The candidates seeking to represent northwest Iowa in Congress will meet tonight, Wednesday, October 14, during an Iowa Press debate on Iowa PBS.
Democrat Dave Dawson of Lawton and Republican Chris McGowan of Sioux City will participate in the debate beginning at 7 p.m. Iowa Press moderator Kay Henderson and Iowa political reporters will question the candidates at Iowa PBS studios in Johnston.
The debate will air live statewide and stream on the Iowa PBS website and YouTube. The candidates are seeking the 4th Congressional District seat currently held by Republican Randy Feenstra, who did not seek reelection.
In separate interviews on Sioux County Radio’s The Daily Grind, Dawson and McGowan outlined their approaches to federal spending, immigration, and other issues affecting northwest Iowa.
Federal Spending and Accountability
McGowan, now the former president of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce and The Siouxland Initiative, described fiscal discipline as a priority. He argued that the cost of servicing the national debt takes resources away from other needs.
“What I have articulated from the very beginning is that we have to have members of Congress who have the courage to stand up from time to time and say, I’m sorry, we cannot afford this.”
Dawson, an assistant Woodbury County attorney and former state representative, said both parties share responsibility for federal spending problems.
“So I do support a balanced budget amendment to make sure that we are paying for things as we go along and incur expenditures, because over the last forty years, both Democrats and Republicans have been out of control with regards to how they fund government programs and projects.”
Dawson also called for investigating fraud, waste, and abuse and repealing tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. McGowan said spending restraint would help preserve resources for priorities such as rural hospitals and programs serving people in need.
Immigration and Workforce Needs
The candidates also discussed immigration, with McGowan emphasizing border security and Dawson highlighting changes to the legal immigration process.
Asked about Haitian workers with temporary protected status, McGowan focused on the Trump administration’s enforcement efforts and concerns about human trafficking.
“The human trafficking element is something that should concern all of us. And so I believe the administration’s focus on first and foremost, securing the border is the right step. And we can’t address the issue comprehensively until that is done and completed.”
McGowan did not directly specify in that exchange whether those workers should be required to leave or receive a legal pathway to remain.
Dawson said he supports enforcing immigration laws while making it easier for employers to hire authorized workers.
“But we also need to make sure our immigration system works better to meet the needs of employers throughout the fourth Congressional District. And right now, it’s very time-consuming and expensive. So it should become more of a streamlined process.”
Dawson said that process should include thorough vetting and background checks. He also supported a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who are working and following the country’s laws.
Tonight’s debate will take place without a live studio audience. The general election is Tuesday, November 3.
