Posted on 01/25/2010 8:15:03 PM PST by iowamark
FORT MADISON –– Candidates kicked off the Lee County Republican Party’s caucuses Saturday afternoon and many eyes in the state were on Lee County awaiting the results of the party’s only gubernatorial straw poll.
“We’re going to be holding the only straw poll for governor in the state today,” Don Lucas told the group meeting at the Fort Madison Middle School.
And, at the Fort Madison caucus, Republicans clearly favored a familiar name — Terry Branstad, over his fellow GOP candidates, Rod Roberts, Bob Vander Plaats and Chris Rants. At Fort Madison Middle School, Branstad received 16 votes; Vander Plaats, 8; Roberts, 7; and Chris Rants, 1.
Branstad also came out on top after all three GOP straw polls sites were totaled. However, in West Point, Roberts was the victor with nine votes, followed by Branstad who received eight, Vander Plaats who received seven and Rants who received one vote.
In Keokuk, the third Lee County GOP caucus site, Branstad came out on top with 15 votes, followed by Vander Plaats with 0, Rants with seven and Roberts with four.
Lee County GOP Chairman Matt Green said attendance at the county’s GOP caucuses was a bit higher than usual — for an off-election year — and added that not all of those attending participated in the straw poll.
Branstad served three-terms in the Iowa House of Representatives and served as the lieutenant governor of Iowa. When elected governor, he was, at age 35, the youngest chief executive in Iowa history; and, when he left office, he was Iowa's longest-serving governor — serving from 1983 to 1999.
“My top reasons (for supporting Branstad) are fiscal responsibility, putting values back in education and the state’s debt,” Mike Huffman said. “When he was first elected, the state’s unemployment was hovering at 10 percent and he brought that back down to 2 percent.”
“I’m here for Branstad. Of course, I’m pro-life and he has a good record on that, but also, I just know he has the experience,” Sue Dunlay said.
But Vander Plaats, who captured second place in the county’s GOP straw poll, had his own supporters.
“I like the fact that he’s for the Iowa Marriage Amendment and he was only candidate at the Let us Vote Day,” said Debbie Staudte. “He said on Day 1 he would put a hold on same-sex marriage until it was put to a vote.”
Brett Roberts made the rounds at the three GOP caucuses in Lee County on behalf of his father.
‘I think the common theme in Iowa is the need for new leadership,” Roberts said on his father’s behalf. “Much of my dad’s supports has come from the grassroots level. They see my father’s record for the last 10 years, since 2000. My father is also creating jobs and lowering taxes. That’s why just last week he introduced a bill eliminating the corporate income tax. You bring in companies, you create jobs.”
There was also support for incumbent U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley and for Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks as she makes a second attempt for the U.S. House of Representatives’ seat now held by Democratic David Loebsack. She lost to Loebsack in 2008.
“From the beginning she has made health care her focus. She has experience as a doctor in the Army Reserves and private practice and she’s a small business owner,” Skye Lucas told the group at FMMS.
Grassley, who is running unopposed on the GOP ticket in the upcoming primary, also had his share of fans.
“I just know that when I call Grassley office, someone is listening — and they return phone calls. Grassley wasn’t going to vote for the health care reform bill. He’s said that from the beginning and he won’t,” said Robert Heagy of Fort Madison. “I’ve called (U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa) Harkin’s office and have been hung up on three times.”
Heagy has even had one of his phone calls rewarded with contact with a Secret Service agent.
“I called the White House about health care and some things, after they started calling us names after the tea parties, and I told the lady ‘Obama had better watch it,’ then I was cut off and transferred to another person. “And what I said was that Obama had better watch out come the next election. This lady kept asking my name and wouldn’t give it to her.”
But it seems the federal government went to the trouble to track the phone number to learn of Heagy’s identity.
“I was contacted by a Secret Service guy. He was very nice and just following up and doing his job,” Heagy added. “But that’s just a perfect example of them using our Secret Service for political intimidation.”
http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/caucus-012410
“”Branstad picked in straw poll; faces will be familiar in midterm elections.
Saturday marked the official kickoff of the 2010 midterm election cycle, when caucuses were held throughout the region.
