Pastor and businessman Ryan Binkley on his campaign for president

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Presidential longshot candidate Ryan Binkley spoke to Iowa voters about his hopes for the country while at the state fair.

Binkley is a pastor and businessman, which he said is the kind of background that can help the country.

“Spiritually, our country’s broken,” Binkley said in Iowa Friday. “We’ve never been more divided than we are right now, and it’s time for us to heal our wounds.”

Binkley said recognizing the people who identify as independents could help solve fights over border security, health care and the budget.

“Abraham Lincoln said it this way, ‘a house divided cannot stand,’” Binkley said. “We can’t keep going the way we’re going, I think everybody knows that.”

Binkley is not qualified for the first GOP debate set to take place Aug. 23, which has both a donor and a polling requirement.

However, Binkley said he still feels confident voters are hearing his message.

“Our message is really resonating because we’re talking about wisdom, transparency and faith,” Binkley said. “We haven’t had wisdom in our bigger issues like our budget.”

For candidates who haven’t reached the debate qualifications, places like the Iowa State Fair can be a crucial opportunity to connect with voters and get a polling or donor boost.

“There’s a million Iowans here, so this next week we’re going to be visiting with about a third or fourth of all of Iowa right here,” Binkley said. “It’s great to visit with everybody, share our story, listen to others as well, but really just share the vision we have with our country, which is to revive our economy, have a spiritual and economic revival in our country, which is what we so desperately need.”

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