Last night Rep Jacobsen announced he was joining the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and then just... left.

[progressoid]

Link to tweet

62 year old lawmaker says he’s joining U.S. Coast Guard Auxillary

A western Iowa legislator cast his final vote in the Iowa House, then announced late last night that he was leaving for basic training for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Jon Jacobsen of Council Bluffs said members of the group are unpaid volunteers.

“An enormous amount during my youth was involved in endurance swimming and aquatics lifesaving BSA activities. I was a proverbial fish who was always happiest on water,” Jacobsen said during a speech last night on the House floor.

Jacobsen, who is 62, told his colleagues that for the past eight months he’s been getting fit and losing weight in order to qualify for basic training. He’s joining about 21,000 other Americans who are volunteers in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Jacobsen said it will give him a new perspective on protecting Iowa’s waterways and flood prevention.

“Instead of serving my constituents in the House, I will be serving them on the Missouri and the Nishnabotna,” Jacobsen said.

Jacobsen is not seeking reelection to the House, but is considering a run for the state senate in 2024. Jacobsen is an attorney and a trust officer in a bank.

https://www.radioiowa.com/2022/05/24/62-year-old-lawmaker-says-he-got-fit-will-join-us-coast-guard-auxillary/

Link to tweet

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FYI Vergarie Sanford is the Democrat running in HD 19. Siegrist (R), the incumbent, fucked up his signature submission so he's not currently on ballot but I imagine the GOP will want him on the ballot.

https://www.vergariesanfordforiowa.com/

https://www.facebook.com/VergarieforIowa

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Iowa? That's some very auxiliary Coast Guard. I guess they have some rivers to patrol and save...

the occasional life.

[usonian]

2. Wherever there's water!

Coast Guard is part of DHS now, so the mission has expanded. Auxiliarists are volunteers.
Wikipedia says in short:

Every year Auxiliarists help to save approximately 500 lives, assist 15,000 distressed boaters, conduct over 150,000 safety examinations of recreational vessels, and provide boater safety instruction to over 500,000 students.

And more.
Got my thumbs up.

[progressoid]

3. Yeah, it's a weird thing.

Since there is the Mississippi on one side and the Missouri on the other, having a Coast Guard isn't the weird thing (heck, even Montana has a coast guard presence). It's the way he just dropped out. Have to wonder if something else is going on.

I've met this guy and he's kind of an odd bird. He LOVES to hear himself talk. Loves the attention he gets.

Edited: Oh, and the primary is in two weeks. Kind of an odd time to drop out.