Former aide to Governor seeks Congressional seat

The former Chief of Staff for Governor Tom Vilsack today officially announced his campaign for the new Fourth District Congressional seat. John Norris, a democrat from Ames, says he would rely on his experience in several areas if elected. He says he has experience growing up on a family farm, experience owning a business and experience in public service.Current Fifth District Congressman Tom Latham is also running on the republican ticket in the Fourth District. The forty-three-year-old Norris says he’s closer to the people he’d represent than Latham because he’s a family farmer. Norris says he’ll fight for family farmers if elected, and says the farm bill being considered in Congress doesn’t do enough. He says he’s not pleased with the bill and thinks it goes the wrong direction. He says it needs more emphasis on conservation and more to protect against competition from large scale industry.He says there needs to be a change in the way farmers are subsidized. He says a majority of the farm payments are going to the wealthiest, which he says doesn’t help family farmers.Norris says he has no problem with the war on terrorism, but he wants to be sure it doesn’t overshadow things on the homefront. He says he supports President Bush, but wants to be sure that things can be done to help the economy of Iowa.Norris has served as chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party and a campaign manager and chief of staff for Congressman Leonard Boswell. When Norris lived in Greenfield, he was involved in Jesse Jackson’s Iowa campaigns.