by Matt Marquardt –
Kyle Klinksiek will be challenging incumbent Jay Urdahl for the District 1 Cerro Gordo County Supervisor seat.
Klinksiek, a 42 year-old truck driver, is running as an Independent.
Today via phone, Klinksiek said “It’s time for a change.” He said Urdahl has been in office “long enough. Twenty-four years, that’s a long time.”
Klinksiek pointed to the condition of the North Iowa Fairgrounds as an example of Urdahl’s time as a Supervisor. “The place is in bad shape, all under his watch.”
Klinksiek also said today he would have “no problem” engaging in an NIT-sponsored debate with Urdahl that would be video-taped and shared on Youtube. “I’m fine with that, set it up,” he said.
Urdahl will be on the ballot as a Democrat, but he has sought campaign help and contributions from staunch Republicans.
Urdahl approached Dr. Gary Blodgett of Clear Lake for help in raising funds for his re-election campaign some months ago. Dr. Blodgett obliged and wrote a fundraising letter which was mailed out to several dozen potential donors. This despite the fact that the Urdahl campaign had over $15,000 already on hand.
Read the letter that Blodgett wrote for Urdahl here.
Klinksiek said he doesn’t want any contributions.
“I’m doing this all on my own,” he explained.
Klinksiek invited anyone with questions to call him at 641-420-9715 or send an email to kyle.klinksiek01@gmail.com.
Okay, I guess no one else is going to mention it, so I will. Here is what Kyle wrote (above):
“Just letting you know I was waiting for my OWI, public intox, and consumption, would come up. I am very embarrass by this. I pleaded guilty and paid my fines for all three items. I pretty sure I am the first person for public office to have something like happen to them. I am not even close to being perfect.”
And here’s my take on it: Anyone who is running for public office should be able to write (and speak) intelligently. If you don’t understand how to use the English language the way it was intended you apparently didn’t pay attention in school. If you didn’t pay attention in school I really don’t want you representing me in public office.
This may sound harsh but it’s the way I feel, and I’d be willing to bet that others feel this way, also. It’s definitely going to hurt Kyle in the election. Originally, I was leaning toward giving him a chance. Not now.
Do not know when I will be debating Jay.
Just letting you know I was waiting for my OWI, public intox, and consumption, would come up. I am very embarrass by this. I pleaded guilty and paid my fines for all three items. I pretty sure I am the first person for public office to have something like happen to them. I am not even close to being perfect.
https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/TIndexFrm
Charges, Dispositions, Sentences
Title: ST V KLINKSIEK, KYLE E
Case: 02171 SMSM023551 (CERRO GORDO)
Citation Number:
Defendant: KLINKSIEK, KYLE ERVIN
Count 01 Charge
Charge:
123.46 Description: CONSUMPTION / INTOXICATION – 1978 (SMMS)
Offense Date: 03/31/2007 Arrest Date: Against Type:
DPS Number:
GA000P6-01
Adjudication
Charge:
123.46 Description: CONSUMPTION / INTOXICATION – 1978 (SMMS)
Adj.:
GUILTY – NEGOTIATED/VOLUN PLEA Adj.Date: 04/09/2007
Adj.Judge:
WEILAND, COLLEEN
Comments:
Sentence
Charge:
123.46 Description: CONSUMPTION / INTOXICATION – 1978 (SMMS)
Sentence Date:
04/09/2007 Sentence: TIME SERVED
Appeal:
Sen.Judge: WEILAND, COLLEEN
This should be good for a article of support for Urdahl from the Beavis and Buttwhiler Gazette.
I can’t believe TODD BLODGETT has not posted some comment on this subject, daddy must have told him to keep his mouth shut!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks like Urdahl is Gary Blodget’s boy, he does what ever Blodget tells him to. Get this rich man’s errend boy out of there, give the new guy Klinksink a shot, he is for us not Blodget and his rich buddys.
