IowaPolitics.com: Election Blog

There's little recourse for the estimated 100 Woodbury County residents who received the wrong House district ballot inside their absentee ballot envelope, Deputy Secretary of State Linda Langenberg said today.

"Not at this point," she said, noting that the ballots would have been sorted by precinct, mingled and taken out of the affidavit envelope. "Once it's out of that envelope, there's no way of knowing whose ballot it is."

A new law requiring absentee ballots to be sorted by precinct helped to cause the problem with the wrong ballots, Langenberg said. The law meant that a satellite voting station could have 140 different ballot styles and would have to figure out the correct one for each voter. Langenberg said none of those votes in House races where voters got the wrong ballot can be counted.

About 1,500 absentee ballots were being counted this afternoon in Woodbury County, where at least one legislative race still hangs in the balance. The board met at noon and as of 3:45 p.m., neither Langenberg nor the Republican or Democratic leadership knew the results of that count. A follow-up call to Woodbury County Auditor Patrick Gill was not returned.

Still undetermined was the race between incumbent state Rep. Wes Whitead, D-Sioux City, and Republican challenger Jeremy Taylor in House District 1. Whitead was six votes ahead before the final tally of absentee ballots.

Labels: 2008_election

Iowa appears to have set a record for the number of voters in the 2008 general election but not the percentage who turned out, according to adjusted numbers from the Iowa secretary of state's office.

New numbers show a turnout of 1.52 million voters -- about 70.8 percent of the 2.15 million registered to vote when the polls opened. That's more voters than the 1.51 million who voted in 2004, but a smaller percentage than the 72 percent who participated four years ago.

Iowa's record for voter turnout was set in 1992, when 80 percent of registered voters turned out to vote. However, there were fewer people registered at that time.

This morning's numbers were adjusted because Polk County's vote counts were accidentally counted twice in the secretary of state's unofficial tally. An official count has yet to be released.

For results, go to: http://www.iowaelectionresults.gov/

Labels: 2008_election

Traders on the University of Iowa's Iowa Electronic Markets (IEM) predicted from the start that the Democratic nominee for president would be the likely winner of the 2008 popular vote.

Their foresight proved accurate Tuesday, as Barack Obama was elected president and the Democratic contract on the IEM's Winner Take All market paid $1.

Since the Winner Take All market opened in June 2006, the Democratic contract never once dropped in value below the Republican contract.

As of midnight Central Time Monday, 439,431 contracts had been traded on the Winner Take All market since the market opened, for a total value of $204,536. The normalized prices at midnight the day before the election, which are used to determine the market's predictive capability, indicated a 90 percent probability that the Democratic candidate would win the popular vote.

Read more about the IEM and this election

Labels: 2008_election

New leadership may be in the works for Iowa Republicans following last night's failure to regain control of the Iowa Legislature, according to a top legislative Democrat.

"The Republican Party is expected to name a new state chair," Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said this morning during a live online chat on DesMoinesRegister.com. "And my Republican sources are saying that Senator Wieck, the Senate Minority leader, and Rep. Rants, the House Minority Leader, will face leadership challenges after losing seats last night."  

Rants declined to discuss his own fate, but said: "I think our party needs to continually re-evaluate how we approach elections and the early voting. The election day has stretched from 24 hours to 24 days. I will credit the Democrats in their ability to get low propensity voters in the bank before they turn loose the negative ads. The R's have to find a way to replicate it. We've prided ourselves for too long on a 72-hour turnout program, that wins on election day, but doesn't bank enough votes beforehand."

Labels: 2008_election

Iowa legislative leaders confirmed this morning that Democrats held the majority in the Iowa House 55-44, with at least one race in Sioux City yet to be settled with the counting of absentee ballots, and up to three recounts in races won by razor-thin margins.

The recounts are expected in Iowa House races, including two where the margin was razor-thin and one where 1,500 ballots have yet to be counted.

A recount is expected in House District 8, where longtime state Rep. Dolores Mertz, D-Ottosen, who is seeking her 10th term in the Iowa House, is leading Republican Stephen Richards of Algona by 42 votes. Republicans are expected to request the recount after the county has its canvass.

Another recount is expected in House District 37, where Republican Renee Schulte defeated Democratic state Rep. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids by 47 votes.

The race yet to be finalized in Woodbury County is House District 1, where incumbent Rep. Wes Whitead, D-Sioux City, was six votes ahead of Republican challenger Jeremy Taylor before the final tally of absentee ballots.

