Bushaw Not Included in Luther College Candidate Forum Following Event Restructuring

Our newsroom runs on more than coffee and craft beer — it runs on you. Support Decorah News' local reporting today. DECORAH — Independent congressional candidate Dave Bushaw's campaign says Bushaw was uninvited from a congressional forum organized by the Luther College Democrats student organization, scheduled for Monday, May 11. The group is hosting the event on campus, but it is not an official Luther College-sponsored event. "I'm disappointed," Bushaw said. "This isn't the first political event that our campaign has been excluded from, but it's frustrating that the invitation was pulled just days before the forum." Bushaw said his campaign had been in communication with the Luther College Democrats Executive Board, which is hosting the forum, and had confirmed participation earlier in the process. According to Bushaw's campaign, an invitation was first extended on April 3, and his team responded with availability the following day. However, Bushaw said the status of the event changed without clear notice. "It seems the event was restructured as a Democratic Primary candidate event instead, and we were not made aware of the change," Bushaw said. "We still had the calendar invitation from the Executive Board, and we were doing outreach to our supporters letting them know we'd be at the event." Bushaw added that his campaign later received an updated graphic listing him as a participant, followed by a subsequent message Friday morning stating he was no longer included. Luther College Democrats President Mansur Kasali said the group made the decision to narrow the forum's focus ahead of the upcoming primary. "We made the decision to restructure the congressional portion of the forum specifically around the Democratic Party field ahead of the fast-approaching June 2 primary election," Kasali said. "Early voting begins this week." Kasali also said he had spoken directly with Bushaw following the change. "I had a warm and constructive phone call directly with Dave on Friday evening," Kasali said. "The plan is to host a town hall in the fall for his campaign, so students and community members can hear from him about his policies and platform." Kasali added that additional engagement opportunities are planned after the primary cycle concludes, and that the student organization is continuing to flesh out ideas on how to appropriately host candidates during different stages of the election cycle. "We also agreed to host a forum around the general election in the fall once the nominees are set," he said. Despite the change, Bushaw said the conversation with Kasali ended on a constructive note. "Mr. Kasali is a good guy and he wants to make things right by us," Bushaw said. "To anyone that was going to see me speak and ask questions, I want them to know this isn't a no-show thing. I was hoping to speak with Luther students before summer break, but now I look forward to meeting them in the fall." Kasali also described Bushaw as a positive presence in civic discourse. "Dave Bushaw is exactly the kind of independent voice that healthy democratic participation needs," Kasali said. "I have deep respect for what he's building, and I'm committed to making the fall events worthy of his candidacy and his years of organizing in Iowa." Bushaw is an independent candidate for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District. The forum is scheduled to feature several candidates in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, including Kathryn Dolter, Lindsey James, and Clint Twedt-Ball, as well as Jeff Thurlow, a candidate for Iowa House District 63. The event will take place from 5 to 6 p.m. in Valders 206 at Luther College. It is free and open to the public. Bushaw shared on his Facebook page that, despite his invitation being rescinded, he would respond to questions posed to invited candidates at the Luther College forum through his social media. Stay connected and informed! Join the free newsletter for curated news, trending topics, and insider perspectives you won't find anywhere else.