Republican candidate for Lt. Gov. Almo Hawkins spoke in Ames Thursday night about several platforms of her campaign, one of which is to fight the drug war in Iowa.

“My passion is cleaning up drugs,” she said.

Hawkins spoke at Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, 228 Gray Ave., to an audience of about 30 people, mostly students and members of the fraternity. She said if elected, she will talk about substance abuse.

“This is my thing — I can talk about this,” Hawkins said. “I know a lot of people don’t want to talk about this, and we tend to close our eyes to it.”

Hawkins’ passion stems from being related to a long-time substance abuser. Her brother came back from the Korean War addicted to heroin.

“He’s still doing drugs. He’s lost,” Hawkins said. “I don’t see much of him … He’ll probably die of an overdose someday.

To Hawkins, hearing about the increasing drug problems hits close to home.

“There isn’t a day I don’t hear about methamphetamines in the newspaper,” Hawkins said.

“There was a recent meth lab bust in Iowa, and just today, in The Des Moines Register, two nursing home residents were rushed to the hospital after inhaling the chemical remains in a dumpster — this thing is a real killer,” she said.

“But people don’t come back from it … it will affect you for the rest of your life — if you live,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins recently spoke with the father of a 16-year-old-girl who is just out of treatment. Hawkins said he told her: “I probably saw the signs and ignored it … I didn’t want to believe it was true … I didn’t want to see it.”

Iowans can no longer close their eyes to the problem, Hawkins said.

“In order for Iowa to win the war on drugs, we all need to be soldiers in the war,” she said.

It is important to be able to recognize the signs of meth use, Hawkins said.

Hawkins, who has nine brothers and sisters, said she grew up in a poor neighborhood in Des Moines.

“My parents were very strict. … If you come from a home with rules and standards, you’re very lucky,” Hawkins said.

She said her dad always stressed education, which may be the reason that education is another one of Hawkins’ passions.

Hawkins said she wants students to figure out how their education transfers to their profession. She encouraged students to get an internship in their field of study.

“Learn all you can about the world of work while you’re still in school … get involved with the ‘real world,'” she said.

Hawkins also is concerned about students leaving Iowa after graduation. “It seems so many students I talk to just want to ‘get out of Iowa,'” she said.

Hawkins said campaigning, for her, has been “like getting a Ph.D. in people.”

“I get to talk to people all around the state and listen to their concerns,” she said.

However, she said the most difficult part is staying positive.

“It’s difficult to not zip back when the comments come from the opposition, but so far I’ve not spoken anything.”

Hawkins said she wants to see students turnout for the November elections.

“It doesn’t matter what party you’re in,” she said. “Just don’t leave the decision in the hands of a few people.”