Woodbury County Auditor Patrick Gill said 1,500 ballots cast at a satellite voting station the day before Election Day have yet to be counted.

In addition, about 100 absentee ballots mailed to people in Woodbury County's five legislative districts had the wrong House district ballot inside the envelope. Gill said this was not discovered until the ballots were counted. He said the small number was among 17,000 ballots and would account for less than 30 ballots per House district.

"That's not a good thing," he said.

Labels: 2008_election

Democratic leaders said after 1 a.m. that they've picked up at least one seat in the Iowa House and now have a 54-44 advantage, with the potential of retaining two Sioux City seats that they said are still too close to call until the Woodbury County auditor completes counting absentee ballots on Wednesday morning.

A call to House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, was not returned.

Meanwhile, at least two Democratic incumbents and three Republican incumbents were defeated:

* State Rep. Jamie Van Fossen, R-Davenport, the once-prominent chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, was defeated by Democrat Phyllis Thede by 1,761 votes -- 56 to 44 percent. The race was tied until absentee ballots were counted.

* State. Rep. Dan Rasmussen, R-Independence, was defeated by Democrat Gene Ficken of Independence, 53 to 47 percent.

* State Rep. Tami Wiencek, R-Waterloo, the former TV anchor, was defeated by former University of Iowa football player Kerry Burt by 147 votes. This seat was reclaimed by Democrats; it was formerly held by longtime legislator Don Shoultz.

* Freshman state Rep. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids, was defeated by Republican Renee Schulte by just 47 votes in House District 37.

* Rep. Mark Davitt, D-Indianola, was defeated by 169 votes by Republican Ken Sorenson in House District 74.

While AP results initially showed that Democratic Rep. Elesha Gayman of Davenport was defeated, a final tally with absentee votes showed she won by 796 votes against Republican Ross Paustian of Walcott in House District 84, a margin of 52.5 to 47.5 percent.

"We are humbled by the victories Iowans have given us tonight," said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines. "These have been hard-fought races and our congratulations and thanks go out to all who participated. It is clear from the results that Iowans want us to continue to focus on the bread-and-butter issues that really matter in their lives and we will do so in a bipartisan and fiscally responsible manner."

House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, said middle-class families in Iowa will benefit the most from the wins made by House Democrats tonight. "Iowans can trust us to keep the state's fiscal house in order with a balanced budget and strong reserves while providing more economic security for Iowans through good-paying jobs, a world class education, expanded renewable energy and affordable health care," he said.

The races that Democrats say are still too close to call are in House District 1, where incumbent Rep. Wes Whitead, D-Sioux City, was tied at 50 percent with Republican challenger Jeremy Taylor. Whitead was six votes ahead before the final tally of absentee ballots.

House Democrats were also calling the race between incumbent Rep. Roger Wendt, D-Sioux City, and Republican challenger Rick Bertrand in House District 2 too close to call. Wendt was 191 votes ahead of Bertrand, 51 to 49 percent, before absentee ballots.

In other close races, Republican Nick Wagner defeated Democrat Gretchen Lawyer, 55.5 to 44.5 percent, in the competitive open race to replace state Rep. Swati Dandekar in House District 36. Democratic Rep. Eric Palmer of Oskaloosa won in his rematch against former House assistant Republican leader Danny Carroll of Grinnell, 54 to 46 percent.

With this new House tally, it appears that at least five incumbents in the House (three Republicans, two Democrats) and three in the Senate (one Republican, two Democrats) have been unseated. That number could change with Woodbury County's final tally Wednesday morning, and with possible recounts.

Labels: 2008_election

In a switch from the last congressional election, Iowans went to the polls Tuesday and re-elected all six of their incumbent congressmen, sending Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin to another term and keeping the margin in the U.S. House at three Democrats and two Republicans.

The votes to keep the incumbents in office meant that it will be at least another two years before Iowa elects its first congresswoman. Dem challenger Becky Greenwald and GOP challenger Mariannette Miler-Meeks both lost their races and missed their chances to make Iowa history.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, who picked up key support in Johnson County two years ago to defeat 30-year Republican incumbent Jim Leach, held on to office in his first re-election battle. He defeated Miller-Meeks, who could not overcome the significant voter turnout in the Iowa City/Coralville area.

Loebsack garnered 57 percent of the vote Tuesday to defeat Miller-Meeks, who was one of two congressional challengers fighting to become the first female elected to Congress. Miller-Meeks said she was caught up in a Democratic wave that began in 2006 and carried into the ballot boxes on Tuesday.

