IowaPolitics.com BlogWatch

Iowa Senate Democrats will need to play a lot of defense this year, but as I'd hoped, it looks like we will be making a serious play for Senate district 41. First-term incumbent Dave Hartsuch has more in common with Steve King than with the moderate Republicans who have long flourished in Scott County. The Des Moines Register reported yesterday that Democrat Rich Clewell will run against Hartsuch. ... About six weeks ago educator Dave Thede switched parties and announced plans to run against Hartsuch as a Democrat. ... Meanwhile, Davenport businessman Roby Smith plans to challenge Hartsuch in the GOP primary. I haven't seen any report indicating whether Smith will run as a moderate alternative. Whatever the outcome of the primaries, this seat should be competitive in the fall.

Labels: state Senate

With Democrats defending 19 of the 25 Iowa Senate districts on the ballot next fall, we don't have many opportunities to make gains in the upper chamber. However, I've long felt that Democrats should make a serious play for Senate district 41 in Scott County. Dave Hartsuch is far too conservative for a district that was long represented by Maggie Tinsman, whom Hartsuch defeated in the 2006 GOP primary. Historically, the Bettendorf area has been strongly Republican, but Democrats have made gains in recent years. Senate district 41 now has as many registered Democrats as Republicans. As I'd hoped, a Democratic candidate has stepped up to the plate, and Hartsuch will also have to fend off a primary challenge in the spring. ... In 2004, Dave Mulder defeated Senator Ken Veenstra in the Republican primary for Senate district 2. Mulder was socially conservative but emphasized education and economic development in his campaign. Veenstra was best-known for championing anti-gay legislation.

Labels: state Senate

Iowa Sen. Roger Stewart, D-Preston, said this morning he won't seek
re-election next year. First elected in 2002, Stewart said he'd
planned on two terms and now will bow out. "It's not something that
came overnight," he said. Stewart, who is 78, says he'll keep busy at
a local bank and on his son's farm. He lists expansion of health care,
raising the minimum wage and balancing budgets as accomplishments.
There probably will be a number of suitors for the seat, which
includes the city of Clinton and parts of Clinton, Jackson and Dubuque
counties.

Labels: state Senate

First-term Democratic State Senator Bill Heckroth of Waverly announced
yesterday that he will seek re-election in Iowa Senate district 9,
which includes Butler and Bremer counties, along with parts of Black
Hawk and Fayette counties. After the jump I've posted Heckroth's press
release, containing background on his career and his achievements in
the legislature. Senate district 9 is one of the Iowa GOP's better
pickup opportunities next year. Traditionally, Republicans have had a
voter registration edge in this district, although I don't know the
current numbers. Republican Bob Brunkhorst represented Senate district
9 before retiring in 2006. Heckroth won the open-seat contest against
Tom Hoogestraa by a reasonably comfortable margin of 1,346 votes, or
52.4 percent to 46.5 percent. Then again, 2006 was a Democratic wave
election.

Labels: state Senate

Groups like IFPC Action and LUV Iowa have been partnering with Iowans
all across the state for almost seven months now to network people and
to work a strategy for passage of the Iowa Marriage Amendment. At each
stop along the way, in every town meeting, and at every marriage
event, people are outraged that the Iowa Supreme Court would take upon
themselves the role of Legislative, Judicial and Executive authority
to create homosexual "marriage" out of thin air. People always want to
know why one branch of government has been allowed to grow so powerful
in relation to the other two. They also want to know what, if
anything, can withstand the tyrannical arm of an out of control
judicial branch. I think I have finally found the answer: Senate
Tradition.

Labels: marriage, state Senate

The short of it is because Republicans have ZERO chance of taking back
the Senate anytime soon. I've felt since the ruling that it probably
would never get overturned. I got curious today and decided to
investigate further. So I started to think like a social conservative
(it was scary) and tried to find any feasible way for this to pass the
Lege in the near future. It will not pass in the 2010 session
according to both the House and Senate leadership. So the Repubs best
hope is for a successful election in 2010 to make it possible. It is
in the realm of possibility that Repubs take back the House. I really
don't think they will, but there are a lot of competitive races that
could flip in a good year for them. I could even see an amendment
passing that chamber in the next couple sessions with "six-pack" help.

Labels: marriage, state Senate

Next year's campaign in Iowa Senate district 37 will be closely
watched statewide and may draw some national attention. Republican
State Representative Kent Sorenson has decided to challenge first-term
Senator Staci Appel instead of seeking re-election to Iowa House
district 74. The socially conservative Sorenson made a splash this
summer with his open letter imploring Senator Chuck Grassley to
provide "principled and bold leadership" to advance the Republican
Party platform. Appel is assistant Senate majority leader and chairs
the State Government Committee. Her husband is one of the seven Iowa
Supreme Court justices who unanimously struck down our Defense of
Marriage Act in April. ... My opinion on this matchup hasn't changed
since Robinson first discussed the prospect in May: Bring it on.

