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  Rathje, Steve
CANDIDATE DETAILS
AffiliationRepublican  
  2009-08-04  
 
NameSteve Rathje
Address
Cedar Rapids, Iowa , United States
EmailNone
Website [Link]
Born Unknown
ContributorCOSDem
Last ModifedRob Ritchie
Jan 11, 2018 01:44pm
Tags
InfoIowans from all walks of life have heard Steve Rathje’s life story and been impressed.

Born in Cedar Rapids in 1956, Steve’s father Richard and mother Ida Mae started their own construction company when Steve was six years old. Like so many entrepreneurs today, Steve’s father and mother worked long hard hours, six to seven days a week, while running the business from their home. As the business grew, Steve’s mother kept the company books and managed a family of eight, while Steve and his brothers helped out whenever they could. Rathje Construction expanded and moved to a location in eastern Marion. Still growing, it earned a reputation for attention to detail, pride in workmanship, and reliability. Steve’s brothers Robert and son Jon along with Kenneth and son Brett are continuing the tradition and now own the company. Rathje Construction Company’s payroll and benefits presently support fifty-four good-paying jobs.

As you know, Steve Rathje is a Conservative Republican Candidate for The United States Senate in 2008.

He’s a very successful Cedar Rapids businessman owning two companies. Why do you suppose he would choose to run for political office? What has brought him to this decision?

I believe, his past made the decision for him.

Steve had a wonderful childhood. He grew up in Marion, Iowa in a modest neighborhood with his parents, brothers and sisters.

After High school Steve married, and with a wife and a baby on the way, he took an entry level job at Cedar Rapids Incorporated. Unfortunately, within a few months he was laid off. Shortly thereafter, he was hired by Universal Engineering as a janitor.

Then, during the recession of the early 80’s Steve found himself once again laid off with no choice but to apply for unemployment, food stamps and utility assistance. Frankly he says, “I was never so embarrassed and humiliated in my entire life.” In fact, Steve recalls standing in a line for cheese and milk vowing to never, ever put himself or his family in a situation like that again.

Steve now realized he had to accept responsibility for himself; that he couldn’t depend on the government or others for his or his family’s livelihood. So upon returning to work from the layoff, he sought to take advantage of every advancement opportunity available to him. Within a few years Steve found himself being rapidly promoted from that Janitors position, to supervisor, then purchasing and finally the Director of Outside Sourcing. Instead of sweeping the floor, he was now responsible for locating, qualifying and securing suppliers necessary for sourcing millions of dollars of components to produce the products his employer manufactured.

In 1992, Steve Rathje left that company, and with his wife, four children and a mortgage, founded International Procurement Services, Inc. He had discovered a niche in the manufacturing industry whereby he would assist original equipment manufacturers in sourcing their parts and components with those companies best suited to achieve reduction in cost, unequaled quality, and on time delivery. So, in doing for others what he had done for his previous employer, he suggested to a few of his customers that used components from foreign countries like China and Mexico in their products, to allow him an opportunity to compete using American suppliers. American suppliers that would deliver better, faster, and more reliable components at a competitive price. Steve was given that opportunity and succeeded. He was so successful that he formed another company and named it the “Genesis Group,” named not only for a new beginning in his life, but the beginning of a new industry virtually unheard of in manufacturing today. Jobs are beginning to come home to the United States particularly to Iowa.

Steve Rathje is living proof the American Dream exists in this country.

He insists that keeping his word, solving problems, and defining waste are what has made him successful in business. He firmly believes these same characteristics are needed in our government to continue the fight against terrorism and securing our borders, improving our educational and health systems, reducing taxes and wasteful spending, protecting the unborn, and permanently removing sexual predators from the streets that pray on our children and grandchildren.

He’s discovered that Iowans aren’t looking for a perfect Senator or a saint, they’re simply yearning for a human being with real life experience, judgment, honesty, integrity, sincerity, and the ingenuity to analyze problems, weigh competing information, propose bold solutions and follow through until the job is done. They seek an individual like Steve that not necessarily concerns himself with yesterday or today but focuses on tomorrow. The reason why he says is, “tomorrow will soon become today...and today will as quickly become yesterday.”

When Steve Rathje takes that oath of office as your next United States Senator from Iowa, he’ll follow the path of a moral compass and put all that’s within him into the job of serving you, the people of Iowa and America with honor and dignity.

Yet, before Steve’s given the opportunity to serve, he’s got a campaign to win in one of the most politically competitive states in the nation.

Steve vows he’ll not lie, cheat or sling mud. He firmly believes that, “If defaming and ruining someone’s life is a prerequisite for winning an election, I’d rather lose.” The truth is however, he’s going win and he’ll do so honestly, and with integrity in the arena of ideas and challenge others to do the same.

Steve proclaims without hesitation that, “When Tom Harkin endorsed Howard Dean and declared him the next President of the United States, he was wrong. And when he stood behind a screeching, screaming Howard Dean and cheered him on, he was wrong. He was wrong then and he’s wrong now. He’s wrong for Iowa and he’s wrong for America.”

Steve believes in his heart he’ll do better, and he’s going to spend the next three years of his life proving it. He states, “I began with nothing. I’ve had to sell myself to others my entire life. I’m going to win this race. I will not accept defeat and I will make a positive difference in the United States Senate for Iowa and America.”

“My friends the Republican Party, this Republican Party, is the elected party of choice by Iowans and America. As your United States Senator I will not waiver. I will vote that choice consistently. I will vote that choice with honesty, and I will vote that choice with integrity. I am a proven leader and I intend to lead.”

Steve proudly believes that, “America’s freedom is, has been, and always will be a blessing to us all. The blessings I have received came by hard work, personal sacrifice and my belief in almighty God. Each day I do my humble best to thank my creator and now I will thank the country I love so much.”

“May God bless you, Iowa, and the United States of America.”

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  06/03/2014 IA District 01 - R Primary Lost 37.12% (-17.77%)
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  06/03/2008 IA US Senate - R Primary Lost 29.80% (-5.52%)
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