For most precincts, the off-year caucus offered a chance to get their houses in order by electing officers and delegates, suggesting platform issues and circulating nomination papers before the March conventions.
Lee County Republicans, though, were perhaps more eager than most to get a start on the elections this year by holding their first off-year straw poll to gauge interest in their gubernatorial candidates.
Of 92 votes cast, 39 were cast for former Gov. Terry Branstad, who previously served as the state’s executive from 1983-1999. Trailing Branstad was Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats, who received 24 votes. He was followed closely by state Rep. Rod Roberts, R-Carroll, who received 20 votes, and finally state Rep. Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, who received nine votes.
Lee County Republican committee co-chair Matt Green said the results were not surprising.
“Mr. Roberts did quite well,” Green said after the caucus came to an end. “His support was higher than expected.”
Green said the turnout at the caucus was higher than usual in an off-year because of the straw poll, jumping from about 80 to about 120 Republicans.
Des Moines, Henry and Louisa counties’ Republicans opted against conducting a straw poll.
Whoever becomes the Republican gubernatorial candidate is likely to challenge Democratic Gov. Chet Culver, who is circulating petitions.
Des Moines County Democrats will see familiar names on the ballot when they return to the polls for June’s primary and November’s general elections.
Congressman Dave Loebsack, D-2nd District, has not officially announced he will seek re-election in 2010 — he never made an official announcement in 2008, but he circulated nomination papers at the local caucus Saturday and traveled throughout his 15 districts.
A spokesman for the congressman said during the Des Moines County Democratic caucus at Southeastern Community College it’s going to be a tough year for the party, but Loebsack has been hard at work for his constituents, pointing to the House passage of financial regulation and climate change bills that have yet to pass the Senate.
At least three Republicans are in contention for Loebsack’s 2nd District seat. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an Ottumwa ophthalmologist who challenged Loebsack in 2008; Christopher Reed, a Cedar Rapids-area businessman who challenged Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, in 2008; and Steve Rathje, also a Cedar Rapids businessman who ran a primary campaign to challenge Harkin, are all seeking to run against Loebsack.
State Rep. Dennis Cohoon, D-Burlington, already the longest-serving representative in Des Moines, is seeking a 13th term. A nearly 24-year veteran of state politics, Cohoon has run unopposed since 2000 and won 98 percent of the votes in 2008. So far, no challengers have emerged for a bid in 2010.
Several county officials made known their intentions to run again, including Treasurer Brenda Buck, Recorder Kathryn Waterhouse, attorney Pat Jackson and Supervisor Jeff Heland.
U.S. Senate candidate Roxanne Conlin — who will face Democratic opposition in the primary from bankruptcy attorney Tom Fiegen and veterans activist Bob Krause — also made an appearance at the Des Moines County Democratic caucus, one of seven stops Saturday.
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Did you attend one of the Lee county caucuses?
Vander Plaats only gubernatorial hopeful to refuse loyalty pledge
"Bob Vander Plaats is the only Republican gubernatorial candidate who has not responded to a loyalty pledge passed by the Linn County Republican Central Committee last week.
Linn County Republicans sent the pledge, which asks candidates to promise to support the party’s eventual nominee, to all four gubernatorial candidates. Former Gov. Terry Branstad and state Reps. Chris Rants and Rod Roberts have reportedly agreed. Vander Plaats remains the lone hold out.
The resolution was a reaction to the the politically influential Christian group Iowa Family Policy Center endorsing Vander Plaats in the GOP primary and promising to sit out the general election if the party nominated Branstad. Response to the anti-endorsement of Branstad was quick, with many Republicans fearing the move could splinter the party and guarantee Democratic Gov. Chet Culver a second term in office."
I did, wasn’t surprised by the Branstad win, SE Iowa is one of his old money bases.
The surprise though was indeed Roberts. People see him as a balanced social/fiscal conservative, along with Fong and Rants. I imagine Branstad will get it, but he’ll only be there 4 years, so the Lt. Guv pick is very critical. That represents the future.
I’m wondering if Chris Reed signed on to that loyalty pledge too.
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