By Sam Parsons

The Rural Restoration Project hosted a visit from Iowa Congressional Candidate Christina Bohannan at Oskaloosa Elementary School yesterday. Bohannan was taken on a guided tour of OES led by elementary students Grant Denburger and Alaura Sheets, as well as a few administrators from the Oskaloosa School District.

The Rural Restoration Project, a non-profit organization that represents a 5-county area in southeast Iowa including Mahaska County, said they invited congressional candidates vying for the First Congressional District Seat. Bohannan, a Democrat, is running against Republican incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

Bohannan stressed the importance of rural education as part of her campaign, and said that while she lost her previous election bid against Miller-Meeks in 2022, she believes that this time, things will be different, and largely because the educational landscape has changed since then.

The Rural Restoration Project is continuing to sponsor a listening tour across their 5-county region, with additional stops scheduled in Van Buren, Jefferson, and Henry counties.