Labels: state Senate

State Representative Kent Sorenson has decided to give up the seat he
won in the Iowa House of Representatives last year and will instead
look to knock off another Democrat incumbent, Staci Appel. Sorenson's
decision to run for the Senate seat 37 sets up an intriguing matchup
which is likely to garner state-wide attention. In 2008, Sorenson
defeated State Representative Mark Davitt by 163 votes. Sorenson's
victory surprised many Republican insiders that year. Since his
campaign wasn't on their radar as a potential pick-up, Sorenson was
left to himself to orchestrate a winning campaign. With the help of a
dedicated volunteer base, Sorenson pulled off the upset of the night
when he sent Rep. Davitt home after serving three terms in the Iowa
House.

Labels: RPI, state Senate

...I guess that means Sorenson isn't going to primary Chuck Grassley.
Yep, Sorenson is that breed of Republican, a "Chuck Grassley's too
liberal" type. So he'll no doubt be running against Justice Appel as
much as Senator Appel. (And as we saw in House 90, people have lots of
stuff other than gay marriage on their minds.) This could also mean a
comeback attempt by Democrat Mark Davitt, who Sorenson knocked off in
a 2008 upset. ... Recall that in 2008 the Iowa GOP scuttled a lot of
other efforts at end game and concentrated on the House, the only
thing the felt they had a shot at winning. In the early stages of
2010, it looks like they're throwing everything they have at the
governor instead.

Labels: RPI, state Senate

Conservative blogger Craig Robinson argued last week that "Iowa
Republicans Have Plenty of Opportunity in the State Senate" in 2010.
The GOP has almost nowhere to go but up. Republicans currently hold 18
of the 50 seats in the Iowa Senate, fewer than at any previous time in
this state's history. After making gains in the last four general
elections, Democrats now hold 19 of the 25 Iowa Senate seats that will
be on the ballot in 2010. Also, several Democratic incumbents are in
their first term, having won their seats during the wave election of
2006. To win back the upper chamber, Republicans would need a net gain
of seven seats in 2010, and Robinson lists the seven districts where
he sees the best chances for the GOP. I generally agree with John
Deeth's view that only a few Senate districts are strong pickup
opportunities for Republicans next year.

Labels: state Senate

Now that some time has passed since the legislative session has
adjourned and the Republican gubernatorial primary has started to take
shape, it's time to start looking at legislative races in which
Republicans could pick up seats in both chambers in the 2010
elections. Today we delve into the State Senate. Currently,
Republicans hold 18 of the 50 seats in the State Senate. While only
half of those seats are up for election in 2010, 19 of those 25 seats
are currently held by Democrats. On one hand, it shows just how
lopsided the Democrat majority is in the Senate, but on the other
hand, it provides Iowa Republicans plenty of opportunity to pick up
seats in this chamber in the next election.

Labels: RPI, state Senate

They're piling up Gov. Chet Culver's failed nominees like chord wood
at the Statehouse today. Before I even had my lunch, DHS director
nominee Eugene Gessow and Iowa Power Fund board nominee Carrie La Seur
of Mount Vernon had been shot down by Republicans who denied them
needed votes. Yesterday, Environmental Protection Commission nominee
Shearon Elderkin of Cedar Rapids failed to get the 34 Senate votes
needed for confirmation. Democrats control the chamber 32-18, so you
need a couple of Republican votes to make it. But La Seur also got a
pair of no votes from Democrats.

Labels: Chet_Culver, state Senate

Senate Democratic Leadership is making a bold move by recently
announcing that they will attempt to eliminate federal deductibility.
The message signals that Iowans should brace themselves for a tax
increase. Based on the most recent information, eliminating federal
deductibility would be a tax increase of $594 million. An Iowa
household earning $45,000 would receive an average of a 5% increase in
their taxes or $222. Iowa is one of a handful of states that allows a
100% deduction for federal income tax payments on the state individual
tax return. It protects Iowans from paying a state income tax on money
used to pay their federal income tax.

Labels: state Senate, taxes

The consequences of Democrat irresponsibility, ambition and cronyism
are now being made glaringly obvious to Iowans in need of flood
relief, food inspection, education, roads and courts-Democrat
governance cannot fulfill the basic functions of government without an
infinite regression of taxing, borrowing and spending. The legislative
Labor/Socialist/Democrats just added another $175 million to the
State's already crushing fiscal obligations. Republican Senate Whipp
Steve Kettering drew the connection between Democrat policy and that
infinite regression of Democrat spending, taxing and borrowing.

