T KNOW YET THE EXACT LEGISLATION, BUT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT POTENTIAL OUTCOMES OR WOULD IOWA DEMOCRATS HAVE DIFFERING REACTIONS DEPENDING ON WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESTRICTION CARNES LAWMAKERS COULD END UP PASSING? AGAIN, I THINK THAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE MADE THEMSELVES CLEAR THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS THAT IS MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN THE IOWA VOTERS BELIEVE IS IS GOOD POLICY. I THINK THE IOWA VOTERS HAVE MADE IT CLEAR, YOU KNOW, THAT THESE EXTREME POSITIONS ON ABORTION ARE NOT GOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES, NOT GOOD FOR PERSONAL HEALTH CARE DECISIONS. AND SO WHAT DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO BE CONCENTRATE ON IS THAT THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THESE EXTREME POSITIONS ARE ARE ARE ARE BEING PUSHED BY THE REPUBLICANS AND THAT IN THE END, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOTERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON THAT. AND SO WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT POINT THAT THAT DEMOCRATS STAND UP FOR PEOPLE’S FREEDOMS, THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE PERSONAL HEALTH DECISIONS THAT ARE BEST MADE BETWEEN BETWEEN A WOMAN AND HER DOCTOR AND THAT THAT IOWA FAMILIES SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY THE FACT THAT DEMOCRATS ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR FOR THEIR RIGHTS AND THEIR FREEDOMS. ONE POINT THAT LAW MAKERS, REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS AND LEADERSHIP MADE SEVERAL TIMES LAST SESSION WAS THAT GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS, ONE LAST AGE BY A LARGE MARGIN DOON, AND THAT THAT IOWANS KNEW THAT SHE HAD PLANS FOR EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AND THAT SHE HAS MADE CLEAR HER POSITION ON ABORTION. DOON. WHAT WOULD YOUR RESPONSE BE TO REPUBLICANS WHO SAY IOWA VOTERS ELECTED KIM REYNOLDS? IOWA VOTERS WANT ABORTION RESTRICTIONS. SO YEAH, I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH THAT THAT GOVERNOR REYNOLDS HAS ALWAYS MADE HER POSITION CLEAR WHEN IT ACTUALLY CAME TO THE CAMPAIGN PROCESS AND THOSE THOSE FLIERS THAT WENT OUT, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE HAD ON THE TV COMMERCIALS DID NOT FOCUS ON THAT. THEY DID NOT FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THAT FOR A A RESTRICTIVE ABORTION POLICY THAT DOES NOT SYNC UP WITH WITH PEOPLE’S UNDERSTANDING OF HOW FAMILIES OPERATE AND HOW THESE PERSONAL DECISIONS ARE BEST LEFT BETWEEN A MOTHER AND AND A FAMILY AND AND A DOCTOR. I DON’T THINK THOSE THOSE DID NOT MAKE IT ONTO THOSE TV COMMERCIALS. AND THE SAME THING WITH A WITH A PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT THAT THAT THERE WAS NOT AN EMPHASIS ON THE FACT THAT THIS MANY DOLLARS OF PUBLIC TAXPAYER DOLLARS WOULD BE WOULD BE HANDED OVER TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS SO THAT WEALTHY PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE TO THE TO THE MAJORITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN IOWA, OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN IN IOWA. SO, NO, I THINK THAT THERE EMPHASIS WAS ON OTHER THINGS IN THOSE CAMPAIGNS AND AND WE’RE THAT’S OUR TASK AS DEMOCRATS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THESE REPUBLICANS ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FOR UNPOPULAR POLICIES THAT ARE BEING PUT FORTH BY THIS THIS REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE AND THAT SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION WILL START TUESDAY THE 11TH. OF COURSE, WE WILL BE AT THAT STATE HOUSE FOR BOTH THE DEBATE AND THE VOTE AS LONG AS IT TAKES. AND STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP, HERE ARE WHAT FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE SAYS ABOUT GOVERNOR REYNOLDS PLAN FOR SPECIAL SESSION. AND WE’LL SHOW YOU WHY. FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS ETHANOL SHOULD EARN HIM A SUPPORT OF IOWA FARMERS. