For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Iowa State Representative Gary Carlson Joins Chris Christie's Growing Iowa Leadership Team

MORRISTOWN, NJ - Coming off Governor Christie's commanding debate performance in Milwaukee, Representative Gary Carlson of Muscatine endorsed Chris Christie for President just as the Governor starts his three day swing through Iowa.  Representative Carlson is a lifelong Iowan with deep ties across the state and joins an already strong leadership team in Iowa supporting Governor Christie for president.

"I'm proud to stand with Governor Christie and join his Iowa Leadership team. His strong record of conservative reform in a blue state is unique and impressive, and he exhibits just the kind of strong leadership and political courage we need in a President. America needs a leader who tells it like it is and isn't afraid to take on the tough problems facing our country,” said Representative Carlson. “Governor Christie is that leader and I urge Republicans in Muscatine and across Iowa to support him as our party's nominee for President."

Governor Christie will attend a meet and greet with Representative Carlson this afternoon in Muscatine.

Representative Carlson joins a growing list of Republican leaders across Iowa supporting Chris Christie for President including:

Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee State Representative Chip Baltimore (Boone, IA), Jasper County Republican Leader Diane Birchard (Newton, IA), COO of Iowa Soybean Association Karey Claghorn (Milo, IA),Business and Republican Leader Manda Elwell (Ankeny, IA),Jasper County Republican Leader Shelley Van De Krol (Newton, IA), Polk County Republican Leader Beth Ann Mahaffey (West Des Moines, IA), Polk County Republican Leader Tom Mazza (Des Moines, IA), Dallas County Republican Leader Jennifer Osby (West Des Moines, IA), Major General Maurice Phillips, USA (Ret.) (Newton, IA), Connie Schmett (Clive, IA), 2008 Republican Candidate for Congress Kim Schmett (Clive, IA), Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives State Chairman Kraig Paulsen (Hiawatha, IA), Polk County GOP Leader Adrianne Branstad (Des Moines, IA) - Former Branstad Chief of Staff, 2010 Branstad-Reynolds Campaign Manager Jeff Boeyink (Ankeny, IA), Former Jackson County GOP Chair Jean Davidsaver (Bellevue, IA), Branstad-Reynolds 2010 campaign and Polk County Republican Leader Mikel Derby (West Des Moines, IA), Business Leader David Drescher (West Des Moines, IA), Business, philanthropic, and community leader, as well as Chairman of Denny Elwell Company, LC Denny Elwell (West Des Moines, IA), Former University of Northern Iowa College Republican Chair, Romney Caucus campaign leader and Branstad-Reynolds 2014 County Chair Patrick Finnegan (Des Moines, IA), Branstad-Reynolds County Chair and Branstad-Reynolds Honorary Colonel Dr. Tom Gleason and Martha Gleason (Boone, IA), Linn County GOP Leader Gary Grant (Cedar Rapids, IA),  Branstad-Reynolds 2014 County Chair, Madison County GOP Leader Betty Gustafson (Cumming, IA), Iowa State University College Republican Chairman Nigel Hanson (Ames, IA), Linn County Supervisor John Harris (Cedar Rapids, IA), Waukee City Councilman Brian Harrison (Waukee, IA), Former Linn County GOP Chairman and Branstad-Reynolds 2014 County Chair Mark Hudson (Marion, IA), Waukee City Councilwoman Shelly Hughes (Waukee, IA), Former Senate Majority Leader Stewart Iverson (Clarion, IA),  Former State Senator and former Branstad staff Jim Kersten (Fort Dodge, IA), Chairman, Wild Rose Casino and Resort, Founder of Kirke Financial Services Gary Kirke (West Des Moines, IA), Business leader, Polk County GOP leader, Branstad-Reynolds 2014 County Chair Shelley Laracuente (Ankeny, IA), State Representative Norlin Mommsen (DeWitt, IA), Branstad-Reynolds 2015 Inaugural Committee and Iowa State University College Republicans Katie Popkes (Rock Rapids, IA), Former Republican Party of Iowa Field Director, Romney 2011 Caucus campaign leader, Branstad-Reynolds 2014 County Chair Heather Quist (Dubuque, IA), CEO of The Summit Group Bruce Rastetter (Hubbard, IA), Vice chairman of the board of directors of Wild Rose Casino & Resort Mike Richards (West Des Moines, IA), Romney-Ryan legal team, Linn County Republican leader and Branstad-Reynolds 2014 County Chair Daniel Seufferlein (Cedar Rapids, IA), Former Mayor of Dubuque, former Branstad Chief of Staff, former Chairman of the Iowa Utilities Board, former Commissioner of the Iowa Department of Transportation, former Cedar Rapids City Manager, former Director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development Allan Thoms (Cedar Rapids, IA), Former State Representative Jim Van Fossen (Davenport, IA), Branstad-Reynolds 2014 County Chair Lisa Wagner (Spirit Lake, IA), Polk County GOP leader, Branstad-Reynolds 2014 County Chair and Branstad-Reynolds 2015 Inaugural Committee Mary Whisenand (Des Moines, IA).