Republicans leaders predict party will unify behind Branstad

MARION — Top Republicans predicted Thursday their party will unify behind gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad and the GOP ticket once it becomes clear what competing ideologies are at stake in Iowa’s Nov. 2 general election.

GOP winners in Tuesday’s primary — Branstad for governor, Brenna Findley for attorney general and Ag Secretary Bill Northey – stressed the need for unity in a “road to victory tour” at Branstad’s northeast Iowa campaign headquarters in Marion June 10.

Branstad, who has made that tour en route to four terms as governor in the 1980s and 1990s, called the Republican “Iowa team” – including Auditor David Vaudt, Matt Schultz for secretary of state and Dave Jamison for treasurer — the strongest slate of statewide candidates he’s seen.

“These are hardworking caring people who will really represent you, the taxpayers of Iowa,” Branstad told a crowd that was twice as large as the one he spoke to in Marion the day before the primary. “I really believe this is the year it can happen.”

The GOP’s statewide tour might have been called the “road to unity tour” given the hard-fought primary battle Branstad faced for the gubernatorial nomination. Earlier Thursday, Steve Scheffler, one of the party’s two national committee members and leader of the Iowa Christian Alliance, said any party divisions are “going to heal pretty quickly.” He expects some conservative groups, like the Iowa Family Policy Center, that pledged to sit out the fall election if Branstad was the GOP nominee, to reconsider “because the alternative is unthinkable” to have Democratic Gov. Chet Culver win another four-year term.

“This is our candidate and he is 100 percent better than what the alternative is,” Scheffler said.

“I hope the party gets it together and makes this a big tent,” West said. “We’re the third largest party in Iowa – behind independents and Democrats. So we need all the Republicans, as many independents as possible and even a few conservative Democrats if we’re going to win.”

Branstad wants to meet with chief rival Bob Vander Plaats to bridge differences that emerged during the primary-election cycle, and GOP state Chairman Matt Strawn said he expected Republicans to close ranks quickly to focus on attracting independents and dissatisfied Democrats.

Also Thursday, Branstad unveiled a new television commercial touting his leadership skills in his previous stint as Iowa’s governor from 1983 to 1999.

“There’s something to be said for longevity,” Montijo Fink of Hiawatha said, adding that Branstad’s “track record and experience” make him the better candidate.

Branstad’s promise to take advice on budget issues from Auditor Vaudt and veto any legislation that circumvents state law limiting spending to 99 percent of revenues made sense to Tony Schmidt of Hiawatha.

“We need a change,” he said. Overspending by Culver and the Democratic-controlled Legislature has motivated him to be more active in this campaign than in the past. “I’ve donated money and made some phone calls.”

His wife, Nancy, has been a regular at the Branstad phone bank in large part because of Branstad’s pledge to lift educational achievement.

“We have seven kids together, so we see it at school,” she said. “When the funding is being cut and teachers are losing their jobs, there isn’t as much for them to do.”

Branstad called for returning to his administration’s practice of “rewarding performance, rewarding good teachers and good schools. We need to have the courage to change those that aren’t getting the job done for our students.”

Brenna Findley, Congressman Steve King's chief of staff, could make a truly great attorney general.

In sharp contrast to the Christians who want to beat the Dems, some of the pompous Huckbots who claim to be the only true Christians are still threatening to back Dem Culver:

""From: Iowa Family PAC"

Thank You!

Even though last night’s primary election by and large did not turn out the way we had hoped, we wanted to send a note of thanks to all of you who worked so hard to elect Christian statesmen to public office. Most notably, you turned out in numbers that the pollsters and political pundits thought impossible as you voted for Bob Vander Plaats.

While we would rather have won the day, please don’t miss the fact that 41% of primary voters stayed true to godly constitutional principles when they went to the polls. There are more of us than the establishment thought, and together we can continue to work to see change in the political system.

Our calling as believers is to honor God. When we do that, and trust Him for the ultimate outcome, we can enjoy a peace no matter who wins on election night. We are eternity-minded, and while we like to win elections as much as anyone, today we begin the process of preparing for the next opportunity God provides.

The Defining Issue

The defining issue of the 2010 GOP gubernatorial primary was not marriage. Marriage was instead the manifestation of the main issue. As the primary campaign wore on, it became increasingly clear that the differences between Bob Vander Plaats and Terry Branstad on both their knowledge of and willingness to defend the Constitution would be the biggest difference in the minds of many voters.

Moving forward, marriage will continue to be one of the central focuses of IFPC Action and the Iowa Family PAC. We will also continue to reach out to and partner with individuals and organizations who desire to see the proper constitutional separation of powers restored in our state.

When we restore political power to the people and put the court back in its place, issues ranging from marriage, to life, to concerns over taxation and government intrusion into the lives of citizens will be corrected. As we continue our work and ministry, addressing the unconstitutional actions of an out-of-control court will remain high on our list of priorities.

Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’

The calls for “Party Unity” began before the first votes were counted last night.

Conventional wisdom says that in order to remain “relevant,” those who worked so hard to promote the perspective that came up short should gladly abandon their cause and join with the “winners.”

If politics were only about personalities or power, it would be reasonable to expect that to happen after every primary. If politics were just a game to be played where the ultimate outcomes had no long-term impact, the calls to “unify” would be justified.

At this point in history, where our freedom and liberties are quite literally in jeopardy, too much is at stake to play games. That is why every patriotic Iowan needs to evaluate their role in the months between last night and next November.

The Bible says “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” In the political arena, that verse can be applied to the call to compromise. On issues that do not violate God’s Word, we are eager to compromise. When the call to “unify” and compromise includes violating His principles, we would be wise to stand alone.

The Iowa Family PAC has been clear about what we are looking for in political candidates. We owe it to God, and to those who sacrificially give to support the work of IFPC Action and the Iowa Family PAC to hold fast to the standards we established.

If and when a political party provides a candidate who we can support, we will be happy to unify around that candidate. We do not, however, accept the notion that not voting for one candidate makes us responsible for the election of another. We answer to God, so if there are no candidates worthy of our support, that is the problem of the political parties, not ours.

Join the Iowa Family PAC today

After a hard fought election like the one that ended last night, there are some who may be contemplating a complete break from any political involvement. The Iowa Family PAC is an organization that will not be co-opted by a political party, and that will stand for God’s truth no matter what the cost.

Your contribution of $5.00 a month, or more, could make all the difference between a narrow loss and a narrow victory for a God-fearing candidate. Please help refill our war chest by making your most generous contribution today.

Iowa Family Policy PAC 1100 North Hickory Suite 107 Pleasant Hill, IA 50327""

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