Iowa's smoking ban prompts some opponents to seek office
Posted: Tuesday, June 03, 2008
DES MOINES (AP) -- Iowa's statewide smoking ban has prompted several people to run for the Legislature, seeking to oust Democratic lawmakers who supported the new rules.
Democrats said they're not worried by the challenges, noting apparent support for such bans. But opponents of the new law said its supporters shouldn't be so confident.
Brian Froehlich, a bar owner from Wilton who is leading an effort to challenge the ban, said he has encouraged Iowans to run against lawmakers from either party who favored the ban.
"We as Iowans do believe it's a rights issue," Froehlich said. "What people are starting to understand is that every day and every session they take something else away from us."
The smoking ban is a key factor behind candidates opposing Reps. Paul Bell of Newton, Polly Bukta of Clinton and Cindy Winckler of Davenport, the challengers said. All of the incumbents are Democrats.
Democratic leaders said they were confident the public supports the ban on smoking in most public places other than casino floors. They noted a state public health department study in 2006 that showed 82 percent of Iowans didn't smoke and other polling that indicates a majority of residents back some form of a ban.
"We hope Republicans run against us, because they think the 80 percent of the population that doesn't smoke would buy into their arguments that smokers deserve public smoking," said Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, a Democrat from Council Bluffs.
But Susan Schmidt, a Republican from Kellogg who is seeking to unseat Bell, said the smoking ban was an intrusion that had to be stopped.
"I firmly believe that if they get by with this, then how long will it be before they start coming into our homes and telling us what we can and can't do?" Schmidt said.
Adam Vandall, a Republican from Newton who running for Bell's seat, also opposes the ban.
Joe Sturgis, a Davenport Republican who running in Winckler's district, is against the ban and questions the dangers of second-hand smoke despite numerous medical studies.
"I don't think there is any scientific proof that I've read to prove that secondhand smoke causes cancer," Sturgis said. "Basically, it's a virus. Some people get it and some people don't."
Democrats said they're not worried by the challenges, noting apparent support for such bans. But opponents of the new law said its supporters shouldn't be so confident.
Brian Froehlich, a bar owner from Wilton who is leading an effort to challenge the ban, said he has encouraged Iowans to run against lawmakers from either party who favored the ban.
"We as Iowans do believe it's a rights issue," Froehlich said. "What people are starting to understand is that every day and every session they take something else away from us."
The smoking ban is a key factor behind candidates opposing Reps. Paul Bell of Newton, Polly Bukta of Clinton and Cindy Winckler of Davenport, the challengers said. All of the incumbents are Democrats.
Democratic leaders said they were confident the public supports the ban on smoking in most public places other than casino floors. They noted a state public health department study in 2006 that showed 82 percent of Iowans didn't smoke and other polling that indicates a majority of residents back some form of a ban.
"We hope Republicans run against us, because they think the 80 percent of the population that doesn't smoke would buy into their arguments that smokers deserve public smoking," said Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, a Democrat from Council Bluffs.
But Susan Schmidt, a Republican from Kellogg who is seeking to unseat Bell, said the smoking ban was an intrusion that had to be stopped.
"I firmly believe that if they get by with this, then how long will it be before they start coming into our homes and telling us what we can and can't do?" Schmidt said.
Adam Vandall, a Republican from Newton who running for Bell's seat, also opposes the ban.
Joe Sturgis, a Davenport Republican who running in Winckler's district, is against the ban and questions the dangers of second-hand smoke despite numerous medical studies.
"I don't think there is any scientific proof that I've read to prove that secondhand smoke causes cancer," Sturgis said. "Basically, it's a virus. Some people get it and some people don't."
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