Rita Hart was introduced by Becky Greenwald as a two term state senator representing Clinton Co. and some of rural north Scott Co. whose colleagues elected her their assistant minority leader, a co-owner of a family farm near Wheatland, Iowa which survived the Farm Crisis of the 80s, mother of five children and a 20 year teacher who was raised on a farm with 8 siblings who truly knows and represents the best of rural Iowa and was selected by Fred Hubbell for exactly that reason. She began her higher education at Northern Iowa Community College, and earned her bachelor’s degree at UNI and her Master’s at the U. of Iowa.She began her remarks by sincerely thanking the Des Moines Rotary Club for the opportunity to present the Hubbell-Hart gubernatorial campaign and noted that the essence of their campaign had much in common with the professional, progressive, collaborative and fiscally sound way that Rotary operates. She noted that growing up in a home with a strong Democratic father and equally strong Republican mother as well as eight siblings schooled her to be aware of the larger world, thoughtful and most of all respectful of differing perspectives, because as she noted, following the meals, they all needed to collaborate to complete their necessary chores and responsibilities to make their mutual livelihood successful. The unspoken, underlying theme throughout her remarks was her frequent use of “we,” “us,” “our” and “all Iowans.” She quoted, “Listen first to understand.” “Then speak to find common ground.”
In a civil, reasonable tone she mentioned the changes that motivated the Hubbell-Hart campaign:
1. Reverse the privatization and outsourcing of medicaid in our state.
2. Cuts in public education from pre-K to the regents universities.
3. Resolve the mental health crisis in our state.
4. Reverse the trend as one of the slowest in the nation in economic growth.
5. Address the pressing need for improved infrastructure.
6. Better air and water quality
7. Improved access to child day care.
In sum, Rita Hart told us that she and Fred Hubbell believed Iowa needed positive changes and outlined those changes. Her manner, tone, and content were mature,
authentic and credible. The total absence of any negative comments was the very soul of civility and grounds for hope in a better future.