Rogers, Welch disagree on ‘smaller’ in House District 60 GOP primary

May 22--One in a series of profiles of candidates in the June 3 primary election.

CEDAR FALLS -- Smaller, smarter government has been the mantra for Iowa Rep. Walt Rogers, R-Cedar Falls.

But the campaign slogan isn't working on at least one constituent, Jason Welch, a John Deere employee who has decided to challenge Rogers for the Republican nomination in the June 3 primary election for House District 60.

Welch, 38, said the slogan has a nice ring to it, but he differs on the definition of the words "smaller" and "smarter."

"My definition of smaller is 'less,' which means you fight for smaller budgets. I don't see that Walt has ever met a budget he didn't like," Welch said, adding that he favors less government. "As far as smarter government, I don't even have a definition for smarter government."

He points specifically to Rogers' signing on to the state's implementation of the federal health care reform, known as Obamacare, as the opposite of "smarter government."

Rogers, a House assistant majority leader, sees his time in office since being elected in 2010 a bit differently.

He said he has worked on the Appropriations Committee to pass fiscally responsible budget that puts the state on a more stable course.

"Once we're in a place where we're financially secure, it gives us the freedom to look at some of the other issues and how we can tweak things to make it better, and ultimately I think that government is too big and too intrusive, and so areas where I think we can get the government out of our lives and still allow them to do what they do well, I think, is a good thing," Rogers said.

On the Affordable Care Act, Rogers said he still has questions about the federal law, but he argues the state is in a better place than many others by adding free market principles to the implementation of the law.

Welch also sees Rogers as weak on pushing an anti-abortion agenda. Welch supports a "personhood amendment," which would constitutionally define life as beginning at conception, and argues Rogers continues to support "state-funded abortions."

"In fact, if he wouldn't do that, I wouldn't even run against him," Welch said.

Rogers dismisses the notion he isn't fully opposed to abortions. He said he talks about the issue whenever he can, prays about any legislation regarding life he votes on and carries in his pocket a figurine of a 12-week-old fetus as a reminder.

He introduced legislation in 2012 to require an ultrasound before a fetus can be aborted and supported a compromise last year to try to limit the number of abortions that are taxpayer-funded. The state will pay for certain abortions through Medicaid in cases of rape, incest, fetal deformity or if the life of the mother is in danger.

While the compromise did not ban state funding for abortions outright, Rogers believes it was better than no change at all. He said it also had the effect of preventing taxpayer dollars being spent on abortions.

The legislation approved last year requires clinics -- the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics provides most of them -- to get approval from the governor's office before they can be reimbursed for performing the procedure. Rogers said, however, UIHC has not requested a reimbursement since the law went into effect, though it still offers abortion services.

"They didn't want to go political with that decision, and they have just decided to stay out of it, and it's paid for through other funds," Rogers said. "I would love to eliminate all abortions in this country, but realistically, this is a step that we could take in the state of Iowa."

Rogers said if he is re-elected, he will continue to work in the areas where he has in years past. As a member of the appropriations and education committees, he said he wants to continue to make strides on cutting budgetary waste and improving education, while maintaining local control.

Both Rogers and Welch oppose the common core education standards. Rogers also wants to ensure that the University of Northern Iowa gets equitable funding in the state.

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