Labels: state Senate

So, do you ever read a news article and feel like there is some
crucial information missing? That's how I felt when I read the
Register's article about the statehouse bill regarding equal pay for
men and women. You'd think that would be a no-brainer, but apparently
not. Some business interests seem opposed to the bill because they
think it would result in more paperwork... "a bookkeeping nightmare"
according to one business lobbyist. I'm not sure I really buy that. If
you did a detailed employee evaluation on a regular basis, which most
businesses do, wouldn't that pretty much cover what you'd need to know
to make salary decisions? Am I missing something here?

Labels: state Senate

A recount resolved the last Iowa Senate race to be called. In Senate
district 10, Democratic incumbent Jeff Danielson defeated Walt Rogers
by 22 votes. This was one of the surprisingly close races on election
night, as Danielson was not considered a top-tier target of
Republicans. Iowa Democrats will have the largest advantage they have ever enjoyed
in the Iowa Senate: 32-18. One Iowa House race is still unresolved.
Democratic incumbent Art Staed asked for a recount in House district
37, where the certified vote count showed him trailing Carolyn Renee
Shulte by 14 votes. Staed was targeted not only by the Republican
Party of Iowa but also by conservative interest groups such as the
corporate-backed Iowa Leadership Council and the American Future Fund.

Labels: state Senate

Yesterday Senate Republicans elected Sen. Paul McKinley to lead them
in the State Senate. The move came as no surprise as many of the
Senators who supported Sen. Ron Wieck are no longer serving in the
Senate. McKinley a conservative Republican, now resides over a more
unified caucus than his predecessors when it comes to ideology. I
think there will be a noticeable difference coming from the minority
in the Senate this session. While the State House has been the focus
for Iowa Republicans in the past 2 elections, it's the Senates turn to
get some much needed love and attention. While Republicans are firmly
in the minority with only 18 Republicans compared to 32 Democrats,
it's the senate who has some very good opportunities to pick up seats
in the next election. Sure it might take time to regain the majority,
but it's an effort we must be committed to.

Labels: Paul_McKinley, state Senate

Sen. Paul McKinley just took over the reigns as minority leader in the
Iowa Senate. McKinley is a very good conservative who should be able
to start making up ground in the Senate. This is the second real sign
that Republicans are finally willing to make some changes for this
election cycle. It is also the second sign that Republicans view
conservatism as the path to future victories (the first being the
election of Paulsen as minority leader of the House). Both Paulsen and
McKinley have the opportunity to take Iowa back from our liberal
friends. Unfortunately a conservative message won't do it by itself.
We will have to run each campaign by copying some of the Iowa
Democrats playbook and also ramping up our efforts that we typically
do best.

Labels: Paul_McKinley, state Senate, Steve Rathje

I apologize for not posting my State House predictions yesterday
afternoon as I said I would. I was pulled away from the office and
couldn't get them posted. Just like the presidential race here in
Iowa, predicting the outcome of the races for the Iowa House of
Representatives is a tossup. The media and most Democrats tell us
there is another blue wave coming, and Republican insiders really
believe they have a chance at taking the majority in the House. I've
studied at these House races and I see some very promising things, and
then find some races that are equally disturbing. I'll be up front
from the start, I can get Republicans to 49 seats in the House but I
don't know how realistic I'm being in that scenario. I think the more
likely outcome is that the Republican's return in January with 46 or
47 seats.

Labels: state House, state Senate

The latest fund raising reports were filled on July 19 and they show
Steve Sodders holding a large money advantage over Jarret Heil in
Senate District 22. Sodders raised $11,510 and has $48,391 on hand,
while Heil raised $7,180 and has $8,116 on hand. The race to replace
the retiring Larry McKibben is predicted to be tight, but the $40,000
advantage in campaign funds puts Sodders in great shape to pick up a
seat for the Democrats in the State Senate. Senate District 22 covers
Marshall and Hardin Counties.

Labels: campaign finance, state Senate

The Governor's office has been hosting konference kalls every kouple
of days, for Lt. Governor Patty Judge to update Legislators on the
flood situation across the state. Yesterday Sen. Wally Horn
interrupted Patty by screaming, "These are good loyal Democrats, and
they need our help." He repeated that statement several time during
the call, but only the first time did he interrupt the Lt. Governor to
say it. Horn's Senate District kovers the downtown and the area to the
south of the Cedar River. I understand that this is a difficult time,
heck yesterday we were all shocked to see a picture of a state trooper
with his sidearm drawn and aimed at the occupant of a pickup.
Apparently the man wanted to get his pets from his flood ravaged home.
This is a time for people like Senator Horn to step up and provide
leadership.

Labels: state Senate

Swati Dandekar (D) vs. Joe Childers (R) ... This upcoming general
election will be about change and many voter throughout the United
States have expressed this through voting, polling and general
discussion. The Senate District 18 is one of the most competitive
races in the state of Iowa. If the Republicans want to get some seats
back in the Iowa Senate this is one of them they must win. Senate
District 18 is currently held by long time State Senator, Mary Lundby
of Marion. She has decided to step down from state politics and focus
on county politics in the coming years and that is why she is running
for Linn County Supervisor in District 4 against Don Gray, Democrat.