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. WELL, THEY WERE ONCE RUNNING MATES, WINNING THE 2016 ELECTION AND THE WHITE HOUSE TOGETHER. BUT TODAY, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND FORMER VP MIKE PENCE ARE RIVALS TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT. BOTH CAMPAIGNED IN IOWA LAST WEEK. TRUMP STOPPED IN COUNCIL BLUFFS FRIDAY, RALLYING AT THE MID-AMERICA CENTER. THERE, THE FORMER PRESIDENT ATTACKED FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS AND APPEALED TO FARMERS WITH HIS SUPPORT FOR ETHANOL. AND I LIKE TO SAY AND VERY STRONGLY AND PROUDLY THAT I FOUGHT FOR IOWA ETHANOL LIKE NO PRESIDEN IN HISTORY AND ETHANOL PERIOD. LIKE NO PRESIDENT IT I ISSUED A RULE DECLARING THAT E-15 WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE ALL YEAR ROUND. DO YOU REMEMBER? IT WAS EIGHT MONTHS. REMEMBER THAT? AND THEN THEY CAME TO ME AND THEY SAID, I DON’T THINK YOU’LL BE ABLE TO DO THIS, SIR. I SAID, WHY NOT? IT DIDN’T MAKE SENSE. EIGHT MONTHS AND WE MADE IT ALL YEAR ROUND. IN ADDITION, I DRAMATICALLY INCREASED THE NUMBER OF FUELING STATIONS WHERE E-15 COULD BE SOLD ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY LETTING THEM USE IT. EXISTING PUMPS. YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT IT WAS ALL DONE AND THEY CAME TO ME. SIR, THEY’RE NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE EXISTING PUMPS. THEY HAVE TO GO BUY ALL NEW PUMPS. THAT WAS MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. I SAID, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? WELL, ACTUALLY, THE OLD PUMPS ARE BETTER. OKAY? I SAID, DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THEM WITH NEW PUMPS? AND I SAID, YOU DON’T HAVE TO REPLACE THEM WITH NEW PUMPS. ANY LONGER. IT WAS A BIG THING AS A CANDIDATE, I MADE BIG PROMISES TO IOWA, TO NEBRASKA, AND AS YOUR PRESIDENT, I KEPT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PROMISES. AND ACTUALLY WE DID MUCH MORE THAN I SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO MUCH MORE. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT NO PRESIDENT HAS EVER FOUGHT HARDER FOR OUR FARMERS THAN I DID. BY THE WAY, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE CAN’T GET IN. GREAT JOB. BUT THIS WAS REALLY A THIS WAS REALLY A GATHERING OF OF FARMERS, LARGELY FARMERS. SO WE WANTED TO DO THIS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. BUT WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND WE’RE GOING TO COME BACK. WE’RE GOING TO DO SOME REALLY BIG RALLIES OVER THE NEXT MONTH AND A HALF. SO HERE AND IN NEBRASKA AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE SPENT LAST WEEK MAKING SEVERAL CAMPAIGN STOPS ACROSS THE HAWKEYE STATE AS KCCI CAUGHT UP WITH HIM IN URBANDALE DURING THE CITY’S 4TH OF JULY PARADE. IN A ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW, PENCE TOLD US ABOUT HIS RECENT TRIP TO UKRAINE AND HIS ADVICE TO IOWA LAWMAKERS AS THEY WEIGH NEW ABORTION POLICY AHEAD OF SPECIAL SESSION THIS WEEK. WELL, YOU KNOW, I CAME TO A CONCLUSION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT I’M I’M WELL KNOWN, BUT WE’RE NOT KNOWN. WELL, I MEAN, MOST PEOPLE KNOW ME AS A AS A LOYAL VICE PRESIDENT. AND I’LL ALWAYS BE PROUD OF THE RECORD OF THE TRUMP-PENCE ADMINISTRATION. ASHTON. I STOOD SIDE BY SIDE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR THOSE FOUR YEARS UNTIL MY OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRED ME TO TO STAND APART. BUT WHAT WE’RE ANXIOUS TO DO IS HAVE PEOPLE GET TO KNOW US AS A FAMILY. YOU KNOW, WE’RE PARENTS, WE’RE GRANDPARENTS. WE’RE THE PROUD PARENTS OF A UNITED STATES MARINE. OUR SON IN LAW IS A IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY. AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR FAMILY’S STORY, A STORY OF OF SERVICE TO THE STATE OF INDIANA, A STORY