T.J. Templeton

T.J. Templeton is running for the District 3 seat in the Iowa House of Representatives.

"I've spent so much time on my website trying to encourage people to vote for the right legislators and support the right legislation, that I decided to actually become that legislator myself," he said Wednesday.

Templeton, the first Democrat to be on the ballot for the seat in 12 years, will face off with incumbent Chuck Soderberg, a Republican, in the Nov. 4 general election.

"I think voters are ready for change, and I want to bring that change by creating jobs and making life better for the people of our communities," he stated.

Running in a Republican-rich area will be a challenge, he admitted.

"I hope people vote on issues, not party lines."

Templeton is focusing his campaign on economic development. He ties that closely to renewable fuels.

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"Even though the national economy is struggling, if we can seize the green energy movement, we can make this Iowa's golden age," he said.

With the creation of the Iowa Power Fund and the Iowa Office of Energy Independence, Iowa created a surplus of energy to be exported in 2007 for the first time ever, he said.

Merrill, he noted, is watching a new ethanol plant be built.

"If you ask the people there, they won't say it's hurting their economy," he said.

While some worry that ethanol production is driving corn prices high, causing a trickle-down effect of price increases for consumers, Templeton predicts the market will work the issue out.

"The high cost of corn is causing ethanol producers to look for other sources for their ethanol, like cellulosic ethanol," he said.

In Des Moines, he said, Republicans have resisted supporting renewable energy.

"We have representatives directly connected to the coal industry who seek to derail this effort. As a member of the House of Representatives, I will work to remove those obstacles and help all Iowans reap the benefits," he said.

Along with economic development, Templeton is pushing for job creation, money for schools and funding for Iowa's roads and bridges.

"If we boost the economy, we'll be able to afford all of these things," he said.

Templeton's full-time job is running his website "The Project for the Old American Century" on the Internet at www.oldamericancentury.com -- and he defines his job as keeping people informed.

"I've been hosting it for a little over seven years now," he said. "I choose news stories and maintain discussion forums for a few thousand members."

He started the website in the time leading up to U.S. military involvement in Iraq.

"There were a lot of news stories that should have been covered but weren't," he said. "I help people get more information than just the ten-minute pieces on the nightly news."

For the past six years, the website has been self-supporting. It took about a year, Templeton said, to get it to that point.

Templeton was born in Guthrie Center, spent many years in Kansas City, then moved to Le Mars four years ago to be close to his wife Robin's family. Robin's parents, Ken and Shirley Jacobsen, farmed south of Ireton and owned Eilers Farm Services, with former locations in Struble and Craig.

With the election still half a year away, Templeton knows he'll be fighting against the current to get people's vote in November.

A Democrat with a puny budget -- so far he's raised less than $500 -- and no background in serving on any boards or in any government position, he said he'll have to work twice as hard.

"I'm going to have to show up on every doorstep several times. I think if I can get out and meet everybody I can garner the popular support," Templeton said. "I've already started, and I've got the sunburn to prove it."