Labels: state Senate

The incumbents with challengers all survived and the favored
candidates generally came through in last night's legislative
primaries. Your round up: Senate District 16: High school football has
a 50 point rule, but not so for politics. Republican Dave McLaughlin
gets the blowout of the night award, for an 88 percent to 12 percent
win over Gary Lee Culver, who campaigned little. McLaughlin is a top
tier GOP challenger against incumbent Tom Hancock. Senate District 18:
Republican Joe Childers won handily over Karla Sibert, 72 percent to
28 percent, in his bid to fill Mary Lundby's shoes. This is one of the
Democrat's top pickup chances with Rep. Swati Dandekar.

Labels: state House, state Senate

Between the last Democratic presidential contests, and Iowa's
contested primaries in three congressional districts and the
Republican U.S. Senate race, state legislative races won't be on many
radar screens Tuesday night. But several of the contested primaries in
deep red or dark blue districts will be decisive or nearly decisive..
But several of the contested primaries in deep red or dark blue
districts will be decisive or nearly decisive. Here's the legislative
scorecard for Tuesday night: Senate District 16: In a Republican
primary, Cascade car dealer Dave McLaughlin is favored over Gary Lee
Culver of Wyoming.

Labels: state House, state Senate

Sen. Larry McKibben was one of several Republican legislators who took
"points of privilege" this morning to voice distain with the current
direction of legislation that aims to revise the School Infrastructure
Local Option sales tax, commonly known as SILO. The plan now being
considered by the Iowa Senate passed the House last week with 17
Republicans crossing the aisle to support it. "We aren't here just to
put a rubber stamp on what's passed by the House," McKibben told those
in chamber this morning. "We don't have to pass this just because it
has been a bipartisan effort. It's a bipartisan tax." The plan calls
for SILO, now optional by county, to become mandatory and no longer
limited to 10 years.

Labels: SILO, state Senate

As the 2008 Iowa legislative session runs nears its conclusion,
lawmakers who are "retiring" (not seeking re-election) are given a
chance to give speeches. In the House, those making such voluntary
exits are given an opportunity to stand at their desk on the House
floor and speak to their colleagues. Representative Clarence Hoffman,
a Republican from Denison, was the first to speak last week and
Hoffman concluded by telling his colleagues he was a glass half full
kind of guy and he was leaving it to those who'll serve in the 2009
legislature to tackle getting that glass full. In the Senate, other
senators get up to say (almost always) nice things about the
soon-to-be-ex senator and then the senator gets to speak. Senator Mary
Lundby, a Republican from Marion, is not seeking re-election after 22
years in the Iowa House & Senate.

Labels: state House, state Senate

Despite being voted against by our two area Representatives (Mary
Mascher and Vicki Lensing), the Iowa House has followed the lead of
the Senate and approved a proposed constitutional amendment to
dedicate a portion of future sales tax increases to the environment.
If the constitutional amendment is approved, the Legislature could
create a 3/8-cent sales tax to fund those efforts. The tax would go to
such efforts as protecting natural areas of the state, cleaning up
Iowa waterways and funding parks, trails, fish and wildlife habitats
and soil conservation.

Labels: state House, state Senate

Senator Larry McKibben, a Republican from Marshalltown, is not seeking
re-election, so perhaps that's why he felt free enough to call the
anti-smoking bill being debated this afternoon in the Iowa Senate
"crap." He also uttered the phrase "to hell with" on a few occasions.
I don't think there's a connection, but McKibben also admitted he
enjoyed "adult beverages" earlier in his remarks. UPDATE: The Senate
started this debate at 3:47 p.m. and it's now 5:30 p.m. Senator Joe
Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, had pushed the button on his desk,
indicating he wanted to speak during the debate and his request was
put in the cue. When Senate President Jack Kibbie called upon Bolkcom,
however, he wasn't at his desk.

Labels: smoking_ban, state Senate

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver has been placed in something of a corner -- by
his own party, the Democrats controlling the statehouse. Yesterday's
passage of a contentious bill broadening the list of items that can be
the part of contract negotiations by public-sector unions means Culver
will be the ultimate arbiter on whether it becomes law. Culver can
veto the bill, something Republicans are urging him to do. Culver has
quite a dilemma. He likely favors the bill, he just didn't like how
quickly it was shepherded or railroaded (the word preference probably
depends on whether you're a Democrat or Republican) through the
Legislature in a matter of days. Republicans tried a walkout to stop
passage last week in the Senate; that didn't work. So the bill passed,
27-23, after six hours of acrimonious debate.