"I think we were positive and focused on the issues, and we came up short," Miller-Meeks said.

U.S. Rep. Steve King, acknowledged that Democratic wave as he discussed how he and 4th District Republican incumbent Tom Latham managed to hold their seats. Latham told supporters his campaign ran its race as if it were 10 points down throughout the general election process. Latham beat Democratic challenger Greenwald with 60 percent of the vote.

"Tom Latham and I swam against the tide," King said. In his fourth election, King accomplished a first in his congressional bids -- he won all 32 counties. "It gives me a sense of accomplishment. Our goal really was shooting for 60 percent and winning all 32 counties."

U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell's race was the closest one of the night, but he still won easily. Boswell held off GOP challenger Kim Schmett in the 3rd District in capturing 56 percent of the vote.

"We've got a long list of things to do and we are going to get a lot done in the next two years," he said. "And in answer to the question that I am always asked: Yes -- without hesitation -- I will run again."

U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, a first-term Democrat, won re-election Tuesday by defeating GOP state Sen. Dave Hartsuch with 64 percent of the vote. Republican insiders said Hartsuch lacked the campaign money, staff, infrastructure and party support to ever launch a legitimate challenge.

"He didn't have the money, staff, infrastructure or party support," a GOP insider said. "He didn't have a chance the day he filed his papers."

The sixth Iowa incumbent to claim victory Tuesday was long-time Democratic lawmaker U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin. He defeated GOP challenger Christopher Reed by a 62 percent to 38 percent margin.

"I just wanted to say .... I'm Tom Harkin and I approve this election for a fifth term in the United States Senate," Harkin said. "Indeed, this is a historic night for Iowa ... and it looks like it will be for our nation, as well.

My fellow Iowans, you have spoken. You have turned out in record numbers and you have once again placed your trust in me. For that, I am eternally grateful, humbled ... and ready to get back to work with a new president and a new congress focused on new priorities to bring our country together."

Labels: 2008_election

As Republicans lost congressional seats across the nation, U.S. Rep. Steve King has a guess about what is to come under an administration led by president-elect Barack Obama and a Dem-controlled Congress.

"It will be a San Francisco agenda on steroids," King said of the proposals he expects from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

King said he fears a newly elected President Obama holding closed-door meetings with Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to set forth policies that could cause hardships for Americans.

The outspoken GOP congressman said he will push for more transparency in American government. Another initiative he said he will push for is a fair tax, in which Americans are taxed on consumption and not productivity.

Democratic 5th District challenger Rob Hubler summarized his loss to King in one word -- money.

"Politics is predicated on the amount of money you raise and spend," he said.

Hubler said he was outspent 2-to-1 by King during the campaign, and noted candidates in rural districts are at an disadvantage when it comes to receiving campaign funds from national groups.

"The real emphasis is where can you put the money and get instant gratification," Hubler said. "We could not get that message out there."

Hubler praised the campaign he and his team ran against King, who was elected to Congress in 2002. He added the team he put together could be a strong conduit for future Democratic candidates who run in the Republican stronghold.

Labels: 2008_election

Democrats have retained control of the Iowa Legislature, while Associated Press results show at least three Iowa Senate incumbents -- two Democrats and one Republican -- appear to have lost their bids for re-election.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs said Democrats have won 53 seats in the House, and could get up to 56. They currently hold a 53-47 majority in the House.

Meanwhile, he predicted that Democrats will increase their advantage in the Senate to 32 or 33 seats, although some races are very close and may involve recounts. Democrats currently have a 30-20 advantage.

"We're pretty confident as we said from the start that we're going to be at a new record in the Iowa Senate," Gronstal said.

Three incumbents have been upset, according to unofficial results from the Associated Press:

* Democrat Mary Jo Wilhelm of Cresco, a Realtor and certified residential appraiser, defeated incumbent state Rep. Mark Zieman, R-Postville, by 52 to 48 percent in Senate District 8.

* State Sen. Frank Wood, D-Eldridge, was defeated by 1,329 votes in Senate District 42 by Republican challenger Shawn Hamerlinck.

* Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, in Senate District 10 lost his re-election by just 90 votes to Republican Walt Rogers. This is one of the close races that Gronstal predicted a recount.

Meanwhile, state Rep. Swati Dandekar won her race for Senate District 18, which is being vacated by former Republican leader Mary Lundby. She defeated Republican Joe Childers, 54 to 46 percent. She had a tremendous cash advantage and was aided by out-of-state contributions.

