At least two prominent Iowa Republicans won’t be in Cleveland this week for the party’s national convention. Iowa Congressmen Rod Blum and David Young says they’ll be skipping the big event. Young says he’ll bypass the convention in order to get some work done back in Iowa. “When we are not voting and we’re on our work periods and on weekends, I go home,” Young says. “Home is where I want to be. It’s a lot better than going to Cleveland. Nothing against Cleveland, personally, but I want to be home. So, I’ll be watching like other folks are and listening to some news bites.”

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is expected to speak at the convention tonight (Monday) during prime time. Ernst, of Red Oak, said she withdrew her name from consideration as Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate in order to continue working for Iowa in the Senate. Young says Ernst will shine tonight.

“I am excited to hear her speech at the convention and I’m glad she’s talking about national security issues,” Young says. “She has credibility on that issue and she’s eloquent in talking about it and personalizing it and letting people know what the real threats are out there. I’m anxiously awaiting her speech and I’m proud of her.” Iowa Republican Party chairman Jeff Kaufmann says Young has made a “good decision” to skip the convention.

“I’d rather have David Young down in southern Iowa doing five coffees, than listening to the 17th speech in Cleveland,” Kaufmann says. According to Kaufmann, a candidate has two basic jobs: “knock on doors and raise money.” Among the other Republicans in the Iowa delegation, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley does plan to attend the convention in Cleveland, while Congressman Steve King will also attend as a delegate.

(Radio Iowa)

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack was in his adopted hometown of Mount Pleasant this weekend, just as speculation is rising about the possibility Hillary Clinton might choose him as her running mate. “I can’t comment on any of this,” Vilsack said. “I would say that this is an incredibly important time for the country and I’m confident that whoever Hillary chooses, that that person will compliment her and I think we’re going to have a very interesting time in the next couple of months.”

Vilsack and his wife, Christie, have a long relationship with Clinton. Tom Bell — Christie Vilsack’s late brother — worked with Clinton in the 1970s. The Vilsacks endorsed Clinton in the spring of 2007 after the governor governor ended his own presidential campaign. Vilsack endorsed Barack Obama in the summer of 2008 and has been Obama’s first and only Secretary of Agriculture.

On Saturday, Vilsack spoke to a huge crowd in Mount Pleasant for the re dedication of a monument. The memorial fountain is named for former Mount Pleasant Mayor Edd King. King was shot to death by an angry resident during a city council meeting in 1986. King’s father recruited Vilsack to be the town’s next mayor.

(Radio Iowa)

The theme for the first evening at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland is “Make America Safe Again” and Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, the former commander of an Iowa National Guard battalion, will be speaking in “prime time.” Ernst is scheduled to step on stage at 9:36 p.m. Iowa time. She’ll speak for about 10 minutes. Ernst describes it as a “big deal” — even bigger than delivering the Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union speech.

“I think this will probably be more intimidating,” Ernst said, “because we will be in a convention center with people out there and then also knowing that a lot of people across the United States are going to be watching.” Ernst says her FAMILY will be watching from southwest Iowa. “My mother said she would make sure to go down to my house in Red Oak and watch it with my husband and my daughter. Her TV has been cutting a little in and out lately, so she wanted to know what time, so she could be sure to watch it,” Ernst said, laughing.

Ernst is the first female combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate. The Iowa National Guard battalion Ernst once lead in Kuwait and iraq has been on active duty in Afghanistan for about a month. “I think about those people when I’m putting together talks or discussions like this,” Ernst said, “so I’ll come out swinging.” Ernst may have given a little preview last (Sunday) night when she spoke briefly to the Iowa delegates in Cleveland. “Our world is virtually imploding if we look around us,” Ernst said. “And why is it doing that? It’s because we have a lack of leadership coming out of the White House right now.”

Ernst said Republicans across the country “are counting on” Republicans “to do the right thing…pull together” and nominate a “strong leader”  “We’re going to make those Democrats squeal, that’s for certain,” Ernst said, laughing. That, as you may know, is a clear reference to Ernst’s 2014 campaign ad. She talked about castrating pigs on the farm and promised to cut pork in Washington. Ernst said last night that she’s looking forward to her big speech.

“I’m not so nervous,” Ernst told reporters Sunday evening. “I am really excited about it.” Ernst has been practicing the speech and will be in the convention hall for a run-through later this (Monday) morning. Ernst has never been to a national political convention. “This is my first one and I get to speak,” Ernst said, with a laugh. “It’s ‘go big or go home.'” Ernst will be wearing a borrowed jacket and her footwear might be familiar.

“I might be wearing some camo shoes,” Ernst said. Ernst wore that pair of dress shoes with a camoflage pattern when she delivered the Republican response to the State of the Union message in 2015. Ernst noticed as she was making some stops in southeast Iowa on Saturday that she was getting a head cold. Ernst flew to Cleveland Sunday and a few hours later Ernst still couldn’t hear out of one ear. She intends to “drink a lot of hot fluids” today (Monday), plus spend the day “getting in the groove” by practicing her remarks.

(Radio Iowa)

Two Iowans were among the 112 Republicans from around the country who’ve drafted the G-O-P’s national platform. Ben Barringer, of Northwood, spent last week in Cleveland as a member of the G-O-P’s national platform committee. “I’ve been told by multiple people they think it’s the most conservative platform in recent history,” Barringer says. The platform calls for “better negotiated trade deals that put America first.” Those are words presumptive nominee Donald Trump’s words uses. But Barringer says Trump’s campaign did not “strong arm” the platform-writing group.

Tamara Scott of Ankeny, the Republican National Committeewoman from Iowa, also served on the national platform committee. “I think it’s a very positive, strong statement for America,” Scott says. The proposed document encourages teaching the Bible in public schools, to help develop “an educated citizenry.” It also calls for repealing a federal law that prevents churches from endorsing political candidates or engaging in political activities.

Scott is a lobbyist for The Family Leader, a Christian conservative group, and she credits Trump for championing that move earlier this year. “He’s taking steps that are stronger than many of what we called our ‘conservative’ candidates ever have because we’re at a time and a place where we have to. We now see the left is relentless,” Scott says. “It’s not just that they want to silence you. They want to remove you from the debate, period.” Scott and Barringer expect the platform to be ratified by convention delegates later today (Monday).

As for whether Republican candidates, including Trump, support all the items in the document, Barringer says there is no legal consequence for candidates who fail to do so. And He says it’s up to voters to hold the candidates accountable.  “I’d rather just call them whenever they do something that’s not in it,” Barringer says. “…If every one of my neighbors would do that, we wouldn’t have to worry about pledges.” Democrats have criticized the proposed G-O-P platform, arguing that by failing to embrace same-sex marriage and gay rights, the Republican Party is going backwards on social issues.

(Radio Iowa)