MASON CITY – Independent U.S. Senate candidate Rick Stewart stopped in Mason City Friday as part of his second tour of the state, promoting his platform and looking for support.
Stewart is from Cedar Rapids, hoping to punch his ticket to Washington and beat Republican Joni Ernst and Democrat Bruce Braley, whom he calls “red and blue M&M’s” that “taste the same in your mouth.”
“You could have a truffle instead,” referring to himself, he proclaimed.
Stewart, a businessman, has previously toured the state via bicycle and now employes a colorful trailer with a couch inside, among other comforts of home. He was in Mason City until about 11:30 AM and then shoved off for Hampton. Among his campaign platform points are: Legalizing marijuana and charging illegal immigrants $50,000 for citizenship.
Stopping in Mason City, he said “Not even five minutes of being in Mason City and I run into state marijuana activist Quinn Symonds! What a pleasure it was to visit such a nice town, Hampton you’re next!”
Symonds is a Democrat and out spoken proponent of legalizing marijuana. Stewart told NIT that “your neighbor smokes pot” and you don’t even know it, and there’s no reason to fear a person who enjoys a toke on a doobie.
“You should be more scared of someone who drinks,” he said.
Watch video interview:
Every Iowan should be supporting cannabis legalization. You want to talk about a real cash crop for Iowa just look at industrial hemp for starters. Iowa farmers could lead the way for the new industrial hemp revolution, which I guarantee you is coming. Secondly of course the tax payoffs of legalizing cannabis for recreational purposes. The only problem CO has had is trying to figure out what to do with all of their money.
I’d be willing to support Shawn Dietz for State Senate, if he’d come out in support of marijuana legalization, or state a position on the matter. Even though Stewart is correct with the M&M analogy, Braley still needs to beat Ernst for the overall protection of our Nation and the continuous march forward in a progressive direction. It’s great he’s out there telling the truth, but we cannot afford to spare the votes so at the end he should defer his supporters to Braley.
What a refreshing point of view from someone running for public office.
Braley needs to come out (publicly) in support of legalizing at least medical marijuana in Iowa. It would no longer be a close race. Everyone in the state who needs cannabis to help them feel better would be voting for Braley. We need a senator in Iowa who will push for this. Harkin is too old and behind the times. I know there’s still the Branstad/Reynolds barricade to get past. But I believe Braley could do it.
@JMO-as I have told you before, I have no problem at all with medical marijuana. Most drugs are made from some type of natural plant and if it helps people I am all for it. Recreational use I am against. There are enough brain dead people running around already (“web”) is a classic example of that, without making it easier for them. As to Branstead, he has already approved medical marijuana (after the legislature did). So, I don’t know where you are coming from. Just smart mouthing I guess.
LVS, with all due respect, Branstad has not approved medical marijuana except for a tiny percentage of people who suffer from epilepsy. That’s not enough. Most states cover sufferers of glaucoma, autoimmune diseases (including MS & RA), cancer, etc. With all sympathy to sufferers of epilepsy, it that any worse than other chronic diseases that may cause even greater physical and mental pain. What about depression?
LVS, please read up on what Iowa passed. It’s not great.
@JMO-as I understood it this was what the legislature had passed and Branstad did nothing but approve what they had sent him. It sure seems to me that you complaint should be with the legislature. Also, as I recall Branstad said it was s start and that we would implement slowly which is a good idea.
Me an my man got a vote fo this man, fo sure. My man did his time just tradin a lil weed fo few bucks and wham he encarserate for 4 motnhs.it aint right but that how sh*t work now.we vote this man and no more hazzle from the po po.
There you are. Something for the pot heads to vote for. Sorry, they can’t vote. Felons are not allowed to vote.
How have you not suffocated from keeping your head in the location it which it seems to reside?
1. Smoking pot is not a felony.
2. People who think pot laws are not potheads.
3. Laws change. Alcohol was illegal once. Women couldn’t vote less than 100 years ago.
Embrace change or go back to telling those kids to get off your lawn.
Thank you anonymous.
I was going to post something similar, but you saved me the trouble.
LVS says he’s former law enforcement. As such he has been propagandized to keep the war on drugs money flowing.
@rahmbo-I was not former law enforcement. But, I am fed up with you damn doppers stealing stuff (mine included) and being a danger to the straight people in our city. You are not smart enough to post anything so get off trying to make yourself something you are not qualified to be. You are what you are.
Never stolen a thing LVS.
I think I now understand you. You are a pro-weed legalization person who posts anti-weed screeds as a parody.
Can’t be anything else.
LVS-Again, you are totally uniformed, stereotyping and just plain ignorant.
LVS-Here is how out of touch you are:
• 38.2% of all American adults have tried or smoke pot on an occasional basis
• 9.7% of those smoke it on a daily basis.
• 2.8% of the American population are felons.
That means 35.4% of adult pot smokers (roughly 24 million people) are not felons and are eligible to vote.
@Web-what you are saying is that 38% of adults are rule breakers and law breakers. That means 42% of us are not. We are still in the majority and when we catch you we will take away your right to vote. You are a criminal no matter what you say.
Not if the rules change, which is what the article is about.
LVS-Again, you are out of touch and uniformed. Most Marijuana arrests in this county are simple misdemeanors, the same as a speeding ticket or stop sign violation, not a felony as you think, so you will not take away their right to vote.
With your logic we need to take away the right to vote from any law breakers, correct?
Numbars is harrd.
Enjoy supporting a prison system that incarcerates 38% of the population