Democrat Steve Sodders of State Center defeated Republican Jarret Heil, 55 to 45 percent, in Senate District 22. And former state Sen. Merlin Bartz, a Grafton Republican, will make a comeback to the Iowa Senate in District 6. He defeated Democrat Doug Thompson, 49 to 43 percent.

As for the big picture on whether an increased margin in the Senate would make a difference, Gronstal said: "Expanding our numbers in the Senate is a sign that some of the politically tough times that we've had to deal with, like the smoking ban and making significant investments that do involve spending more money in higher education and teacher pay ... expanding our majority is a sign that the public feels those were good things that we did. We are on the right track."

In the tied House race between state Rep. Jamie Van Fossen and Democratic challenger Phyllis Thede, Gronstal said absentee ballots have yet to be counted. And Democrats have been ahead in the race for early ballots. "That plays to our advantage," he said.

Labels: 2008_election

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Democratic Party's gathering





Republican Party's gathering

Labels: 2008_election

Control of the Iowa House still remained largely undecided at 11:30 p.m. with one vote, 50 votes and 99 votes separating candidates in some legislative races. At least one Democratic incumbent had been upset.

Iowa House Democratic leaders decided to forego the celebration at the Hotel Fort Des Moines and were instead in the office crunching numbers. Spokesman Dean Fihr said they did not have a good sense on the big picture yet on whether Democrats retained control of the Iowa House.

"It's going to be a late night," he said.

Democratic Rep. Elesha Gayman of Davenport, a freshman who initially won her election to House District 84 by a very narrow margin, was defeated tonight by Republican Ross Paustian of Walcott, a fifth-generation crop and livestock farmer. The vote was 54 to 46 percent.

Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Jamie Van Fossen of Davenport, the former House Ways and Means chairman who is seeking his eighth term to House District 81, was tied with Democrat Phyllis Thede of Bettendorf. Both had 50 percent of the vote -- Van Fossen with 3,944 votes and Thede with 3,945 votes with nine out of 10 precincts reporting.

Other results from the Associated Press show:

-- Democrat Gretchen Lawyer was ahead of Republican Nick Wagner in the competitive open race to replace state Rep. Swati Dandekar in House District 36. But only 50 votes separated them and only 7 out of 16 precincts had reported.

-- Republican Rep. Dan Rasmussen of Independence, who is seeking his fourth term in House District 23, was ahead of Democratic challenger Gene Ficken of Independence by just 99 votes with 20 out of 21 precincts reporting.

-- Republican Rep. Tami Wiencek of Waterloo fended off a challenge from Democrat Kerry Burt, 54 to 46 percent, in House District 21.

-- Democratic Rep. Art Staed of Cedar Rapids, who is serving his first term in House District 37, was ahead of Renee Schulte of Cedar Rapids, 54 to 46 percent, but only 5 out of 11 precincts had reported.

-- Democratic Rep. Eric Palmer of Oskaloosa appeared to be ahead in the rematch against former House assistant Republican leader Danny Carroll of Grinnell, 57 to 43 percent, but only 7 out of 14 precincts were in.

-- Democratic Rep. Paul Shomshor of Council Bluffs won re-election over his Republican opponent Scott Belt, 52 to 48 percent, in House District 100.

-- Democratic Rep. McKinley Bailey held off a challenge by Republican Jamie Johnson in House District 9, 55 to 45 percent.

-- Democrat Sharon Steckman, a retired teacher, defeated Republican City Councilman Scott Tornquist for an open House seat, 57 to 43 percent in House District 13. The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Bill Schickel, who's retiring.

Meanwhile, Iowa Republicans had abandoned the party at the downtown Marriott by about 11 p.m. Iowa Democrats also left the party at the Hotel Fort Des Moines shortly after Barack Obama gave his victory speech.

Labels: 2008_election

Gov. Chet Culver, who was invited to attend President-elect Obama's event tonight in Chicago, congratulated President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden on their victory in this historic election.

"Both President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden have strong ties to Iowa, and I look forward to working with them and their transition team in the days ahead to ensure the hopes, dreams, and concerns of Iowans are front and center as the new administration takes shape," Culver said in a press release. "Because Iowa's concerns truly are national concerns, I stand ready to work together with our next president and vice president to help take our country in a new direction, of opportunity for all Iowans and all Americans."

Culver said Obama's emphasis on renewable energy will help create even more 'green jobs' in Iowa so the state can be less dependent on foreign oil. Culver also congratulated U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin and members of the congressional delegation.

