Colman Silbernagel, a Vinton resident, will be running for the Senate District 42 seat in the Republican primary June 7.
Silbernagel has been hitting the campaign trail, visiting city council meetings across rural Linn County and Benton County the past month. The new borders of House District 42 include most of the rural communities of Linn County, including Ely, Mount Vernon, Lisbon, Springville, Central City, as well as the majority of Benton County as well.
“I’ve long felt called to public service,” Silbernagel said. “I served in the Army and deployed to Afghanistan because of that calling. I volunteer with my church and community organizations for the same reason. As a family, we spent a considerable amount of time praying, listening, and discussing this opportunity, and know God is calling us to get to work.”
Silbernagel is originally from Perham, Minn. After high school, he attended Saint John University. He was active politically in those clubs and was president of the student government, and cadet battalion commander of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) battalion. He graduated in 2011 with a degree in history and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army.
Silbernagel did basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and served with the First Engineer Battalion, First Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. He was deployed to Afghanistan in September 2012. He helped to make sure roads were clear of improvised explosive devices, and returned stateside with all 35 of his unit May 2013. He served for another six years and was honorably discharged as a captain May 2019.
He and his wife, Erica, have been married for almost a decade. The couple moved to Vinton in 2018, where Erica is a family physician, and Silbernagel is a data analyst for a company that bridges gaps in VA healthcare.
The couple are active parishioners of St. Mary’s, where Silbernagel serves on the parish council. He also volunteers with the Knights of Columbus, the Kiwanis Club, and is the former chair of the Benton County Republicans.
The couple has two young boys, Lincoln and Winston.
When it comes to the key issues facing the state, Silbernagel feels it’s time to abolish state income tax.
“We have a $1.2 billion dollar surplus and a rainy-day fund to show we’re collecting too much in taxes,” Silbernagel said. “We can see other states — South Dakota, Texas, and Florida, to name three — have done it successfully. It’s time for us to follow suit. In a 21st century economy, with remote work becoming ever more common, we can entice folks here by letting them keep more of their hard-earned money.”
Silbernagel also wants to defend life at all stages of development, see that veterans receive all care they need following service and reduce and eliminate regulations which hinder Iowans from starting and growing small businesses.
Silbernagel notes he has been involved in politics since he was 17, when he debated on behalf of George W. Bush at his high school.
“I was chair of my College Republicans chapter and, most recently, was chair of the Benton County Republicans,” Silbernagel said. “With two young boys at home, I care deeply about the future of our state and I will work to make their Iowa better than mine.”
For more information on Silbernagel and his campaign, visit www.ColmanIA.com.
“I look forward to earning your vote June 7,” Silbernagel said.
Colman Silbernagel outside the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department after Monday, Jan. 17’s city council meeting. Silbernagel announced he was running for the Senate District 42 Republican primary at the meeting.