Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jim Carlin of Sioux City addressed a small crowd of about 25 members of the Marshall County Pachyderm Herd at Legends American Grill on Friday during a lunchtime meeting. The event took place as Carlin, a former State Senator and trial lawyer, continues his campaign to challenge current U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) for the GOP nomination in the race to replace retiring Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

Carlin’s Message on Economic and Social Issues

Carlin, 63, a U.S. Army veteran, spoke for about 30 minutes before taking questions from the audience and engaging in informal conversations as the lunch hour drew to a close. He emphasized his commitment to creating a better future for younger generations and credited former President Donald Trump with preventing Americans from ‘dancing in dumpsters.’

Carlin criticized the Federal Reserve for its role in rising housing costs, citing the availability of interest-free loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also took aim at the Affordable Care Act, arguing that it has created a monopoly that has driven up insurance premiums. Despite his free market principles, he described the current economic system as ‘a rigged game’ and expressed concern that his grandson may struggle to afford college, buy a home, or start a family.

Carlin shared a personal story about his work with former Sen. Jeff Edler (R-State Center) and advocacy for residents at the Iowa Veterans Home (IVH) who were upset about the removal of smoking privileges. He detailed how four of them were placed in the Alzheimer’s ward for complaining, with one of them being drugged, leading to the firing of Commandant Timon Oujiri. He said he had also worked to increase payouts from the Veterans Trust Fund.

‘Why do I tell you that? Because I don’t look the other way when you’re screwing somebody over,’ Carlin said. ‘I’m watching this game unfold where instead of the veterans being screwed over, I think it’s our kids and our grandkids. And I’m not gonna look the other way just because I’m only gonna be around whatever many years.’

Criticism of Hinson and Current Policies

Carlin took direct aim at Hinson, criticizing her for encouraging voters to support Nikki Haley over Trump in the 2024 election. He also cited several of her votes, including a $100 billion aid package for Ukraine, support for the Respect for Marriage Act, and a vote in favor of warrantless spying on citizens.

Carlin expressed disappointment with the current government’s financial practices, calling for the government to ‘live within its means’ and advocated for auditing the Federal Reserve and returning to the Gold Standard. He also emphasized the need to secure the U.S. border, citing concerns over welfare, national security, and crime linked to illegal immigration.

Citing areas like Detroit, Philadelphia, and Texas, Carlin called for a ban on Sharia Law before it becomes an issue in Iowa. He supported efforts to keep Iowa farmland in American hands and lamented that the pork industry had already been lost to China, leaving farmers as contract laborers with no control over inputs or markets.

‘They’re not being protected, and that is not free market outcome driven for the people who work our soil and feed the world,’ Carlin said. ‘They’re not being treated fairly.’

Policy Proposals and Political Stance

Carlin proposed a range of policy changes, including term limits for Congress, a ban on Congressional stock trading, a ban on family members of politicians serving as lobbyists, and the overturn of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision through a constitutional amendment. He also called for an end to Super PACs.

‘I think we’ve gotta be really honest and really self-aware because this is the bottom line for me,’ Carlin said. ‘We’re being robbed. We’re being robbed by sharks, sharks who are smart, sharks who want to take from us because we’re good moral people. We trust people. But the problem is this. We’re trusting our lives and our children’s lives with people that are not looking out for us.’

Before opening the floor for questions, Carlin remarked that he would not believe in America again until he saw people like Hillary Clinton in prison. ‘Unless there’s justice, we’ve got a lot of organized crime dressed up in a political monkey suit,’ he said.

Carlin reiterated that the race with Hinson is still very much in play ahead of the June primary. He then took questions on a range of topics, including the SAVE Act, which requires voter identification in elections (which he supports), and his dissatisfaction with the handling of the Epstein Files by the Department of Justice. He also called for more research into deaths caused by the COVID-19 vaccine and the links between vaccinations and childhood autism.

In response to a question about Sharia Law, Carlin expressed confusion over how women could support it, citing requirements for face coverings and bans on driving in some Muslim countries. ‘For all the crap that people want to say about America, listen, America is a place where a woman’s boundaries are respected,’ he said.

Carlin concluded with a personal anecdote about encouraging a woman to give her child up for adoption instead of having an abortion and later meeting the daughter, now a graduate student at the University of Kansas.