Steve Woodhouse
Journal-Express
Knoxville — "Iowa's Favorite Grassroots Conservative" Bill Salier headlined a campaign event for Republican Iowa House Candidate Greg Heartsill at Dyer-Hudson Hall Saturday night.
Salier, a former Republican candidate for US Senate, current farmer and founder of Everyday America, delivered a speech entitled "A Path to Restoring American Liberty." In the speech, he highlighted the need for self-governance.
"We've lost our focus as a nation because we lost our focus as individuals," Salier said. "It's high time to start rebuilding our republic."
The approximately 300 in attendance were first welcomed to the event by Master of Ceremonies Rick Cowman. Pastor Aaron Gunsaulus from Newton delivered the invocation. Amvets Post 63 and American Legion Post 168 presented the colors.
Heartsill's children led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. This was quickly followed by Knoxville's own Kaurie Kincaid singing the National Anthem.
Heartsill opened for Salier and stressed that his campaign is about Iowa's State Motto, "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain."
"Liberty has fallen on hard times," Heartsill said. He believes too many have traded liberty for more government.
Both he and Salier stressed that liberty and other rights come from God. They believe the key to improving America starts with returning to God.
"Freedom is truly a gift from God," Salier said. In closing, Salier told the crowd, "There's a path to liberty and the path starts with you."
