Partisanship and Policy: A Complicated Relationship

Our government was designed to be “of the people, by the people, for the people.” That government is comprised of elected officials almost exclusively representing one of two political parties, yet in Iowa, there are more registered “no party” voters than registered Republicans or Democrats. The political arena is a multi-faceted, ever-changing landscape, and increasingly, more Americans feel hopeless that their participation can make a difference on the issues they care about. Is partisanship our inevitable downfall? How are policy priorities established? How can citizens claim a greater role in the process?

A native Iowan, Drew Klein has spent over 15 years reshaping the Iowa political landscape through his work with conservative grassroots activists in communities throughout the state. With experience from more than twenty state legislative races already under his belt, he joined Americans for Prosperity (AFP) to build their field operation when they launched their Iowa chapter in 2012. His tenure as State Director for AFP began in late 2014. In the 9 years that he lead the state chapter, Drew’s work drove generational change in not only the composition of the state legislative and executive branches, but also policy changes ranging from the state’s tax environment and labor policy to education and judicial selection. Now a Regional Vice President with Americans for Prosperity, Drew is leveraging his experience in Iowa to have a similar impact across the country.