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DeSantis Campaign Press Release - Number of Faith Leaders Supporting DeSantis in Iowa Grows to Over 100 Strong

November 17, 2023

52 additional Iowa faith leaders join Ron Desantis' National Faith and Family Coalition

Des Moines, IA - Ron DeSantis today announced 52 additional Iowa faith leaders have joined his national Faith and Family Coalition, bringing the total number of Iowa faith leaders supporting him to over 100.

DeSantis launched the Faith and Family coalition in Des Moines in September. Since then, support for DeSantis within the faith community has grown because of his unwavering commitment to standing for life, religious liberties, and family values.

"Ron DeSantis is the right man for this moment to lead America's revival, and I am pleased to give him my full support. Our nation needs a leader who will stand firm in his principles and put God above government. Ron DeSantis' bold record as governor of Florida proves he will never waver in the fight for what's right," said Pastor Earl Beal, Joy Baptist Church in Lee County.

"I am proud to join the Faith & Family Coalition supporting and praying for Ron DeSantis as he seeks the office of President of the United States. He is a courageous leader who will always put the people he serves, not himself, and is the only candidate in this race who we can trust to stand firm with the faith community on the issues that matter most, from protecting life to defending religious liberties. That is exactly the leadership our nation needs," said Pastor Monte Knudsen, Faith Christian Outreach Church in Henry County.

"I have thought and prayed about who is the right person to lead our country and believe fully that the right person is Ron DeSantis. He is an ally to the faith community here in Iowa, will stand firm for the truth, and I know that as president, his faith will continue to be his anchor. I am proud to join his Faith & Family Coalition and look forward to caucusing for him in January," said Pastor Darran Whiting, Liberty Baptist Church in Linn County.

DeSantis' Faith and Family Coalition is helping spread his message to put God above government as well as build support for the actions he will take as president to defend religious freedom, allow people of faith to flourish, and advance the culture of life.

Learn more about the Faith & Family Coalition and sign up here.

The full list of Iowa DeSantis' Faith and Family Coalition leaders is below:

