There was a lot to be learned in Iowa last night. The top Republican finishers showed a clear distinction between the old guard versus new blood. The old way of doing business doesn’t cut it, and the American people agree.
These top finishers know three things: the grassroots matter, the American people are frustrated and we need to see results, not empty rhetoric. Like many Americans, I too have had a slow anger building inside of me at the incompetence of President Obama, the dysfunction of Washington on both sides and the general lack of leadership or willingness to do the right thing no matter how hard it is.
The biggest takeaways from Iowa are the following:
1. Voters on all sides of the aisle are frustrated, and they have a right to be angry. Voters want action, not empty rhetoric. We are tired of being told one thing while politicians do another. Voters are ready for someone who will fix the broken way of how Washington does business and ready for leadership to streamline government. They are tired of being taxed, having their freedoms and values chipped away and mocked, and they are tired of feeling like their president will sell out their safety and security in lieu of political correctness.
2. Washington continues to churn out two types of political establishments. The first goes along to get along and enjoys complacency. The other establishment says all the right things and takes credit for sponsoring numerous bills, but still fails at getting a good idea passed into law. This is a stark contrast between Washington and Florida; where we have passed good ideas into law, provided tax relief for those who have needed it, and continue every day to show to people that free market ideas make Americans’ lives better.
3. Finally, this is an election about the grassroots, and last night in Iowa showed us that the grassroots matters. The presidential contenders who did well last night were those with an extensive grassroots operation in the state, committed to voter contact and turnout. This is going to be true across the country in 2016, and especially so right here in Florida. That is why I am so proud to be the grassroots leader in Florida’s U.S. Senate race. Our Florida campaign is committed to running a grassroots campaign from the bottom up, and our extensive statewide network is proof of that.
Like most Americans, I too am sick and tired of business as usual in Washington, D.C. There are too many politicians who say one thing, only to do another just to get elected. As we saw from last night’s turnout, the American people are frustrated, and so am I.
That’s why I’m running. I've proven I'll stand up in the tough fights when the odds are long and it’s not the popular thing to do. Whether it's against the Democrats, or against Republicans who are moving in the wrong direction, I'm going to Washington to fight for Florida.
As frustrated as we all are, I'm an optimistic conservative. I don't just see the problems and limitations before us; I see how Florida, and America can surmount challenges we face at home and abroad by applying proven conservative principles, reducing Washington's power over our lives and our checkbooks, and treating Americans with the respect and honesty they deserve; demanding results, and accepting nothing less than results as success.
Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera assumed his current post in 2014 and is currently running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.
