DES MOINES, Iowa – Rick Stewart of Cedar Rapids on Monday officially filed with the Iowa Secretary of State’s office to be a candidate for Governor of Iowa. Stewart was endorsed by the Libertarian Party of Iowa at their state convention in Des Moines on January 29, 2022, and filed over 5,000 petition signatures gathered by friends and volunteers. Since losing major political party status in 2018, Libertarians do not have a primary election, but have to file signatures for the general election in November.
Stewart, 70, was born in Postville, Iowa. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Coe College in 1991 and an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1993. He is the founder of Frontier Natural Products Co-op in Norway, Iowa, where he served as CEO until his retirement. Stewarts first career was as a law enforcement officer in Maquoketa, Iowa.
He recently ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senator in 2020 and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture in 2018.
“I’m running for Iowa Governor because it is time for a governor for all Iowans and not just for members of a particular political party. It is time for a governor to unabashedly stand for ending Iowa’s destructive and bigoted war on drugs. To stand with working Iowa families to ensure all Iowans have access to a quality education that best meets the needs of their children through universal school choice. To stand with Iowans who are threatened with having their property forcibly taken for private carbon pipelines and other projects benefiting the wealthy, or had their businesses shuttered by the executive order while Wal-Mart remained open. Marco and I are the ticket that, if elected, will be the Governor and Lt Governor who stand for all Iowans,” Stewart said.
Marco Battaglia of Des Moines will be Stewart’s running mate for the party’s Governor/Lt. Governor ticket. Battaglia is active in local politics, a regular at Des Moines city council meetings and was a candidate for Des Moines city council in 2019. He also earned over a quarter million votes in his unsuccessful 2018 race for Attorney General of Iowa, a record for a Libertarian candidate. Battaglia works in corrections and has a passion for helping inmates through addiction and with mental health rehabilitation that will allow them to become good neighbors upon release. Battaglia is also known as a musician and as a regular on Des Moines metro area radio.
“As we campaign across the state, Marco and I look forward to hearing the concerns of our fellow Iowans and finding solutions for Iowans that empower them to make their own decisions through expanded personal and economic freedom. I believe that, if elected governor, I will be an honest broker between the two other parties in control of our legislature, and will work toward solutions that empower all Iowans, not just a privileged few.
