Congressman Tom Latham and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds hosted a meet and greet at Simpson College on Wednesday, Oct. 31 in the Kent Campus Center.

Republican Latham (IA4) is a candidate in Iowa’s new 3rd Congressional District. He is running against Democrat Leonard Boswell (IA3).

Latham grew up and raised his family in a town of 168 people near Alexander, Iowa. Latham and his wife, Kathy, have three children and five grandchildren. Latham’s son, Justin, attended Simpson College and during his freshmen year lettered in varsity football.

Latham is the Dean of Iowa’s delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the only member of the House Appropriations Committee that is from Iowa.

“I think just listening to the consequents and responding is one of the more successful things in politics,” Latham said.

Latham currently serves as the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. He also serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security.

“I get my biggest reward from helping people,” Latham said.

Reynolds began her career working in the Clarke County Treasurer’s Office. First, in the public sector as a motor vehicle clerk, and in 1994 Reynolds was elected Clarke County Treasurer where she was re-elected three times. In 2000, Reynolds served as the President of the Iowa State Treasurers Association and in 2004 was awarded the “Outstanding County Treasurer in the United States” award.

“I started out at the local level, so I spent most of my career at a county level, as the county tax collector, and renew vehicles, title vehicles, and collect property tax, and look at the investment policy for the state,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds ran for Iowa Senate in 2008 and was successful. Reynolds was named former Gov. Terry Branstad’s running mate on June 24, 2010. On Nov. 2, 2010, Reynolds was elected Lt. Gov. of the State of Iowa.

“This is about your government, your future,” Reynolds said. “This is about our country, and which direction, regardless of where you feel, but you want everybody really participating and having a say in it.”

Reynolds believes that competency based learning is the best way to teach children. It will allow students that are not challenged enough to advance to higher levels, while allowing the rest of the classroom to work to their own levels of achievement.

“Twenty-fifth, we are in the middle of the pack, we used to lead this nation in 1992 in education,” Reynolds said.

The best way to reclaim the number one spot in education, Reynolds believes, is through blended classrooms with computer lessons and traditional lecture lessons.

“We should challenge them to do more and work harder,” Reynolds said. “They will do it; I believe with all my heart that they will do it.”

To learn more about Congressman Tom Latham visit his website http://latham.house.gov/ and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds website at https://ltgovernor.iowa.gov/.