"Ten months ago yesterday, the journey we celebrate tonight began on a cold winter night in Iowa," Culver said, referring to the Iowa caucuses in January. "All of the candidates, both Democrats and Republicans, who competed in the Iowa caucuses deserve our appreciation, as do the hundreds of thousands of Iowans who took part in the first step in the road to the White House. Today, in what appears to be a near-record voter turnout, Iowans showed that our system works and that the American dream is alive and well in our state."

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With nearly 60 percent of the vote tallied, incumbent Fourth District Congressman Tom Latham has fended off Democratic challenger Becky Greenwald. Latham thanked his staff, supporters and county chairs just after 10:30 p.m. in Ames.

"This campaign was run like we were 10 points behind the whole time," Latham said with his family joining him on stage.

With 85 percent of the precincts reporting, Latham held a 60-40 advantage over Greenwald.

In her speech, Greenwald thanked Latham for a hard-fought campaign, and added she hopes that the Iowa delegation will work with President Obama to make a change for working families.

Labels: 2008_election

Just before Barack Obama took the stage in Chicago to give his victory speech, Stewart Iverson, chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, tried his best to cheer the crowd up at the Marriott in downtown Des Moines. He told fellow Republicans to look ahead to the governor's race in 2010 and the next presidential election in 2012.

"The biggest thing is we've got to keep the faith, we've got to keep going," Iverson said. "We've got another election two years from now and four years from now. We've got to have the passion, we've got to have the desire because if you don't have the desire you're not going to be successful. It didn't gel, but you know what, there's always tomorrow, and if we give up on thinking for tomorrow and voting for tomorrow, then we've lost."

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After a prolonged celebration of chants and general jubilation, Iowa Democrats settled long enough to hear briefly from the newly re-elected Congressman Leonard Boswell.

"I've always been an optomist and tonight we have seen it -- yes we can do it," Boswell shouted to the throng of supporters.

Boswell was the last elected official slated to address the gathering downtown tonight, and he assured those in attendance he was just as energized as those in the room, and across the country.

"We've got a long list of things to do and we are going to get a lot done in the next two years," he said. "And in answer to the question that I am always asked: Yes -- without hesitation -- I will run again."

Labels: 2008_election

Minutes after John McCain gave his concession speech, Dave Roederer, Iowa chairman of the McCain campaign, spoke to the crowd of GOP supporters gathered at the Marriott in downtown Des Moines.

"The outcomes aren't always as our desires, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the time and effort and the devotion that people put into this effort wasn't worth the time and the energy," Roederer said. "Sometimes it just doesn't come out the way we wanted. I personally thank, on behalf of all the Iowa campaign, Senator McCain and Governor Palin for keeping the faith alive and continuing to battle to the very end."

Roederer continued: "You may not realize this folks, but we set a record in this campaign. Throughout the state of Iowa we contacted more voters in this election than has ever been done in the history of this state. There was a record done four years ago and we broke that record by several thousand contacts. This was done by you folks, and I see many of you here who come in day in and day out. You did anything that was asked of you. Again, while results aren't as we would have like and certainly not what we were hoping for, I do want to thank you very very much for everything you have done."

Meanwhile, Republicans were still hopeful that they'd regain control of the Iowa House. Early in the evening, they had captured four open seats in the Des Moines metro area.

"Our goal is 51," said House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City. "I think we can get to 51. Looks like we're running strong tonight. We're heading to an age when Election Day isn't 24 hours. It's 24 days, and candidates are going to have to adjust to that."

Rants was trying to make the point that absentee ballots, as much as Election Day turnout, are becoming a very big part of Iowa elections.

Labels: 2008_election

CBS News has called four of Iowa's congressional races for the incumbents.

Only the race between U.S. Rep. Tom Latham and Democratic challenger Becky Greenwald hasn't been called. Latham is leading 61 percent to 39 percent, with 282 of 454 precincts reporting.

In the four other races, CBS called:
--U.S. Bruce Braley the winner over David Hartsuch, 64 to 36 percent.
--U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack the winner over Mariannette Miller-Meeks, 59 to 37 percent.
--U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell the winner over Republican Kim Schmett, 56 to 42 percent.
--U.S. Rep. Steve King the winner over Rob Hubler, 62 to 36 percent.

The vote totals are not yet final in any of the races.

See the CBS results

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With 72 percent of Iowa precincts reporting, the Associated Press is reporting Democrat Barack Obama's lead over Republican John McCain in Iowa as 54 percent to 45 percent.

That's 580,119 votes to 489,521 votes -- the widest margin in Iowa in the past eight years.

