DES MOINES, Iowa – Jaylen Cavil, a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the newly drawn Iowa House District 36 that encompasses the west side of Des Moines, on Friday encouraged Iowans in his district to vote for him because he would not support the “violent & racist” Iowa State Patrol.
Cavil responded to a tweet posted by the Iowa State Patrol on Thursday that said, “The Department, the State Peace Officers Council (SPOC), and the Iowa State Patrol Supervisors Association (ISPSA) hosted a legislative open house this week to recognize the unwavering support we receive from our elected officials. Thank you Iowa Legislature!”
Vote for me because I would never give the violent & racist Iowa State Patrol my “unwavering support.” https://t.co/j2yTNRMT95
— Jaylen Cavil (@jaylencavil) January 21, 2022
Cavil, a Black Liberation Movement activist, announced his campaign earlier this month. Among his priorities are legalizing recreational marijuana, divesting from the “Iowa Industrial Prison Complex,” implementing a “Workers’ Bill of Rights,” universal free access to health care, and terminating state contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
He ran for Polk County Sheriff in 2020 as a write-in candidate. He was also acquitted of “interference with official acts” after being arrested, accused of interfering with the arrest of Alexandria Dea by Des Moines Police on an outstanding warrant during a racial justice protest on June 2, 2020 that later devolved into a riot.
The new Iowa House District 36 is currently part of Iowa House District 41 represented by State Rep. Jo Oldson, D-Des Moines, who announced she will retire at the end of her current term.
There is currently a three-way primary for the Democratic nomination in this safe Democrat seat, Laura Belin at Bleeding Heartland reports.
Dr. Chris Disbro, a physician in Des Moines, announced on December 13 that he will seek the Democratic nomination.
“As a young professional with three school-aged children and a medical background, education and health care are significant priorities for me and my family. I’m running for the Iowa House because I want to work toward policies to make Iowa number one in the country for public school education again and increase the affordability and support we provide for our health care system,” Disbro said in a press release.
Dr. Austin Baeth, an internist in Des Moines, announced his candidacy on Tuesday. He said in a press release that he would prioritize “fully funding education, addressing inadequate healthcare access in the state, and bringing an Iowan approach to combating the climate crisis.”