Labels: Chet_Culver, state Senate, unions

Senate Democrats and Republicans ended a 24-hour stalemate at mid-day
Friday and will delay a vote on sweeping legislation that could
drastically alter Iowa's collective bargaining laws. The agreement
means the Senate will adjourn for the weekend holiday. The Senate's 20
Republicans holed up in the Iowa Statehouse Thursday and Friday trying
to stall the bill's passage until more public comment could be made.
They refused to come back for the rest of the day and into the night,
while Democrats stood on the floor and waited. The legislature
typically adjourns on Thursday, but Republicans remained in a
conference room behind the senate chambers for more than a day as a
way to slow fast-track legislation that would give labor unions more
power to negotiate salary and working conditions.

Labels: state Senate, unions

Iowa Republican Senators, Representatives and candidates for those positions have just received a beautiful election year issue: The protecting of Iowa's Right to Work status. The question is, will Republicans forcefully utilize this to our advantage. I sure hope so or else there will be a lot of Republican political and legislative leaders who are going to find themselves a very angry group of grassroots Iowans. I can assure you that this is one issue that will rally the troops if the Generals in Des Moines are ready to don the armor and pick up the jousting sticks. While it is true that this proposed amendment does not explicitly come right out with the anti-Right to Work language like last year's bill, make no mistake about it, this is a clever away of at least getting more than just a foot in the door.

Labels: state House, state Senate

Moderate Republican Senator Dave Mulder, who announced in early December that he would seek a second and final term to the Iowa Senate, reversed course yesterday by announcing that he would instead retire after first being elected in 2004. I cannot say that I am all that surprised or that I am all that disappointed. Regular readers of this blog will know that I am not terribly fond of Mulder's knack for espousing a liberal voting record and bucking the party caucus position on several issues of importance to his constituents back home. Last week, I wrote a post highlighting several of Mulder's incongruities with his constituency and noted that I had been hearing rumblings for several months that Mulder could get primaried.

Labels: state Senate

At a state policy briefing scheduled for Thursday morning, Iowa
legislators and other state officials will be asked to end federally
funded abstinence-only sex education in the state. The move would make
Iowa the 17th state to reject Title V abstinence-only funding. Rep.
Mary Mascher, a Democrat from Iowa City, sponsored and floor managed a
bill during the 2007 session that required all sexual education taught
in accredited Iowa schools to be medically- and scientifically-based.
Signed into law last spring, the bill did not necessarily put an end
to abstinence-only sex education teaching in Iowa, but it did ratify
standards and guidelines that directly conflict with those associated
with federal funding streams.

Labels: state House, state Senate

The process of getting an absentee ballot may get slightly less bureaucratic this fall, if a bill that passed the Senate overwhelmingly Monday makes its way past the House and Governor Culver. Senate File 2089 by Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, would roll back a 2004 change that required auditors to accept absentee requests only if they were on one specific statewide form. "I am just trying to restore the prior practice, which as far as I know was never a problem," said Quirmbach.

Labels: Chet_Culver, state House, state Senate

The second-biggest statistical secret in Iowa politics could be out in
the open if a Linn County Republican's bill passes the Legislature.
The biggest secret, of course, is the raw vote total from the
Democratic caucuses. That's still hush-hush. But the second-biggest
mystery is how the absentee votes break out by precinct. Current Iowa
law, drafted in an age when the only absentee voters were shut-ins,
service people and expatriates, requires that all absentee ballots
across a county be counted as a separate precinct. The law forbids
auditors from releasing any breakdown below the county level.

Labels: state House, state Senate

The Iowa Legislature has begun what will prove to be a very exciting year for health care reform in the state. This Tuesday legislators presented a health care bill that would bring universal coverage to Iowa's approximately 45,000 uninsured children. This would be accomplished by expanding already existing programs to afford covering 25,000 more eligible kids, and providing subsidies to cover a remaining 19,000 in private plans. This goal is to be reached within three years, but in order for it to reach the Governor's desk it will need legislative support. SEIU and Iowa for Health Care are setting out to assure this support by holding its 5th Annual Lobby Day at the Capitol on February 14th.

Labels: Chet_Culver, state House, state Senate

I thought this was the Hawkeye (Cyclone) State? I guess we've all been
duped. I'm going to start calling this the "Nanny State". Because that
is apparently what many legislators in Des Moines are interested in
fostering. It's shameful. I will be watching the vote on this, should
it come forward, very closely. We are allowing government to take on
more and more power. The recent legislation sponsored by big
government leftist Swati Dandekar to ban the use of cell phones in
vehicles is another big swipe at our liberties. Do I agree that people
should use cellular telephones responsibly while driving or riding in
a car? Yes. Absolutely. That's common sense. However, there are many
other distractions that could be put forward too.

