IowaPolitics.com BlogWatch

GOP primary race to face liberal Dave Loebsack, current U.S.
Congressman representing Iowa's Second District. ... Solon native and
Cedar Rapids businessman Christopher Reed officially announced his
candidacy to face Dave "Pelosi Parrot" Loebshack on November 5th. Reed
is holding an event this weekend featuring Former Presidential
Candidate Duncan Hunter Sr. ... It seems Cedar Rapids businessman
Steve Rathje has a desire to hold office, but doesn't want to do the
work necessary to get elected. He made it known he was running some
time ago but he has no events scheduled and the most recent activity
on his campaign website is a news piece from May. Rathje finished
third in the three man 2008 GOP Senate primary and was a no-show for
the only televised debate among candidates.

Labels: 2nd CD, Steve Rathje

It's deja vu on the GOP primary ballot as three of the players from
2008 are facing off in a slightly different configuration in 2010. The
big news over this long holiday weekend (four days with no post is the
longest I've been off the grid in years) is Mariannette Miller-Meeks
announcing her second run at Dave Loebsack. To be honest, I was
expecting MMM to hold off until the map got redrawn. But I was wrong
there, so let's see what else I can be wrong about. Miller-Meeks was a
bit of a surprise winner in the '08 primary. The early frontrunner and
DC favorite was Peter Teahen, but he was greeted by grassroots
loathing as Teahen's donation to 2002 Democratic candidate Julie
Thomas became an issue. (The "donated to Dems" card is getting played
by Vander Plaats in the governor's race, as he points out Terry
Branstad's erstwhile support for Nebraska neighbor Ben Nelson.)

Labels: 2nd CD

Iowa's second Congressional district is the most Democratic-leaning of
our five districts. It has a partisan voting index of D+7, which means
that in any given year, we would expect this district to vote about 7
point more Democratic than the country as a whole. In 2008, Dave
Loebsack won re-election in IA-02 with about 57 percent of the vote
against Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who couldn't crack 40 percent. Today
Republican blogger Craig Robinson previews the GOP primary to take on
Loebsack. His piece is a good reminder of how small the Republican
tent has become in a district once represented by Jim Leach. ... Let's
review a few salient facts. The most Democratic-leaning House district
held by a Republican is Louisiana's second (D+25), but Joseph Cao won
that seat primarily because of incumbent William Jefferson's massive
corruption.

Labels: 2nd CD, Iowa GOP

In most cases, it's impossible to accurately predict how political
candidates stack up against each other in a primary or general
election. For example, even though both Bob Vander Plaats and former
Governor Terry Branstad have run for statewide office numerous times,
it's nearly impossible to predict how they will matchup against one
another in counties across the state. We can make some general
observations, like Vander Plaats will probably do well in northwest
Iowa and Governor Branstad will perform well in central Iowa, but
those are just assumptions. We will have to wait until the June
primary to see whether all of those assumptions will hold true or not.
The Republican primary in Iowa's second congressional district is
different.

Labels: 2nd CD

I must be living under a rock. I and every other Republican observer
in the district have known that we were going to have a three-way
primary between 2008 nominee, Dr. Marianette Miller-Meeks, 2008 Senate
nominee Christopher Reed and 2008 Senate primary 3rd place finisher,
Steve Rathje. I just didn't know that any but Rathje made mad it
official. ... The die is cast -- look for a spirited primary campaign
in district two. I have recently been talking with my high school age
daughter about her American history class. She is studying the
Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. It is interesting that
the issues facing the founders: a Bill of Rights, the role of the
Judiciary, the scope and reach of the federal government and many
others -- are still facing us today. Knowing the individuals involved
-- I am looking forward to the debate.

Labels: 2nd CD, Iowa GOP

Norman Hsu that is. I guess one might be able to say that Dr.
Miller-Meeks is giving Congressman Loebsack a bi-annual check-up and
the doctor has some more troubling news. Congressman Dave Loebsack's
campaign has accepted $2,000 from alleged con man Norman Hsu, who was
indicted in late 2007 for alleged bilking investors out of at least
$20 million. Hsu also bundled more than $100,000 in contributions for
Clinton's campaign and co-hosted a $1 million Beverly Hills fundraiser
for the New York senator before a 1992 fraud conviction, his flight to
Hong Kong to avoid prosecution and a second round of questionable
financial dealings were revealed.

Labels: 2nd CD, Dave Loebsack

There has been a lot of debate on the right side of the blogosphere
here in Iowa about the state party, our Republican philosophy, and our
candidates. Over the course of her primary campaign and now in the
general election campaign, Dr. Marriannette Miller-Meeks has proven
herself to be the real deal and showed it in last night's KCRG-Cedar
Rapids Gazette debate vs. Congressman Dave Loebsack. As someone who
has followed this race for some time, I had high expectations for
Miller-Meeks. We all knew going into the debate that she is
intelligent, relentless, and a tireless campaigner, but sometimes
something happens in the bright lights of a television studio in a
debate setting and a candidate that you think is superior struggles
and fails to deliver the performance their campaign needs.