OF FIGHTING AGAINST LEADERS IN MY OWN PARTY BACK WHEN I WAS IN CONGRESS IS ALL PART AND PARCEL OF THE STORY WE WANT TO TELL. I THINK DIFFERENT TIMES CALL FOR DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND IN AMERICA, AND WE’RE JUST ABSOLUTELY DETERMINED TO OFFER OUR BRAND OF LEADERSHIP, COMMON SENSE, CONSERVATIVE VALUES, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON CIVILITY AND RESPECT TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE. AND I LEAVE THIS PARADE A LITTLE HOTTER, BUT GREATLY ENCOURAGED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ELECTION, THERE WERE SO MANY QUESTIONS IN A HALF A DOZEN STATES, SOME 60 LAWSUITS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED. MANY STATES WERE GOING THROUGH A VERY ORDERLY PROCESS OF REVIEWING THEIR ELECTION RESULTS. AND AND I WAS ASKED TO CHECK IN WITH A FEW GOVERNORS, BUT THERE WAS NO PRESSURE. I WAS SIMPLY GATHERING INFORMATION, PASSING THAT ALONG. AND, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, IT WAS A VERY ROUTINE TIME. WE WERE JUST TRYING TO DETERMINE WHERE THE PROCESS WAS IN PLACES LIKE GEORGIA AND PLACES LIKE ARIZONA THAT WERE GOING THROUGH A REVIEW OF THEIR ELECTION RESULTS. AND I DIDN’T RECEIVE ANY PRESSURE FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP OTHER THAN TO GATHER AN UPDATE ON WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THOSE STATES. WELL, I THINK THERE WERE THERE WERE MANY VOTING IRREGULARITIES THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE ELECTION. ULTIMATELY, THEY WERE UPHELD BY THE COURTS. BUT SOME HALF A DOZEN STATES CHANGED THEIR ELECTION RULES IN THE NAME OF COVID. THEY WERE ULTIMATELY SUSTAINED. AND UNDER THE LAW, THOSE STATES CERTIFIED THEIR ELECTIONS. AND I’LL ALWAYS BELIEVE BY GOD’S GRACE, THAT WE DID OUR DUTY ON JANUARY 6TH TO CERTIFY THAT ELECTION. BUT AT THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF THE ELECTION, WE HAVE LEGAL PROCESSES WHERE WE CAN GO TO THE COURTS AND YOU CAN GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF REVIEWING ELECTION RESULTS THAT WAS UNDERWAY AND AND I WAS I WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO CONTACT GOVERNORS THAT I’D COME TO KNOW VERY WELL, FIND OUT WHAT THE WHAT THE STATUS WAS OF THOSE LEGAL REVIEWS. WELL, THE RUSSIAN ENVOY, ASIAN OF UKRAINE, WAS AN ACT OF NAKED AGGRESSION. AND WHAT I SAW IN MY TIME THERE WAS THAT THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE’VE MARSHALED, AMONG OTHER NATIONS IN THE FREE WORLD, THAT UKRAINE IS MAKING PROGRESS, TO FIGHT BACK AND TO REPEL THAT RUSSIAN INVASION. LOOK, THE WAR IN UKRAINE IS NOT OUR WAR, BUT FREEDOM IS OUR FIGHT. AND TODAY, ON INDEPENDENCE DAY, WE’RE REMEMBERING THAT DAY WHEN WHEN WE WON OUR FREEDOM AND WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF HELP FROM OVERSEAS, IF YOU REMEMBER FROM THE FRENCH, WHEN WE WON THAT BATTLE. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT GIVING THE UKRAINIAN MILITARY WHAT THEY NEED TO REPEL THAT RUSSIAN INVASION IS IN OUR INTEREST BECAUSE WE STAND FOR FREEDOM, BUT ALSO A MORE CONVINCED THAN EVER, BASED UPON WHAT I SAW OF OF VLADIMIR PUTIN’S BARBAROUS AGGRESSION AND ATROCITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE ON THE STREETS OF UKRAINE THAT IT’S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT WE GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO DRIVE THE RUSSIAN MILITARY OUT OF UKRAINE SO THAT WE WON’T HAVE TO FACE THAT RUSSIAN MILITARY IF THEY CROSS ANOTHER BORDER SOMEDAY. IOWA LAWMAKERS ARE LIKELY TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION TO TAKE UP THE ISSUE OF ABORTION. WHAT KIND OF RESTRICTIONS DO YOU HOPE THEY THEY PASS? WELL, I’M PRO-LIFE. I DON’T APOLOGIZE FOR IT. I COULDN’T BE MORE PROUD TO BE PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION THAT APPOINTED THREE OF THE JUSTICES THAT SENT ROE VERSUS WADE TO THE ASH HEAP OF HISTORY WHERE IT BELONGS, AND RETURNED THE QUESTION OF ABORTION TO THE STATES AND TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. MY OWN STATE OF INDIANA, AMONG SOME 20 OTHER STATES, HAVE PASSED STRONG PROTECTIONS FOR UNBORN CHILDREN. AND I’M GRATEFUL TO SEE IOWA STEPPING FORWARD. I KNOW THE RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISION ON PROCEDURAL GROUNDS WAS A WAS A TEMPORARY PAUSE. BUT I’M ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THAT GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS AND REPUBLICANS IN YOUR LEGISLATURE ARE GOING TO ADVANCE STRONG PROTECTION CARNES OF THE RIGHT TO LIFE. AND I’LL BE SUPPORTING THAT CAUSE AS WE TRAVEL ACROSS IOWA THIS WEEK AND IN THE WEEKS AHEAD. STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP, MORE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN IOWA HITTING THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL FOR THE 4TH OF JULY. WHAT ASA HUTCHINSON AND DOUG BURGUM TOLD IOWANS THROUGH A PARADE IN WEST DES MOINES AND FRANCIS SUAREZ IS THE ONLY MAYOR RUNNING FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION. WHY HE SAYS THAT GIVES HIM AN ADVANTAGE THAT NO OTHER CANDIDATE HAS. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP CURRENT NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR DOUG BURGUM AND FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR ASA HUTCHINSON WERE IN WEST DES MOINES CAMPAIGNING LAST WEEK. THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT MARCHED IN THE 4TH OF JULY PARADE, TOUTING THEIR EXPERIENCE AS LEADING A STATE. BUT HUTCHINSON SAYS HE HAS MORE TO OFFER IOWA VOTERS THAN JUST STATE GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE. CASS WE NEED TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. I’VE DONE THAT EIGHT YEARS AS GOVERNOR. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FENTANYL CRISIS, I HEADED UP THE DEA. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR BORDER SECURITY CHALLENGES, I WAS RESPONSIVE FOR THAT DURING THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. AND SO YOU LOOK AT THE BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE THAT I BRING TO IT. AND THEN ALSO, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT’S A BLUE COLLAR CANDIDATE, NOT A BLUE BLOOD. AND THAT’S WHAT I BRING A COMMONALITY TO THE RACE. EXCITED TO BE IN IOWA TODAY AND THIS INCREDIBLE INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION IN IOWA IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT ARKANSAS’S AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY, IT’S VERY SIMILAR TO IOWA’S. SO I RELATE TO THE CHALLENGE AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT FARM BILL FOR OUR FARMERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PRODUCE OUR BIODIESEL. AND SO I RELATE TO THE ISSUES HERE. AND THEN SECONDLY, IT’S IT’S PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IT’S ILLUSTRATED TODAY. AND IF WE’RE GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF AMERICA, IT’S GOING TO BE THROUGH THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS, PARENTS GETTING INVOLVED. AND THAT’S WHAT I REPRESENTS TO ME. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM THIS TIGHT PACK OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES? WELL, IT’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF HANDSHAKING HERE IN IOWA. IT’S GOING TO BE RAISING MY NAME IDENTIFICATION SO PEOPLE KNOW MY HISTORY. WHAT I’VE DONE IS A CONSISTENT CONSERVATIVE. AND THEN IT’S ABOUT THE VISION FOR AMERICA. IT’S NOT ABOUT FIGHTING OVER THE PAST. IT’S ABOUT THE FUTURE. AND SO I UNDERSTAND WE NEED A PRO-GROWTH ENERGY POLICY. WE NEED TO SECURE OUR BORDER. