Libertarian Nicholas Gluba blasts eminent domain in pitch at Iowa State Fair
Libertarian candidate for Iowa's 1st District Nicholas Gluba appealed to Iowans' opposition of eminent domain in speech at the Iowa State Fair. (Photo by Jack O'Connor/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Libertarian candidate for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District Nicholas Gluba vowed to fight eminent domain and U.S. foreign interventions, speaking Saturday at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair.
Gluba, of Lone Tree, who served as a Marine during Operation Iraqi Freedom, said the money the nation has spent on global problems should be invested at home.
“There was no purpose for us being [in Iraq], other than to benefit the multibillion-dollar war profiteering corporations,” Gluba said. “If we save those trillions upon trillions of dollars that we are currently spending enforcing our globalist policy, we could reinvest that into Iowans, into Americans, lift ourselves up and prosper.”
Gluba is running against Democrat Christina Bohannan and incumbent Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. The race is rated as “lean Republican” by election forecaster Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
While no Libertarian has ever won a congressional or presidential election in Iowa, Gluba could play an important role as a spoiler candidate. Some 1st District conservative Iowans unmotivated by Miller-Meeks may look toward the Libertarian on the ballot rather than the Republican.
Gluba works as both a chef at the City of Amana’s Price Creek Event Center and a production lead at the City of North Liberty’s Whirlpool facility.
Gluba received his biggest applause with his attacks against eminent domain, which has become a hot topic following its potential use for a carbon pipeline in Iowa.
“They don’t need to use eminent domain to take privately held land, from our farmers, from our ranchers, from our citizens to put it in their pipelines,” Gluba said.
If elected, Gluba promised to support a bill limiting the use of eminent domain.
Gluba is the first of four Libertarians speaking at the Soapbox. Libertarian candidates Marco Battaglia for the 3rd District, Charles Aldrich for the 4th District and Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver are also scheduled to speak.
Gluba also attacked the Republican Party’s recent legal efforts to challenge Libertarian candidates’ right to appear on the ballot for allegedly not holding party conventions. Gluba added it showed Republican Party officials were scared of the appeal of Libertarian candidates.
“They’re afraid that we’re going to take out their death grip that the Republicans hold in the state of Iowa,” Gluba said.
Iowa Libertarians’ most consequential fight is likely on the presidential ballot rather than any of the U.S. House races. If Oliver receives 2% of the vote in Iowa, the party will retain its recognized party status.
With recognized party status, Libertarians can participate in primary elections and be included as a party option on voter registration forms. The fight for 2% is expected to be close with a Des Moines Register poll showing 2% of likely voters selecting Oliver for president.
Gluba dismissed concerns about fundraising disparities between himself and the other 1st District candidates.
“All the money that I’ve gotten was from my friends and family. I don’t need hundreds of millions of dollars to drive around the state and talk to people,” Gluba said.
Bohannan, the Democrat in Gluba’s race, will speak at 1:30 p.m. Saturday while Miller-Meeks is not scheduled to speak at the Iowa State Fair.
More soap box coverage:
U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn emphasizes bipartisan work, calls for border security at state fair
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