Budget cuts: Gartin said the state budget is a mess and has not been balanced in the last several years, and that Senator Herman Quirmbach has a lot of explaining to do.

“ISU students and faculty are stakeholders and should care,” Gartin said. “Tuition is through the roof and it’s only going to get worse. The 10 percent across-the-board cut is only a warm-up.”

Health care: Gartin said the state is facing major hurdles in paying for health care. He’s worried about people who can’t speak for themselves.

“For 14 years I’ve worked with families on the front lines of poverty,” Gartin said. “The mentally ill and those in poverty are the ones we need to protect. Someone’s got to be an advocate for them.”

Jobs and economic development: Gartin said Iowa is in a very bad spot for job creation.

“Forbes Magazine ranked Iowa 41st in terms of its ability to attract jobs. Graduates are having a difficult time staying in the state,” Gartin said. “We need to make Iowa open for business again. The legislation has done a horrible job trying to attract businesses to the state.”

Background: Gartin taught at Iowa State for one year, and as of June will have been practicing law at Hastings & Gartin, LLP for 14 years.