On Saturday, June 23, the Iowa GOP Victory office opened in Urbandale, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines. Attending office openings is always like a family reunion for my family (but a family reunion you really want to attend).
My boys get to see their "two year friends", children of other volunteers, and it's always fun to see how much they've grown. What is interesting is that other than the children growing, it seems that time doesn't pass. We're always working towards the same goal and while the candidates change, we know we're doing this for our children. We're working together to leave a better future for our kids.
Our family managed to get out the door and to the opening only 15 minutes late. With three boys ages 6 and under, this was a miraculous feat. My boys went running to the office, an office my oldest son knows well, as it was in the same location as the McCain Victory headquarters 4 years ago.
Entering the building could be a scene from "Cheers". You walk in the door and everyone says your name. My poor husband, at least at political events, is known as 'Sarah Bowman's husband'. But he's okay with that. He jokes that he's my trophy husband.
In traditional Iowa opening form, there was no catered meat and cheese trays, but a military veteran, Lee Booton, working the grill cooking burgers and brats for the crowd. I was approached and congratulated by Kim Lehman, our current National Committeewoman and former head of the Iowa Right to Life on the upcoming birth of our son. "We need more Conservative babies," she said, and I agreed.
As soon as Congressman Latham was available I approached him. I was greeted with a joyful, "Hi, Sarah!" Congressman Latham and I go way back to my days working for the Agribusiness Association of Iowa and my work as Co-Chair of the Polk County GOP, even though until the most recent redistricting, he hasn't represented our district.
I asked him if he would be willing to pose for a picture with my youngest son, Brendan, who is almost 2. Congressman Latham reached his arms out, and to my surprise, called him by his nickname "Baby B." Again, I shouldn't have been surprised that he knew B's nickname, but I was. I was able to take a few great pictures of the Congressman with B and thanked him.
I informed him that I was working for CAPE PAC and said, "We wanted you to know that we're running a positive and hard campaign for you, because CAPE PAC knows you're my guy." He laughed and said, "Tell your bosses thank you very much. It's going to be a tough campaign and I appreciate their support. They're lucky to have you in their corner and I'm lucky you're with them!" I laughed and told him that he'd be a great representative for me and my boys and I will do what I can to get him elected.
We continued mingling with our friends and political family. They joked it will only be a few years before my boys will be working the phones for support and yard sign locations. I agreed. My kids will probably have the most extra-curricular political credits than any other family in school.
Looking back at the day, some friends I haven't visited with since the Iowa Straw Poll and I love how everyone has come together. Less than a year ago many of my friends were wearing Bachmann, Pawlenty, Perry and Cain stickers but now everyone was wearing Romney stickers. It's great to see how we've all come together, as we always do.
Onward to Victory!
- Sarah Bowman
CAPE PAC
Communications Director
@capepac
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