Independents unite and drive the career politicians of the DNC and RNC out of office. Ask yourselves if our county or country is better now or then. These two parties have run the show my whole life and they have not succeeded in doing anything but making it better for themselves. Good candidates like Kyle can start this transformation and save our country.
I have moved away from Mason City, but I taught in Mason City for awhile and was a Democratic precinct volunteer when Jay first ran 24 years ago, and again when Stan Romans ran against him 20 years ago. Jay is slick, and that is the reason he has been able to keep out of trouble for most of this time. Back when Dave Clayton was Groninga’s campaign treasurer, I talked with Dave about Jay and all the money he was raising, most of it courtesy of Gary Blodgett. This was back when Dave and Carol lived in that Fair Meadows section on the south side. The Blodgetts lived there too, in a big brick house on that lake, in the old part of Fair Meadows. Dave knew the Blodgetts fairly well, and I asked him about Urdahl’s friendship with Gary’s son, Todd. He was sort of surprised that those two had hit if off, given their different political parties, and their philosophical differences. Another man asked Dave about all the help that Jay was getting from Dr. Blodgett and Blodgett’s friends, and Clayton said that Jay will do what he has to do to win, or words to that effect. He was right, and Jay did, but it does look like to me it’s now all catching up to Jay. Gary Blodgett and his rich friends bought themselves a pseudo Democrat for 24 years, hooray for them. But now, it just may be that their investment in Jay Urdahl has about run its course. People are on to Urdahl’s game. I agree with the other Democrats here, and if I still voted in MC, it would for this new, fresh face, Mr. Klinksiek.
I have voted for Urdahl every time he’s been on the ballot, and have contributed financially to his campaigns. I will not vote for him ever again. He has become arrogant, and even my fellow Democrats have told me of Jay’s greedy, conniving ways. He seems to think that the MC seat is his for his lifetime, and 24 years is long enough, perhaps too long, for any one individual. While . Klinksiek lacks Jay’s experience, he can’t do any worse, especially in light of Urdahl’s demonstrable unwillingness to tackle the really tough issues, such as the abysmal situation regarding the North Iowa fair. Conversely, Kyle Klinksiek is honest, well-liked, and has shown his willingness to try to get things done, even if it means upsetting some high status people. Jay Urdahl has always shied away from taking on the big guys, and now that I know he’s in so tight with Gary Blodgett, I’m done with this phony Democrat. I respect Dr. Blodgett, but he hasn’t got the foggiest idea of how 99% of us have to live, and he never will. Shame on Jay Urdahl, who is nothing more than a blue collar guy who cozies up to these out of touch multi-millionaire one-percenters like Gary Blodgett, who owns homes on both shores of Clear Lake. Urdahl can talk until he’s blue in the face about how he loads boxes at UPS, but he has forgetten where he came from. Mr. Klinksiek has not. Bye-bye, Jay.
Last summer I was at the Courthouse and I saw Gary Blodget walk in and head straight for the supervisor office on the first floor. He goes straight past the secretary’s desk says hi to Amosson and Dougherty. Jay was out like he usually is, he leaves the others to cover for him. Amosson and Dougherty are both at their own desks. They say hi back to Gary and Blodget heads straight for Urdahl’s desk sits down in Jay’s chair and makes himself right at home. Neither Dougherty or Amosson has any problem with any of it, they all just start talking like nothing just happen, like how you doing Gary, nice to see you, all that. So Blodget takes out his checkbook from his jacket and starts writing a check to the county to pay his property taxes. He is bitching about how bad taxes is the whole time, than he tears the check out of his checkhook and starts back up to yacking with the two supervisors. I would of stayed longer to hear what they all said, but there secetary walks in just then she asks me how can I help you so I just walk out. As I left they’re office out to the lobby part who but Blodget’s son walks right past me and he goes back to where the desks are, with his old man and them. This is how it is done people, okay how many of you can do that? See what Im saying here?
