Julianna Martinez — Staff Writer

Dr. Jeff Taylor, a political science professor for nine years at Dordt University, has recently announced his candidacy for the Iowa Senate as a Republican. If elected, Taylor will be filling the seat of Randy Feenstra (a Dordt professor who is running for U.S. Congress), for Iowa’s 2nd District.

Mark Volkers, professor of digital media, wasn’t shocked by Taylor’s announcement. “He strikes me as a consensus builder.”

Taylor graduated from Northwestern College with degrees in political science and history, and later received his doctorate in political science from the University of Missouri. He is a self-proclaimed constitutional conservative. Taylor has appeared often on KCAU News as a political commentator. According to his website, he has been a conservative activist for over forty years.

Taylor agrees with Abraham Kuyper, the Dutch theologian and statesman, on the idea of sphere sovereignty, in which church, work, school, and social institutions must have the freedom to flourish beside government and answer directly to God. His key values include decentralization of the government and Biblical morality. Social issues like opposition to abortion are major concerns for District 2 voters. Taylor said that this is a good fit for him because he is strongly pro-life.

“Right to life is the foundational right,” Taylor said. “All other rights are built upon it. Protection of innocent human life is the most important reason God gave us the institution of government.”

Limited government is another fundamental principle for Taylor. Government has a role to play, especially at state and local levels, in helping people, but “it cannot be our savior and cannot solve all of our problems,” Taylor said. “A government powerful enough to ‘solve’ all of our problems also has the power to oppress us. This is the road to totalitarianism.”

On his campaign website, Taylor mentions the importance of civility, writing, “When I’m talking to people I don’t agree with, I want to move them in my direction. Personal attacks aren’t a good way to do this. Conservatives, especially Christians, can set a good example in politics while still being strong for social morality and common sense.”

The State Senate primary is June 2, 2020, with the Iowa presidential caucuses being on February 3.

For more information, please visit Taylor’s campaign website at http://www.taylor4senate.org/.