Juliana Martinez–Staff Writer

Tensions continue to rise between incumbent Governor Kim Reynolds and former businessman Fred Hubbell as election day approaches.

A series of three debates took place during the month of October, with the second debate held in Sioux City at Morningside College on the 17. Both gubernatorial candidates opened the debate by reminding the audience that they were fifth generation Iowans; both promised a better and brighter future for Iowa if they were elected. As Hubbell stated, “We need a governor who will stand up for Iowans.” Although both politicians seem to desire the best for our state and nation, the two candidates and their parties have very different ideas on how to achieve such lofty goals.

From education to sexual harassment to taxes and funding, this debate covered many issues that voters are concerned about during this election cycle.

“Fred came out really strong on a lot of points” said Timothy Kacena, a Democratic state representative from Sioux City. “I think we are going to flip one of the [state] houses for sure.”

Barb Clayton, a business woman from Spirit Lake, Iowa, disagreed. “Fred Hubbell didn’t really give us anything. The governor made me even more supportive of her.”

Mary Ellen Kisting, another supporter of Reynolds from Spirit Lake, noted that Reynolds “threw it out of the park! It made me see that [Hubbell] doesn’t know what he’s talking about… he dances around the issues.”

While Republicans thought that Hubbell did not have a lot of evidence to back up his claims, Democrats thought that Reynolds was saying “the same old same old.”

Governor Reynolds will be visiting Sioux Center on November 5 for her final “Get Out the Vote Event” before election day. Steve King, the fourth District’s incumbent representative, also has tentative plans to rally in Sioux Center on Saturday the third.