Labels: state House, state Senate

I was alerted this morning to a bill that was introduced in the Iowa
General Assembly that would add a license "fee" (a.k.a. a TAX) to
bicycles here in Iowa and the money would presumably go to the help
pay for roads. How absolutely and unequivocally absurd this bill is. I
searched around trying to figure which Democrat would introduce such a
bogus bicycle tax. Sadly, I see it was a Republican. Yes, my friends,
a Republican. Senator John Putney, who is not seeking re-election. I
just love how we talk about the need to reform our mindset in this
country by going toward preventative health care instead of reactive
health care. But this bill essentially amounts to a tax on exercising.

Labels: state Senate

A few days ago, Iowa Democratic leaders held a press conference in Des
Moines at the Capitol talking about the need to get tough on illegal
immigration. Don't believe a word they are saying. Democrats in Iowa
had a chance to vote on tough anti-illegal immigration legislation
during the 2006 session and many of them voted against it. Without
Republican leadership the bill wouldn't have passed. What was the
bill? House File 2671. It was considered by the House on 3/16/2006.
What happened to it in the Senate? All I can seem to find is that it
was referred to a committee. Fascinating.

Labels: immigration, state House, state Senate

First-term Rep. Dan Clute of Clive has decided he won't be running for
re-election in 2008. He says that a new job is what led him to choose
the option. I'm sure being a new member of the minority party in the
House didn't help either. That makes the list of Republicans in the
Iowa Legislature who aren't running for re-election even longer. On
the list right now are folks like Pat Ward, Jeff Angelo, Mary Lundby,
Walt Tomenga, and now Dan Clute.

Labels: state Senate

Three term Republican Senator Jeff Angelo of Creston and current
co-chair for Mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign here in Iowa
has announced that he will not seek another term in the Iowa Senate in
November of 2008. Angelo cites several reasons for not seeking
re-election on his blog: "Today I announced officially that I will not
seek re-election to the Iowa Senate in 2008. It will have been 13
years (almost to the day) since I first declared my candidacy and it
has been a wondrous 12 years in the Iowa Senate."... Angelo's name is
now added to a growing list of Republican members who are no longer
interested in seeking another term. Previous names include Thurman
Gaskill, Mary Lundby, and John Putney. As it stands now, the new
leader of the Iowa Senate GOP, Ron Wieck, has his work cut out for
him.

Labels: state Senate

After yesterday's news that the Republican Leader of the Iowa Senate,
Mary Lundby of Marion, is planning to step down from leadership and
not seek re-election, this has most certainly stirred the Republican
pot of politics a little bit here in Iowa. That's good once in awhile
though. Several people asked me today what I thought about this and so
I thought maybe I would write a little post and then offer up an
endorsement of who I think would be a sufficient replacement for
Lundby. It is prudent to start by thanking Senator Lundby. While she
tends to be much more moderate than I, I think she did the best she
could as leader given the unfortunate electoral realities that the
Grand Ol' Party in the Iowa Senate has to contend with. I fondly
remember her standing up to Governor Vilsack at the end of the 2006
session when the budget was getting hammered out. Lundby leadership
kept it from getting too much further out of control. You can say what
you want about candidate recruitment and fundraising (both things that
leadership plays an important role in) but 2006 just was not the
Republican's year.

Labels: Mary_Lundby, state Senate

Sen. Mike Gronstal and Rep. Kevin McCarthy were in Marshalltown this afternoon to speak about legislative accomplishments. ... Someone else asked about VOICE before I could get a chance to. ... Gronstal responded by saying that he is a fan of getting the influence of money out of politics, but the VOICE legislation had somethings in it that weren't the best. Gronstal talked about the study group created to look into the issue of clean elections. He then said that he will work with groups that are friendly, a clear shot at the incident at the State House with clean elections supporters. ... [McCarthy's issues with VOICE: ] First, the bill includes primaries. McCarthy said that if someone in his district is upset with one of his votes all they would have to do is get 100 people to donate $5 each and they would be eligible for tax payer money to run. Second, McCarthy said the VOICE legislation would make it illegal for House leaders to funnel money to other races. Right now the House leaders are able to raise unlimited amounts of money and then can dish that money out to candidates in targetted races.

Labels: campaign finance, elections, state House, state Senate

... the most disappointing thing about the past legislative session was not the hard left agenda coming out of the Democrat Leadership, which was expected. What bothers me the most is the complete lack of any organized opposition from the minority party in the Senate. Forced unionization sailed through the chamber with barely a murmur or a single tactic to slow it down. What about same day voter registration? I didn't hear about press conference, I didn't read about anyone reciting stories of voter fraud in other states (and the examples are plentiful) on the floor. ... House Rs stopped forced unionization and that was a huge win for not only Republicans but Iowans. Did Senate Republicans win anything out of the last session? The one tool Republicans in the Senate have is the ability to veto any nominations from the governor. So, what did Republicans get utilizing that power? They got an irrelevant promise for a Regent appointment from Western Iowa in 2009 (NOBODY CARES!) and a ton of bad press and pissed off metro area Republicans from the Gene Meyer debacle for their trouble.