Labels: 2nd CD, Iowa GOP

For those of you that read this blog regularly, you know that the
pro-life issue is one that I am very passionate about.I had a really
interesting email forwarded to me the other day. It was from the Iowa
Right to Life Committee contained a link to their pre-election
newsletter. Keep in mind that IRLC is led by Kim Lehman, the recently
elected GOP national committeewoman. For the first page of the
newsletter, it was pretty much what I expected... John McCain is super
great on the life issue (which we all know isn't a totally honest
portrayal), and Barack Obama is Satan incarnate (which may be true,
but I digress). Then I got to the second page, and I was sickened. You
see, after extolling the virtues of John McCain, the second page of
the news letter contained an article, reading: "The Great Pretender
Award: Mariannette Miller-Meeks."

Labels: 2nd CD, RPI

... The questions leaned toward the senior-oriented, but the answers revolved around the relative effectiveness of the Congress Loebsack joined two years ago. "I got tired of seeing Congress doing nothing but seeing who was the victor in a partisan fight," said Miller-Meeks, citing Social Security, health and energy policy. Loebsack defended his record while agreeing with the premise. "I ran in 2006 because I was fed up with a system that was broken. I wanted to once again make government a positive force in people's lives," said the congressman. "I have worked tirelessly to provide for our troops and provide oversight to the Bush Administration's Iraq policies."

Labels: 2nd CD

When political newcomer Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks squeaked out a
victory in Iowa's 2nd District congressional primary, a few Republican
eyebrows raised. None of those eyebrows, however, were attached to the
people who met the Ottumwa ophthalmologist and learned her story. When
considered in context with the rest of her life, the primary was just
one more challenge she met with planted feet. "I really had no desire
to be in politics prior to last year," Miller-Meeks said. "Nine years
ago, when I first began visiting Congress with the Academy of
Ophthalmology, advocating and addressing health care issues, I had a
wonderful rapport and relationship with the honorable [former
Congressman] Jim Leach."

Labels: 2nd CD

Brian White is trying to take a tough road to the House of
Representatives, but he believes it's the best route. The 31-year old
attorney from North Liberty, running in the 2nd Congressional
District, is trying to become the first truly independent candidate
elected to the House in more than 50 years. "Nothing has changed in
Washington" since Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, White
told Iowa Independent. "And I'm the type of guy that when things
aren't going right, you do something about it." White deliberately
avoids party labels, but he sees former 2nd District congressman Jim
Leach as something of a role model, and interned for Leach one summer.
So, would White describe himself as a Jim Leach Republican? "Well,
without the Republican part," he said.

Labels: 2nd CD

I can't say this is a surprise... Teahen campaign manager Wes Enos is
making public statements that Teahen might request a recount due to
Miller-Meeks' narrow margin of victory last night (109 votes).
However, Enos has said that a final decision on a recount request has
not been made. Enos thinks there could still be some absentee ballots
coming in (okay, maybe a few), but he also mentioned some "election
confusion" in some counties. Huh?!? What the hell does that mean? In
my experience, if there is any confusion on election night in any
particular precinct, generally that precinct doesn't report its
results until the problem has been resolved.

Labels: 2nd CD, Iowa GOP

Yeah, I know I was supposed to post this yesterday, that when out the
window when I realized that it was a beautiful day. The speaking order
at the Lincoln Dinner for the 2nd Congressional District Candidates
was Lee Harder, Mariannette Miller-Meek, and then Peter Teahen. Well I
guess before we get too far ahead of ourselves, lets talk a little
pre-game. We all know that that campaigns all play some games at these
types of events. It is really what makes it fun. Anyway, one of the
interesting things was that the Miller-Meeks had a campaign table,
Teahen and Harder didn't. I'm also told that Miller-Meeks had a bunch
of her county chairs at the event, and entertained former SOS and
Cedar Rapids Mayor Paul Pate at her table.

Labels: 2nd CD, Iowa GOP

I tuned in last night to WHO to hear Steve Deace interview Peter
Teahen, GOP primary Kandidate for Iowa's Second Kongressional
District. I have to say, I was pleased to see that Deace used many of
my recommended questions. Unfortunately, I found Teahen's answers less
than satisfactory. Deace didn't hold back (too much). There were some
things I wish he would have explored further, but given the time
allotted, he kovered a lot of ground. Deace jumped right in to the
whole David Tredrea thing. But, then Deace pretty much left it alone
when Teahen klaimed that the FBI and Scotland Yard are involved and
that his life had been threatened by Mr. Tredea while the two were in
Darfur.

Labels: 2nd CD

My good friends over at Battleground Iowa have posted a letter from
David Tredrea that was sent to a number people koncerning Peter
Teahen. Since they have posted the email message which was sent to
Teahen and the letter that was attached, I don't see any need to post
it again here. Tredrea's letter and the recent FEC komplaint filed
against Teahen come at the worst konceivable time for his campaign.
With just days before the June 3rd Primary everything from Teahen's
resume to his Funeral Home's marketing practice are being questioned
and it is beginning to have an impact on the race. Just look at the
Iowa Press Citizen which endorsed Miller-Meeks this weekend.

Labels: 2nd CD

With the June 3rd primary less than a month away, it has been
relatively quiet. The there candidates running for the Republican
nomination for the U.S. Senate don't have the funds or ability to run
TV ads, and I doubt they will be running radio spots. But for all you
campaign junkies who like to watch a heated primary battle you just
need to tune into Iowa's 2nd Congressional District. There is a three
way primary between Mariannette Miller-Meeks from Ottumwa, Peter
Teahen from Cedar Rapids, and Lee Harder, and if I looked harder I'd
know where he's from too, but he's a non factor so I'm not going to
waste my time.

Labels: 2nd CD