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Steen launches ‘99 Strong’ tour in Marion with focus on faith, families and local control
‘I’m the guy that’s going to stand up for the principles and the values this country was founded upon,’ says Republican gubernatorial candidate
Oct. 4, 2025 2:27 pm
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MARION — Iowa Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Steen kicked off his statewide “99 Strong” tour on Saturday at Goldfinch Tap + Eatery in Marion, pledging to visit all 99 counties to meet Iowans directly, hear their concerns and share his vision for the state’s future.
Framed by a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance and testimonials from friends and family, Steen leaned hard into themes of faith, family and local control.
“I’m the faith guy, I’m the Jesus guy,” Steen said. “I’m the guy that’s going to stand up for the principles and the values this country was founded upon.”
Steen, of Runnells, is the former head of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services. He is one of four Republicans running in the 2026 gubernatorial race, joining Western Iowa U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, state legislator Eddie Andrews of Johnston, and former state legislator Brad Sherman of Williamsburg. State legislator Mike Bousselot of Ankeny has been campaigning as he considers a run.
Steen said he would work alongside President Donald Trump to usher in a "golden age of opportunity" for Iowa.
Skilled trades and schools
Steen said he would be “the largest champion and promoter of skilled trades the state’s ever seen,” calling for expanded apprenticeships and hands-on career education as early as seventh and eighth grade. He praised community colleges as key to keeping graduates in Iowa and said trades jobs “can’t be replaced by AI.”
He also cast himself as a “champion for parental rights, local control and school choice,” pledging to give parents more influence in classrooms and to remove “ideological content” in favor of “biblical principles.” Steen urged families to spend less time on digital devices and called for local churches to play a stronger role in civic life.
Property rights and taxes
Steen staked out a firm stance on property rights, saying he opposes the use of eminent domain — the government’s power to take private property for public use with compensation to the owner — for private infrastructure projects.
“No eminent domain for private gain — absolutely no chance,” he said.
The issue has divided Iowa Republicans, particularly over proposed carbon capture pipelines. Gov. Kim Reynolds vetoed a bill earlier this year that sought to limit eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipelines. The bill, House File 639, contained multiple provisions that were designed to make it more difficult for state government to seize private land to aid the construction of hazardous liquid pipelines and other energy infrastructure projects.
Steen said he would instead sign a separate bill that passed the Iowa House but was not taken up in the Iowa Senate. The bill simply would have prohibited the use of eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipelines on agricultural land.
“It makes it very clean and clear that private property cannot be taken by the government for private eminent domain abuse,” he said.
Steen also called property tax reform “complicated but necessary,” voicing support for expanding zero-based budgeting to scrutinize spending. He said his five years running DAS gave him the management experience to “govern on day one.”
Cultural battles at the Capitol
Steen argued the governor must be a “champion of Iowa’s culture and values” and highlighted clashes during his time at DAS. That included denying requests by The Satanic Temple of Iowa to set up a holiday display and celebration at the State Capitol, as well as blocking an all-ages drag show.
The Satanic Temple, with support from the ACLU of Iowa, has filed a civil-rights complaint alleging discrimination. The group says its proposed 2024 holiday event — featuring caroling, coloring pages, a Krampus costume contest and make-and-take ornaments — was family-friendly and within its First Amendment rights.
The Satanic Temple of Iowa — which describes itself as a non-theistic religious group advocating for secularism — said officials wrongly assumed sticks used in a Krampus costume contest could harm children, insisting they were only decorative. Steen reiterated Saturday that references to Krampus — a European folklore figure who punishes misbehaving children — justified blocking the celebration.
“Krampus, whose sole purpose in life … is to beat children with sticks and take them to hell. That’s not happening on my watch,” he said.
Framing his campaign in spiritual terms, Steen said he believes America was founded as “a church plant” under the Puritans’ Mayflower Compact and warned the country is “under attack.”
“I believe that the Mayflower Compact, founded by the Puritans for the advancement of the Christian faith, is why America exists,” Steen said. “And right now, America is under attack, and it's been under attack ever since they came over here to spread the Gospel.”
He said it will take “patriots … to stand up, get involved and push back.”
Des Moines schools controversy
Steen also weighed in on the arrest of Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts, who federal officials say overstayed a deportation order and has a history of criminal charges.
He called Roberts’ hiring proof that “parents need to get more involved” and said district officials “should either resign or be removed from their positions.”
Steen echoed state Sen. Dave Sires, R-Cedar Falls, who urged the Iowa Department of Education to consider taking over the district.
“Let’s figure out a way for the state to step in and make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Steen said, adding that Iowa should examine whether similar problems exist in other districts.
Federal officials said Roberts, hired in 2023, had been in the U.S. illegally and lacked work authorization for years. His attorney countered that charges are not convictions and accused the government of “fearmongering.”
‘I will not touch IPERS’
Steen said he would not support changes to the state’s public pension system.
The Iowa Department of Government Efficiency task force has floated giving new public employees the option to opt out of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) traditional defined-benefit pension and choose a 401(k)-style plan — leaving current participants untouched — as part of broader efforts to align public employee benefits more closely with private sector.
“I will not touch IPERS,” Steen said. “I know IPERS is a very specific tool that we use as the state to attract and retain the best employees. … These are all recommendations anyway … but it's a report, it's suggestions, and I don't see at this point anything happening to IPERS and any wide sweeping changes at this point.”
Personal testimonials
Before Steen spoke, friend and business owner Peter Jaques of Adel praised his “faith, family commitment and stubborn steadiness.”
Steen’s wife, Kasey, recounted their family’s journey raising a son with a rare genetic condition and moving to a small farm east of Des Moines. She said their decision to run was rooted in service.
“This was a call to fight for Iowa, a call to lead and a call to serve,” she said. “And as a state, as a people in times such as these, we need to ask ourselves when we’re looking at the candidates running for governor, who is willing to fight for our families? Who will fight for our state and who will fight for our faith? Adam will. Because when others shrink back, Adam stands strong. He always has. He always will.”
Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com
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