Published: November 06, 2009 09:22 am      

Republican gubernatorial candidate stops in Clinton

CLINTON — Republican gubernatorial candidate Christian Fong stopped in Clinton on Thursday on a statewide campaign that will focus on phasing out the state income tax by 2020 and reversing population losses in areas outside of Des Moines.

Fong, a 32-year-old Cedar Rapids businessman, is running for the Republican nomination for governor despite never holding public office.

He said if elected he would shrink the size of government by five percent in his first year, which would be the first step to reducing the state’s reliance on the income tax.

“You have to remove the barriers of growth,” Fong said. “The competitive advantage we could have is the zero income tax.”

Fong said he is pro life and believes Iowans should vote on a constitutional amendment to define marriage between a man and a woman.

Fong spoke at a fundraising event for State Sen. Shawn Hamerlinck at the Clinton Country Club.

After Clinton he said he would be heading to Creston.

Fong joins others for the Republican nomination including former Gov. Terry Branstad; State Rep. Christopher Rants of Sioux City; Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats; State Rep. Rod Roberts of Carroll; and state Sens. Jerry Behn of Boone and Paul McKinley of Chariton.