Labels: state Senate

............ reality defines as a special interest extravaganza. The Democrat Majority Leader in the Iowa House recently gave his description of the new Democrat majority's accomplishments in their first shot at legislative power. ... Let's take a look at who the Democrats REALLY benefited with this orgy of taxing and spending. ... PRESCHOOLS ... who does it really benefit? A small number of children who don't already have access to preschools, in and of itself of questionable value, can now access government run preschools. Who works in government run preschools? AFSCME members, of course. Even more government jobs in a state that already has six percent of the nation's public employees for one percent of the population. ... STEM CELLS. It's hard to tell who this Frankensteinien legislation benefits other than the pro-abortion lobby. Virtually no scientific data supports the proposition that embryonic stem cells offer more promising human benefit than other form of stem cell research. Certainly no private laboratories are willing to invest their own money in it but what the hell, why not hit and hope from the rough with someone else's money, eh?

Labels: state House, state Senate

... here is my report card on these fine women and men who earn between $50,180 and $65,180 a year to serve us.
+++ Anti-gouging legislation around payday and car title loans. ... Grade: A + ...
+++ The anti-discrimination bill and anti-bullying bill are great legislation and the legislature should be commended for putting aside partisanship to address inequities in our state. ... Grade: A ...
+ Increasing the state minimum wage is half a victory because future increases are not tied to cost of living factors--translated this could mean another 10 years before the minimum wage increases. ... Grade: B
= - Some in the progressive community may disagree with me on this point, but the $100 million fund to "grow our bio-economy, create new jobs and help make Iowa the renewable energy capital of the world" may be a boondoogle, particularly if it ends up mainly supporting the likes of ADM, Mid-American and Alliant Energy. ... Grade: C

Labels: state House, state Senate

... I went back to the State Capitol to hear the House debate on a Standings Appropriations bill (SF 601). Rep. Oldson (D-Polk) began by asking Representives to withdraw ammendments to this bill that are policy based and don't have anything to do with appopriations. This led one Republican Representives to comment that there is so much pork on this bill that he could hear it squeel when it came in. ... The hottest debate was on an ammendment by Rep. Griener (R-Washington) about wild boars and feral swine. I never realized this was such a big issue, but then again I don't live on a farm. The bill would outlaw two breeds of boars and outlaw feral swine. The reasoning is that they spread disease, harm the environment, and damage ecosystems. ... The ammendment ended up passing 50-42. The overall appropriations bill passed in the House 52-39 and later in the Senate 30-19.

Labels: state House, state Senate

Being an ex-intern for the Iowa Senate Democrats and their team cheerleader/critic :-) , it sort of annoys me the inference that the Senate was the last to get this bill and finally approve when it was the first and consistent legislative house that has introduced this bill and got the votes to pass it but it died repeatedly in the House. It has been the House that was the stick in the mud, even with the new Democratic majority and needed the final prodding and concession to the extremely conservative Republican Leaders to include the amendment not undermine the DOMA(Defense of Marriage Act) laws on Iowa's books.

Labels: state House, state Senate

While key legislation hangs in the balance of the DMZ (Democrat Majority Zone), where bills such as VOICE, CAFO, and Civil Rights have been sentenced to solitary confinement, our legislators find refuge in mindless games, such as computer solitaire, on the House and Senate floors. Why engage in meaningful debate, when you can play by yourself? ... In the meantime, since our freshmen lawmakers aren't allowed to pariticpate in the political games, maybe we should put them to work, or give them something to do while killing time. List of Seven Things Freshmen Lawmakers Can Do While Their Leaders Are Off Killing Bills in Committee: 7. Gather holy oils for ceremonial anointment of congressional leaders' feet when they descend upon the den of slackdom and impart their representative wisdom 6. Download music, ring tones, and games before the tax hammer falls ...

Labels: state House, state Senate

Dear Members of the Iowa General Assembly, The 32,000 members of the Iowa State Education Association would like to thank you for the landmark piece of legislation, Senate File 277. This bill at long last fulfills the promises made in the Teacher Quality law of 2001, creates a new collaborative professional development system, and improves the accountability system so all educators are focused on increasing student achievement. ... Thank you for including area education agency professionals and school nurses in the teacher salary increases. ... Thank you for creating pilot projects that will study pay-for-performance and career ladders instead of implementing them immediately. ... Thank you for developing an administrator improvement and accountability system similar to the system for teachers. And finally, thanks to all of you for truly making a difference for children and public education in Iowa.