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AMERICA IS STRONG AND LEADS WE REBUILD OUR OUR MILITARY AND THAT WE SHOW SUPPORT FOR OUR VETERANS EVERY DAY. AND SO THESE ARE FUNDAMENTAL VALUES THAT I HAVE. AND THAT I WANT TO BRING AND SHOWCASE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY. FORMER GOVERNOR ASA HUTCHINSON. HOW ABOUT A CURRENT GOVERNOR? NOW, DOUG BURGUM NOT ONLY FOCUSED ON HIS EXPERIENCE IN STATE GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE SHARING HOW HIS FAMILY MADE ENDS MEET WHEN HIS FATHER PASSED AWAY AND THE APPRECIATION HE SAYS HE NOW HAS FOR STRUGGLING FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE KNOW THAT WHEN YOU DO EXECUTIVE ROLES, RIGHT, THAT YOU CAN IMPROVE THE LIFE OF EVERY AMERICAN. AND I’VE SPENT MOST OF MY CAREER IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT I’VE BEEN GOVERNOR THE LAST SIX YEARS. WHEN YOU’RE A GOVERNOR, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR EVERYBODY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR EVERYBODY. AND WE’RE WE’RE RUNNING BECAUSE WE KNOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE ECONOMY. WE CAN IMPROVE OUR TRUE ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, AND WE CAN GET A HANDLE ON NATIONAL SECURITY THAT’S GOING TO IMPROVE LIVES FOR EVERYBODY. AND OF COURSE, EVERY JOB I HAD UP THROUGH MY MID 20S WAS A JOB WORKING ON THE FARM, WORKING ON THE RANCH, WORKING AT THE GRAIN ELEVATOR AND WORKING AS A CHIMNEY SWEEP TO PAY MY WAY THROUGH COLLEGE. THESE ARE ALL JOBS. YOU TOOK A SHOWER AT THE END OF THE DAY, NOT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY. AND I KNOW WHAT HARDWORKING AMERICANS HAVE TO DO. WHEN MY DAD PASSED AWAY, MY MOM HAD TO GO BACK TO WORK. THREE, YOU KNOW, WIDOW WITH THREE KIDS GOING BACK TO WORK. SO WE UNDERSTAND INFLATION IS HITTING EVERYBODY’S FAMILY, THE PRICE OF GAS AT THE PUMP AND WE’RE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS COUNTRY. IOWA IS THE BEST OF AMERICA. IOWA, LIKE NORTH DAKOTA, IS FEEDING THE WORLD, FUELING THE WORLD. INNOVATION IS HAPPENING. AND THE PATH FORWARD FOR OUR COUNTRY TO MAINTAIN ITS POSITION AS THE BEST IN THE WORLD IS INNOVATION, NOT REGULATION. AND I’D ALSO SAY, TOO, WHEN EVERYTHING THAT’S GOING ON HERE WITH BIOFUELS, BIODIESEL, ETHANOL, LIQUID FUELS, THIS IS THE PATH TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE FUELS FOR THE WORLD IS RIGHT HERE. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE CENTERPIECE OF IT. AND WE’RE EXCITED TO BE ALL OVER THIS. WE’RE GOING TO MAKE IT ALL 99 COUNTIES. AND IT’S GREAT, GREAT TO BE HERE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL STATE. NEXT ON CLOSE-UP, MIAMI MAYOR FRANCIS SUAREZ WAS ALSO IN IOWA LAST WEEK. WHAT HE SAYS HE’S DONE IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT THAT WILL TAME SPENDING IN WASHINGTON IN. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP MIAMI MAYOR FRANCIS SUAREZ ANNOUNCED HIS RUN FOR THE GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION LAST MONTH. AND THAT ANNOUNCEMENT CAME JUST DAYS AFTER DONALD TRUMP APPEARED IN HIS CITY IN THE MIAMI FEDERAL COURTHOUSE ON CHARGES RELATED TO THE MISHANDLING OF CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS DURING A CAMPAIGN STOP IN CEDAR RAPIDS. SUAREZ SAYS HE’S NOT RUNNING AGAINST TRUMP, BUT RATHER RUNNING TO BE AMERICA’S NEXT PRESIDENT. MY VISION FOR AMERICA IS THAT I’M THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE TO TACKLE THE BIG ISSUES OF THIS COUNTRY. THE FIRST IS INFLATION. I’M THE ONLY CANDIDATE THAT’S ACTUALLY CUT A GOVERNMENT BUDGET BY 20%, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE TO CUT OUR FEDERAL BUDGET TO TO STOP THE FLOW OF INFLATION AND RISING INTEREST RATES. I’M ALSO HISPANIC, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT. I’M THE ONLY HISPANIC CANDIDATE IN EITHER PARTY. AND I THINK THAT WILL UNIQUELY POSITIONED ME TO DEAL WITH THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM, WHICH HAS PLAGUED MULTIPLE DECADES AND MULTIPLE ADMINISTRATIONS. AND THEN THE RISE OF CHINA IS NOT JUST A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT, BUT IT’S REALLY AN ECONOMIC THREAT. HOW DO WE POSITION OUR COUNTRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS TSUNAMI OF OPPORTUNITY THAT’S BEFORE US? I’M THE ONLY CANDIDATE THAT’S ACTUALLY DONE IT AT ANY LEVEL. SO