This weekend’s America 250 celebrations saw a notable Iowan — and his notable tractor — rolling down the streets of Washington, D.C.
Just not in the way he had planned.
Gary Leffler, a Republican activist from Altoona, former primary candidate for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District and the owner of one very patriotic tractor, began his trek to D.C. on July 1, accompanied by his wife, Janell, and their two grandsons.
Former gubernatorial candidate and state Rep. Eddie Andrews also joined them for the weekend’s festivities.
Leffler is no stranger to D.C. A year and a half ago, he made the pilgrimage from Iowa to the capital to to take part in President Trump’s Inauguration Parade, but the event was cancelled because of extreme cold.
This year, Leffler was invited to take part in the National Independence Day Parade by event organizers who remembered his spirited patriotism.
But this parade was cancelled too, this time because of dangerous heat. Leffler said just being in the nation’s capital for the America250 festivities filled him with pride for his country.
“There’s certain moments where I can literally feel my heart pounding inside my chest with how proud I am to be an American,” Leffler said. “That might sound a little hokey, but it’s the God’s honest truth.”
Leffler’s iconic tractor once belonged to his grandfather. When it fell into Leffler’s possession, he decided he wanted to do something special with it.
So, he took it to a local artist to have it made into a tribute for Iowa’s veterans, a group Leffler is a proud advocate for.
The result was a recognizable symbol of patriotism across the state: a 1957 Ford 860 tractor with an American flag spanning its body and a bald eagle nestled between its headlights. The branches of the U.S. military decorate the tires.
The vehicle has appeared in hundreds of parades, and has often been used to promote various political candidates, both local and national.
For him, parades are a chance to connect with his fellow Americans. Even though the National Independence Day Parade was cancelled, Leffler and his can-do attitude still saw a chance to bring that connection to a larger audience.
“We still got on the tractor and we went down to where the parade route would have been on Constitution Avenue [and drove it],” Leffler said. “We just told people, ‘Hey, we’re from Iowa. We don’t need a parade, we just make our own.’ And they absolutely loved it.”
At the end of the day, though, it’s about more than just the parades. Leffler’s primary goal is to share his love of America with others.
“I hope by what we do, we help people to smile,” Leffler said. “We want them to get a little bounce in their step. If you can have a positive influence in somebody else’s life, that’s a really good thing.”
Although Leffler and his family had a good time celebrating the Fourth of July in the nation’s capital, he had one small critique.
“The Great American State Fair, it was a good experience,” Leffler said. “But if you want a truly great experience, you’ve got to go to the Iowa State Fair.”
Norah Judson is a reporter for the Register. Reach her at njudson@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: D.C. Fourth of July parade canceled, so Iowa man makes his own parade
Reporting by Norah Judson, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Norah Judson, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
