My name is Christopher Reed. I am not a politician, I am not a rich elitist. I am someone who wants to be your next senator, so I can represent you with solid conservative principles and true Iowa values.

I was born and raised in the small eastern Iowa town of Solon. I especially enjoyed my days growing up in a small, rural community where everyone knew everyone else, and we were all "neighbors". During my years at Solon High School I participated in varsity wrestling. That experience taught me I have to fight my own battles but the team always comes first.

Soon after high school I joined the United States Navy. I thoroughly enjoyed my time serving our great nation. I owe much of who I am to America's finest men and women whom I was privileged to serve alongside. The military provided me with a grounding in core values, a great sense of national pride and leadership skills.

Everyday I use the skills the military provided me in operating my business. I started my business ten years ago and built it from the ground up to be the proven success it is today. Doing business in Iowa has given me the opportunity to work with many great companies and their valuable employees.

My business experience has taught me many things, but paramount among them is that small businesses are over-taxed. I believe we need to lessen the tax burden on all of Iowa's small businesses so they are free to use their capital to hire more employees, pay better wages and provide better services. Afterall, who knows how to better spend the hard-earned money a business makes?