I am Union but you know what, Jay Urdahl talks a good game but he has forgot about the folks he is suppose to help. He just wants the $45 grand he makes, IPERS, a nice office and his pretty secetary and things like free meals at the Outing Club with them rich people he takes care of at are expense. Urdahl didnt even show up to the last Board meeting, WTF if you got a job than do it sir. But like Bonnie says he make time to go eat lunch with Blodgett over to the lake. Somebody tell me one good reason we vote Urdahl back in and one good reason we should not give Kyle a shot at this. 24 years is long enough is it not. Supposebly Urdahl is for the middle class, like he likes to say but the proof is right here people. Since Urdahl likes to hang out around Gary Blodgett and the old doc’s rich friends, okay than let’s give Jay more time to do that. Maybe after we bounce him out of the courthouse Dr. Blodgett will let Jay caddie for him, that way Jay can brag to us over at Highland that he was at the country club with Gary Blodgett.
Well we know who the rich want in this election now don’t we. And we know who got in 24 years ago and wants us to keep him on don’t we. And which canidate has $600 to spend and which one got Gary Blodgett to raise him over $21,000 and has almost $19,000 on hand in his bank account. We know that too don’t we? Urdahl has had his day, and he had it on count of rich people giving him big checks. Why would anybody not vote for Kyle Klinksiek against Urdahl? I think it will be funny to see how fast Dr. Blodgett drops Urdahl off his list as soon as Jay can’t do him no more good after we throw him out.
Maybe because the rich people want to buy the land, Katie. Duh.
Why would the rich people in Cerro Gordo County want to see the fairgrounds go downhill? Why are they supporting Erdahl to see it fail? I don’t get the connection here. Enlighten me.
I am a senior at UNI, a Democrat from Mason City, MCHS class of ’08. My roommate here showed me this and she used to be a waitress for a few summers at the Outing Club in Clear Lake, where the Blodgett family owns a place. She said Gary Blodgett has always had lots of right wing political people over there in that club’s private dining room. Branstad, Grassley, Latham, King, Upmeyer, every big name Republican you can think of has been there with him, as a guest at his reserved table. Funny thing – Jay Urdahl has been there lots of times too. At Dr. Blodgett’s table. I don’t think it’s even legal for Urdahl to accept those fancy dinners and lunches, because the price is too high for what the state law allows politicians to accept. Gary Blodgett has introduced Urdahl to lots of rich conservative Republicans that would of never given him the time of day if not for Blodgett. I like these comments because voters should know what they’ve got, and how he got there and how he stays in there. I say it’s time to give a real Democrat like Mr. Kyle Klinksiek a chance.
I’ve been an Urdahl supporter in every election. But I’m beginning to have serious doubts. It appears that Urdahl is a closet Republican. Looks like it might be time to vote him out.
Francis, it goes even farther back than what most people could ever think. My ex husband worked with Jay Urdahl at UPS when he first ran, I have know him a long time. Jay never did nothing but UPS part time like Joey says, for him politics is all about the money, he loves money like nobody I ever known. He don’t care about our Fair grounds, he gets Dr. Gary Blodgett to get rich Republicans to write him these big checks, thats his game all right. You look on Urdahl’s money report, lots of Drs and rich people and other big names gives him lots of big money, thanks to Dr. Blodgett. Do we want a man in there who got in on count of all that big Republican money or do we want someone who is for us? Gary Blodgett may be a nice man but I say it’s time to elect someone who will stand on his own 2 feet and that man isnt Jay Urdahl.
Kyle is right, we do have more than one person to vote for. If you vote for Urdahl, you are really voting for two people, Jay Urdahl and his sponsor, Dr. Blodgett. If you vote for Kyle Klinksiek, you are voting for a working man who is for working people. I will vote for Mr. Klinksiek because he is his own man. Gary Blodgett’s letters to his rich friends prove that Urdahl is nothing but a rich man’s tool. Thank you, NIT, for exposing these things to help us stay informed.
Great comments everyone. Win or lose at least people have more than one person to vote for. Thanks again everyone.