Diversified Fastening Systems in Charles City has been visited by politicians before, including Gov. Kim Reynolds and Sen. Chuck Grassley, but their latest visitor aspires to an even higher office.

Ryan Binkley is seeking the Republican nomination for president, and he has a special connection to the local Crawford family members who have been running the Charles City manufacturing company for decades.

They say they are all caucusing for him Monday night, after personally interacting with him for months through Morgan Bonwell, granddaughter of company founder Dan Crawford and Binkley’s Iowa campaign director.

“My family has gotten to know Ryan really well over the last year,” said Bonwell. “They’ve seen him and come to his events and even chatted with him on the phone while we’re riding in the car. He’s part of their family now.”

Bonwell’s uncles, Toby Crawford and Trevor Crawford, along with her aunt, Trisha (Crawford) Hemesath, and mother, Tracey (Crawford) Streich, have been running the company since Dan Crawford retired and then passed away.

As the four family members took Binkley through the plant recently, he talked to the owners and workers about their concerns.

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