Labels: ISEA, state House, state Senate

Senate Republicans who voted to scuttle Gene Meyer's appointment to lead the Iowa Department of Public Safety are certain to face some pretty intense lobbying over the next 24 hours to change their minds. Meyer fell two votes short Tuesday night of the 34 needed for confirmation, thanks to 18 Republicans who voted no. ... GOP senators have been receiving calls from prominent West Des Moines business leaders urging them to reconsider. Gov. Chet Culver held a news conference Tuesday morning decorated with more state troopers and law officers than you would find at a crime scene. Some House Republicans also showed up to chide their Senate colleagues. Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby says lobbying won't work. Senators are sticking to their guns, arguing that a longtime insider like Meyer would make a poor director. But more than a few Statehouse types are wondering whether Senate Republicans picked the wrong fight.

Labels: Chet_Culver, state Senate

Senate Republicans are demanding affirmative political action and have accused Governor Culver of regionalism in his Board of Regents appointments. Not one of the appointees is from western Iowa, home of the University of…? ... Nobody said living the life of a minority is easy, even in the world of politics. No? Just ask gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgendered persons in Iowa, who can't even get basic protections against discrimination added to the state's civil rights code. And now, having only suffered three harrowing months as the minority party, the Iowa GOP has had enough and intends to stand up for their rights. ... The GOP may want to consider other solutions before drawing a line in the political sand. For instance, they should inspire a succession. Just as West Des Moines succeeded from Des Moines and created its own governing municipality, western Iowa should do the same. Western Iowa can formulate its own government leadership and build its own University.

Labels: Board of Regents, Chet_Culver, state Senate, University of Iowa

... we're going to take a look at the three most vulnerable seats that the Democrats have to defend. ... 1. Frank Wood (parts of Clinton and Scott Counties) In 2004, Wood defeated incumbent Republican State Senator Bryan Sievers in a race that was decided by less than 500 votes. ... Even with a strong top of the ticket with Bruce Braley and Tom Harkin, Wood will face a very tough fight in this Republican-leaning district. ... Tom Hancock (Jones and parts of Delaware and Dubuque Counties) In 2004, Tom Hancock defeated incumbent State Senator Julie Hosch by 122 votes. ... The district is very competitive, although Democrats have a registration advantage of 1,500 over the Republicans, over 40% of the voters are independents. ... 3. Tom Rielly (Keokuk and Poweshiek Counties, parts of Iowa, Mahaska and Tama Counties) Tom Rielly's district is more Republican than that of any other Democratic State Senator up for election in 2008. However, Rielly has a solid base of support in otherwise heavily Republican Mahaska County (a county that is so Republican that Bill Clinton only received 40% of the vote there in 1996).

Labels: state Senate

... Sandy Greiner, the eight term Republican incumbent from House District 89 (Washington County along with parts of Johnson and Jefferson Counties) will not seek re-election. Greiner faced a very competitive challenge from Mark Nolte in 2006 who, despite running in a heavily Republican district (2,000 more Republicans than Democrats) and not being a targeted candidate, lost by only 1,100 votes. Nolte was a long shot against Greiner in 2006 but he should be a very competitive candidate in 2008 since he will not be facing an incumbent. Greiner's retirement is the first of an expected wave of retirements among Republican lawmakers who have no desire to serve in the minority. It is typical for a minority party that has just lost power after a long reign as the majority to endure a wave of retirements.

Labels: state Senate

... Although the Democrats picked up seats in 2004 to reach a 25-25 tie in the Senate, the Republicans will still be defending 15 seats in 2008, 5 more than the Democrats. ... Here are a list of the three most vulnerable seats that the divided Republican caucus will have to defend in 2008: 1. Larry McKibben (Marshall and Hardin Counties). McKibben represents a district that Chet Culver won by nearly 1500 votes in 2006. It consists of Marshall County, a traditionally strong Democratic county and Hardin, a mildly Republican leaning county. In 2004, McKibben edged out the Democratic candidate, Wayne Sawtelle, a labor activist, by less than 800 votes. McKibben owed his victory to piling up a huge lead in Hardin County, despite running significantly behind George Bush in Marshall County. ... 2. James Hahn (Cedar, most of Muscatine and a little of Johnson counties). ... The 2004 Democratic candidate for U.S. House, long-shot Dave Franker will be replaced on the ticket by incumbent Representative Dave Loebsack. This means there will be a whole lot more resources available in Muscatine County, a county which isn't that important in a statewide race but is a crucial swing county in the 2nd Congressional District. ... 3. Mary Lundby (Linn) ... Her socially moderate views make her a good fit for a State Senate district that has about 12,000 Democrats, 12,000 Republicans and 17,000 Independents in the suburbs of Cedar Rapids that she won with nearly 60% of the vote in 2004. However, it does not make her a good fit in the Republican Party of Iowa which is dominated by social conservatives.

Labels: state Senate