(Photo by Randy M. Cauthron) Rob Hubler, who appeared at Clay County's Democratic Steak-fry last weekend, announced that former U.S. Congressman Berkley Bedell will serve as his campaign's general chairman. [Order this photo]

COUNCIL BLUFFS -- Berkley Bedell, who served western Iowa in the U. S. House of Representatives for 12 years, will serve as General Chairman of the Hubler for Congress Committee, it was announced today by the Hubler campaign.

Bedell, who founded Berkley and Company in Spirit Lake in 1945 after returning from World War II, will join Hubler on Wednesday on a six-city swing the campaign is calling the "Bringing Back Real Representation Tour." Hubler, the Democratic nominee for Congress in Iowa's 5th district, has used "Real Representation" as his campaign slogan.

Their tour will include stops at Council Bluffs, Atlantic, Denison, Storm Lake, Le Mars and Sioux City.

"I am thrilled that Berkley has volunteered to assume this important leadership role in our campaign," Hubler said, in making the announcement. "No congressman in Iowa's history better exemplifies the spirit of our representative democracy" than Bedell, he added, pointing to the former congressman's record of holding regular "open-door" town hall meetings with constituents to ascertain their viewpoints.

Bedell, who served in the House of Representatives from 1975 to 1987, said he prided himself on the teamwork that existed during his tenure among citizens of all political persuasions to accomplish important objectives for the district. "I would like to see this district returned to where we work together as a team again and discuss our differences in a civil manner," Bedell said."I believe that Rob Hubler will help restore the people's faith in Congress that has been lost because of extreme partisanship that his opponent has helped to fuel," he added. "Rob gives us a chance to return to those times when we debate issues, but then put aside our differences and work as a team for the good of the whole district," he said.