(These are remarks I gave to an audience of 50 Iowans introducing Fred Hubbell, Iowa’s Democratic candidate for governor, at my home on Saturday, June 30. This is belatedly posted here because of technical difficulties with the blog site earlier in the year when these remarks were more timely.)

My wife and I welcome you to our home and are very happy you are here today to meet, greet, and support Fred.

Twenty-five years ago this month, Cathy, my two daughters, Laura and Jamie, and I moved to this home from Algona. On that late morning upon arriving, we were greeted by my next-door neighbor Glen, who immediately invited us to a lunch of grilled hamburgers. Glen is now one of my best friends and has helped my family and me many times. At 95 years of age, he is still mowing his grass and providing me with great wisdom. I can only hope that our meeting and greeting with Fred today will produce such a bountiful friendship.

A quick history lesson. Iowa’s 17th governor was Leslie Shaw from my hometown of Denison, who then became Teddy Roosevelt’s U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. My brother’s home in Denison was built by Governor Shaw’s law partner. At that home, there is plaque commemorating a visit by President Roosevelt. The plaque includes one of my favorite quotations of all time. It says, “Aggressive fighting for the right is the noblest sport the world affords.” President Roosevelt fought for interests of Americans suffering from the actions of corporations’ excesses. I hope, as governor, Fred will similarly succeed in this sport of placing Iowans ahead of corporations. I hope and would be honored to place a plaque commemorating Governor Hubbell’s visit here some day.

In the area of health-care coverage, which is my passion, I look forward to the future Governor Hubbell. The promise of the Affordable Care Act at the state level has been gutted by the lack of proper promotion that an Iowa Exchange would have provided, leading in part to the demise of CoOportunity Health, a health-care co-op insuring 120,000 Iowans and Nebraskans. Further, a privatized Medicaid dispenses profits to companies instead of appropriate care to Medicaid recipients. Finally, the new health-association law with the ability to discriminate against individuals with pre-existing conditions dooms adequate health-insurance markets. I see effects of these decisions every day in my clinic. We need you; my patients need you, Fred.

I introduce to you Iowa’s next governor, Fred Hubbell.