Midterm Elections: Hear from Nominees at the Candidate Forum Series
“America is a self-governing people and self-government is not a spectator sport. That means you should vote. As importantly, you should seek to read and listen and understand the difficult issues and choices that we face as a nation, as a state, as a county and a city. An educated citizenry is essential to the continuation of a self-governing country.”
Those are the words of Chief Magistrate Judge Helen Adams as she welcomed 51 of the country’s newest citizens at a naturalization ceremony at the recent World Food & Music Festival. It reminded me of the rights and responsibilities we have as citizens to be active in our communities and participate in the democratic process whether we are new to this country or have descended from family that has been here for generations.
Candidate Forum Series
With the November Midterm Elections just around the corner, the Greater Des Moines Partnership's Government Policy Council, Young Professionals Connection (YPC) and the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute have teamed up make it easy to get informed. They’ve organized the Candidate Forum Series, sponsored by the Davis Brown Law Firm, so you can hear from Republican and Democratic nominees running for Congress and Governor in a town hall-style format.
The first event is Sept. 20 featuring J.D. Scholten, (D), who is running for election in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District.
All Iowa candidates for Governor and U.S. Congress from the Democratic and Republican parties have been invited to participate.
Registration is free for Partnership Investors and Regional Business Members, YPC Members, Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Members and can be done on The Partnership Events page. Registration is $15 for nonmembers, and a light breakfast or lunch will be provided,. Each event is being held at the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s office in Downtown Des Moines (DSM).
Schedule
- 7:30 – 9 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20: J.D. Scholten, (D), running for election in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District.
- 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 2: Cindy Axne (D), running for election in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District.
- 4 – 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11: Dr. Christopher Peters (R), running for election in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.
- 12 – 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16: Congressman David Young (R), running for re-election in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District.
- 11:30 – 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18: Congressman Dave Loebsack (D), running for re-election in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.
The Partnership's Public Policy team engages with local, state and federal officials to create public policy that generates economic growth, business prosperity and talent development in Greater Des Moines (DSM). The Partnership is a nonpartisan organization.
Tim Coonan
Attorney Tim Coonan is a member of the government relations department at the Davis Brown Law Firm. He has over 11 years of lobbying experience and over 20 years of public policy experience at state and federal levels. He represents trade associations, energy providers, corporations, health care providers, municipalities, global financial services companies and other organizations before government agencies, administrative entities and the legislative and executive branches at state and federal levels.
Tim is passionate about creating legislative agendas that advance his clients' overall strategic goals and then employs direct lobbying and grassroots strategies to achieve those goals.