Pastor Kendall Adams, Burlington Baptist Church (Des Moines)
Pam Adams, Burlington Baptist Church (Des Moines)
Dale Akkerman, Development Director at Timothy Christian School (Grundy)
Pastor Bryan Anderson, Tabernacle Baptist Church (Lyon)
Rachel Anderson, Tabernacle Baptist Church (Lyon)
Jeff Arrandale, Christian Singer/Songwriter and Worship Leader (Warren)
Pastor Mike Augsburger, Soteria Church (Polk)
Pastor Gary Axtell, Grace Baptist Church (Madison)
Kathleen Banowetz, Head of Prayer Team (Linn)
Pastor Earl Beal, Joy Baptist Church (Lee)
Kathy Beal, Joy Baptist Church (Lee)
Zia Bingaman, First Church of the Open Bible Des Moines (Polk)
Pastor Dan Bittinger, CrossPointe Church (Woodbury)
Marlin Bontrager, Bontrager Family Singers (Washington)
Becky Bontrager, Bontrager Family Singers (Washington)
Pastor Joseph Brown, Marion Avenue Baptist Church (Washington)
Charity Brown, Marion Avenue Baptist Church (Washington)
Pastor David Bush, Fit For The King Ministry (Polk)
Pastor Mark Cannon, Hope Baptist Church (Scott)
Martin A. Cannon, National Pro-Life Trial Lawyer (Pottawattamie)
Deacon Doug Chervek, Adelphi Calvary Baptist Church (Polk)
Tricia Chervek, Adelphi Calvary Baptist Church (Polk)
Pastor Dave Childers (Polk)
Pastor Simeon Counterman, Calvary Baptist Church (Des Moines)
Bonnie Counterman, Calvary Baptist Church (Des Moines)
Robert Cramer, Former Chair of The FAMiLY LEADER (Dallas)
Pastor Brad Cranston, Iowa Baptists for Biblical Values (Des Moines)
Heidi Cranston, Iowa Baptists for Biblical Values (Des Moines)
Pastor Sean Cully (Dallas)
Pastor Rick David (Linn)
Sherry David, Ministry Leader (Linn)
Pastor Rex Deckard, Calvary Des Moines (Polk)
Pastor Bob Deever, Former Pastor of Grace West Church (Polk)
Shannon Demastus, Fort Des Moines Church of Christ (Polk)
Pastor Brett Denham, Monticello Baptist Church (Jones)
Maggie DeWitte, Executive Director of Pulse Life Advocates* (Dallas)
Gwendy Doland, Youth and Women's Small Group Leader at New Hope Christian Church (Tama)
Pastor Mark Doland, Church of Christ (Tama)
Pastor & Rep. Jon Dunwell Pastor Kirk Evans, Indianola Church of Christ (Warren)
Andy Folkmann, Calvary Community Church (Linn)
Janice Fricke, Triumphant Church (Buchanan)
Pastor Lance Fricke, Triumphant Church (Buchanan)
Evangelist Caleb Garraway, Remnant Ministries (Washington)
Pastor Ed Grant, Senior Pastor of Thrive Church (Warren)
Senator Jesse Green, Bible Class Teacher at Trinity Lutheran (Boone)
Pastor Michael Griswold, Marion Avenue Baptist Church (Washington)
John Grzywacz, Volunteer for Pulse Life Advocates* (Story)
Kim Grzywacz, Treasurer of the Board for Pulse Life Advocates* (Story)
Bob Hager, Former Director of Living Stone (Allamakee)
Pastor Doug Harris, Pella Open Bible Church (Marion)
Mary Jo Harty, Board Member of Pulse Life Advocates* (Polk)
Minister Matthew Haynie, Ogden Church of Christ (Boone)
Pastor Jessten Heimer, Trinity Lutheran Church and School (Boone)
Brooke Higgins, Women's Ministry Teacher at Calvary Community Church (Linn)
Pastor Jeremy Higgins, Calvary Community Church (Linn)
Pastor Kerry Jech, New Hope Christian Church (Marshall)
Pastor Tim Johnson, Wapello Methodist Church (Louisa)
Shari Kastein, Elder, First Reformed Church (Lyon)
David Klang, Treasurer of Hanford Church (Cerro Gordo)
Pastor Monte Knudsen, Faith Christian Outreach Church (Henry)
Pastor Abe Koehn, Marion Avenue Baptist Church (Washington)
Pastor John Koopman (Palo Alto)
Brittany Koopman, St. Paul's Lutheran Church & Peace Lutheran Church Tom Law, Calvary Community Church (Linn)
Pastor Matt Magee, Oak Grove Church (Benton)
Pastor Dave Martin, Faith Assembly of God (Marshall)
Pastor Edward Mast, Old Paths Baptist Church (Dubuque)
Tammy Mast, Old Paths Baptist Church (Dubuque)
Pastor Ed Matthews, Bible Baptist Church (Wapello)
Whitney Smith McIntosh, Board Member for Pulse Life Advocates (Polk)
Pastor Randy Miller, Pleasantville Baptist Church (Marion)
Vicki Miller, Pleasantville Baptist Church (Marion)
Pastor Jesse Newman (Polk)
Taya Hirschy, Heartland Church (Polk)
Pastor Harerimana Nshoreyingabo, Redeemed Fellowship Center (Polk)
Alan Ostergren, Conservative Attorney (Polk)
Pastor Zac Patke, Calvary Baptist Church (O'Brien)
Hannah Patke, Calvary Baptist Church (O'Brien)
Pastor Alfonso Perez, Miracle Life Family Church (Polk)
Pastor Marcial Perez, New Dawn Ministries (Polk)
Pastor Terry Pollard, Eastside Church of Nazarene (Polk)
Tom Quiner, President of the Board for Pulse Life Advocates* (Polk)
Pastor Andres Reyes, First Baptist Church (Dallas)
Pastor Tim Ried, Associate Pastor, Bethel Baptist Church (Buena Vista)
Sean Sanford, Youth Leader and Small Group Leader (Linn)
Pastor Joyce Schmidt, St. Olaf Lutheran Church (Humboldt)
Tim Schmidt, St. Olaf Lutheran Church (Humboldt)
Pastor Dave Schneider (Polk)
Pastor Anna Schneider (Polk)
Jean Smith, Secretary of the Board for Pulse Life Advocates* (Polk)
Dr. Dave Smith, Evangelist sent out by Liberty Baptist Church (Linn)
Shonna Smith, Wife of Evangelist (Linn)
Pastor Scott Sokol (Hancock)
Pastor Kevin Subra, SonRise Baptist Church (Polk)
Scott Thompson, Elder (Winnebago)
Lori Tiangco, Children's Ministry at First Church of the Open Bible Des Moines (Polk)
Loren Tiangco, Worship Team at First Church of the Open Bible Des Moines (Polk)
Brenda Vanhofwegen, VP of Women's Ministry, First Reformed Church (Lyon)
Deacon Rob Vanhofwegen, First Reformed Church (Lyon)
Pastor John Vermeer, Doon United Reformed Church (Lyon)
Pastor Larry Wallingford, Living Waters Assembly of God (Lee)
Matt Wells, Lay Leader at Marion Avenue Baptist Church (Washington)
Pastor Leslie White, CrossFire Church (Fayette)
Pastor Darran Whiting, Liberty Baptist Church (Linn)
Ronda Whiting, Liberty Baptist Church (Linn)
Reverend Shane Wilson, Iglesia Espiritu y Verdad (Polk)
Pastor Chad Welch, First Baptist Church (Van Buren)

*For identification purposes only

Ron DeSantis, DeSantis Campaign Press Release - Number of Faith Leaders Supporting DeSantis in Iowa Grows to Over 100 Strong Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/369196

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