WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — The owner of a downtown Waterloo brewery and restaurant has refused to reserve space for a Republican election night party, saying it’s not “the right fit.” Black Hawk County GOP treasurer LeaAnn Saul told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier that she tried to book space for 75 people the night of Nov. 6 at SingleSpeed. But SingleSpeed owner Dave Morgan refused, telling her in an email that because “our core beliefs rest a bit left of what we feel would be appropriate for such an event, we feel it would be best to guide you in a different direction.” In a subsequent email he said: “Simply put, it just doesn’t feel like the right fit.”
Saul says that’s odd, because Morgan has allowed events for Republican candidates, including Gov. Kim Reynolds. But Morgan says candidate events have less visibility than a larger, election night bash. Saul says local Republicans respect his right to refuse, but “it was just surprising.”