I THINK I’M UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO DO IT AT THE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. SPEAKING OF IMMIGRATION, THERE’S BEEN SOME CALLS WITHIN THE GOP TO END BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP. WHAT’S YOUR REACTION TO THAT? I SAID IT WAS IDIOTIC. FIRST OF ALL, THE CONSTITUTION, YOU KNOW, IT’S A CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE WHICH HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY SUPREME COURT LEGISLATION. IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DO. I THINK A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE STUNTS THAT ARE NOT REALLY MEANT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I THINK WE HAVE TO RIGHT SIZE LEGAL IMMIGRATION. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE UNDOCUMENTED THAT ARE HERE IN OUR COUNTRY. WE’VE GOT TO OBVIOUSLY CLOSE THE BORDER AND CONTROL THE BORDER, WHICH IS COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. THE SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY BROKEN AND REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS, IT’S REALLY ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT THEY ACTUALLY AGREE ON. AND SO AND THEN I THINK WE’VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING, HAVE A STRATEGY FOR OUR HEMISPHERE. WHAT’S CAUSING IMMIGRATION IS THE POVERTY IN OUR HEMISPHERE THAT’S BEING PUSHED BY PLACES LIKE CHINA. SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT HEAD ON. AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO TACKLE CHINA IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS? I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, ECONOMICALLY, WE HAVE TO WIN THE BATTLE OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF TECHNOLOGY, WHETHER IT’S AI, WHETHER IT’S QUANTUM COMPUTING, WHETHER IT’S CLIMATE, TECH, AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY, ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF TECH VERTICALS. WE HAVE TO BE THE COUNTRY THAT WINS THAT TECHNOLOGY WAR. OBVIOUSLY, IT’S WORRISOME THAT THEY WANT TO PUT A TRAINING BASE IN CUBA OR WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH TAIWAN, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, PRODUCING 90% OF OUR ADVANCED MICROCHIPS. SO THERE’S A LOT AT STAKE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. AND THAT’S WHAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON AS PRESIDENT OF THE US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS. I WAS PRESIDENT OF ALL THE MAYORS, OF ALL THE CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES SO BIG CITIES, SMALL CITIES, URBAN CITIES, RURAL CITIES, FARMING TOWNS, EVERYTHING. 85% OF AMERICA LIVE IN AMERICAN CITIES AND TOWNS, 91% OF THE GDP PRODUCED BY THIS COUNTRY IS PRODUCED BY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN AMERICAN CITIES AND TOWNS. SO I’VE REPRESENTED THEM AT SCALE NATIONALLY, AND I KNOW THAT THE KINDS OF POLICIES THAT I CAN BRING TO THE TABLE ARE POLICIES THAT CAN CREATE PROSPERITY FOR ALL CIIES AND AND TOWNS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. I LOOK DIFFERENT. I SOUND DIFFERENT. I HAVE DIFFERENT SET OF EMPHASIS, WHICH IS POSITIVE AND UNIFYING. I WAS ELECTED BY 85% AND REELECTED BY 80% BECAUSE I WANT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR A POSITIVE FUTURE. I THINK THAT SETS ME COMPLETELY APART FROM EVERYONE. AND I THINK AS IOWANS GET TO KNOW ME, THEY’RE GOING TO THEY’RE GOING TO YOU KNOW, THEY’RE THEY’RE WIDE OPEN AND THEY’RE VERY, VERY MUCH OPEN. AND THEY TAKE THE THE FACT THAT THEY’RE FIRST IN THE NATION VERY SERIOUSLY AS WELL THEY SHOULD. AND I THINK THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE THIS RACE AND TO PICK SOMEONE WHO’S LESS KNOWN, BUT VERY EXCITING. A LOT OF DIFFERENT CANDIDATES THERE. BUT THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF KCCI, CLOSE UP. AND WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY. HAVE A GREAT DAY.