Based on the promising results of our last-minute effort in the summer of 1976, our group of grassroots conservatives began laying the groundwork for a 1978 Bud Day campaign for U.S. House. This time, Col. Day himself encouraged the effort. Still based in Florida, he was planning to retire from the Air Force and return to Sioux City.
I met the war hero when he spoke at a supper hosted by our group, in Storm Lake, in April 1977. The colonel and his wife stayed at the home of my Republican mentors Harry and Helen Rasdal of Spencer.
Sadly, he eventually decided that he would not run for Congress. As he explained in a letter, written to a few of us, there were several factors in his decision. One was the lack of support that he could expect from Gov. Robert Ray and national party co-chair Mary Louise Smith of Iowa (both were liberal Republicans).
Col. Day's withdrawal was a big disappointment to us. State Representative Willis Junker, a conservative from Sioux City, was nominated in 1978 to run against Congressman Bedell but was easily defeated.
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