Labels: 2008_election

An MSNBC exit poll of Iowa voters showed that 61 percent said the economy is the most important issue facing the nation, and 57 percent decided before September whom to vote for in the presidential election.

When asked what mattered most in their decision, 37 percent said they felt their choice for president could bring about needed change, while 29 percent said he shares my values. Fifty-one percent said they strongly disapproved of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president.

On the economy, 46 percent said the condition of the nation's economy is poor, while 44 percent said it is "not so good."

The exit poll showed that 70 percent of Iowa voters felt McCain attacked Obama unfairly, while only 52 percent felt that Obama attacked McCain unfairly.

Federal government subsidies for ethanol was not a big issue among voters. Forty-eight
percent said they only somewhat supported such subsidies, which were openly opposed by McCain.

A look at the demographic of Iowa voters showed:
-- 53 percent of them were women, while 47 percent were men.
-- 38 percent were between the ages of 45 and 64, while 27 percent were between the ages of 30 and 44.
-- 91 percent were white
-- 9 percent said they were first-time voters.

See details from the exit poll

Labels: 2008_election

"Obviously we're still counting votes, but it's not looking good," said Dave Roederer, chairman of McCain's Iowa campaign, in reaction to Obama winning Iowa and the nation. "We're disappointed that Senator McCain doesn't appear to have won it. We felt we were doing pretty good until the economic tsunami hit and I think Republicans got wrongfully blamed for that."

Iowa Republicans at the Marriott in downtown Des Moines booed as U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin made his televised acceptance speech, just as the crowd surrounding John McCain did as he made his concession speech and said he called Obama to congratulate him.

The party of Iowa Republicans seemed to be dying down quite a bit after 10 p.m. and more drinks were evident.

Labels: 2008_election

The crowd at the Hotel Fort Des Moines has grown to an excess of 500, all of whom initiated a two-minute long string of applause, shouts, and hugs at the news of CNN projecting Obama to be the next president.

"I have never been more excited about anything political," Shanna Johnson, a Des Moines Obama support said. "We have come so far and this is only the beginning of really amazing things. America is changing. It's changing."

Labels: 2008_election

Shortly after 10 p.m., as polls closed on the West Coast, the major TV networks declared the presidential race for Barack Obama.

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Though media outlets have called U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin the winner for his U.S. Senate seat, his challenger Republican Christopher Reed wasn't quite ready to throw in the towel.

With 35 percent of the vote in, Harkin holds a 63-37 percent margin over Reed. However, the Reed campaign is awaiting returns from western Iowa and isn't ready to proclaim Harkin the winner.

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Lt. Gov. Patty Judge announced that Gov. Chet Culver left Iowa earlier today to make it to Chicago for Barack Obama's victory celebration in Grant Park. She thanked everyone who worked to elect Democrats in the state, but quickly turned attention back to the presidential race.

"The real reason for feeling special tonight is the story of Barack Obama," Judge said.

Judge made reference to a pending "Obama landslide."

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller also addressed the crowd, taking a more humble tone than many of the other Obama supporters who continue to speak of their ever-present confidence.

"We hoped we'd get here, but really really didn't always know," Miller said.

Miller thanked everyone who participated in the caucuses -- particularly those who supported candidates other than Obama but have since thrown their support to the party's nominee.

"This is a textbook example of how people should unite," he said.

Labels: 2008_election

Iowa Republicans won four open legislative seats in the Des Moines metro area.

In one of the heavily contested open seats of the Iowa House, Republican attorney Chris Hagenow defeated Windsor Heights Mayor Jerry Sullivan, a Democrat, by just 141 votes -- 8,192 to 8,051. That's 50.4 percent to 49.5 percent, with all precincts reporting in House District 59. The two previous office-holders in that seat were Republicans Dan Clute and Gene Maddox.

Another open seat put Republican Peter Cownie over Democrat Alan Koslow in House District 60 by a margin of 54 to 42 percent, with 11 out of 12 precincts reporting. That seat was vacated by Republican state Rep. Libby Jacobs.

In House District 69, Republican newcomer Erik Helland defeated Democrat Richard Sosalla. And in House District 70, Republican Kevin Koester defeated Democrat Matt Pfaltzgraf.

With 172 of 183 precincts counted, Polk County voters chose Democrat Barack Obama over Republican John McCain, 56 to 42 percent.

Their votes also went to U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin over Republican challenger Christopher Reed, 62 to 38 percent; and to U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell over Republican challenger Kim Schmett, 57 to 41 percent.

Legislative incumbents Kevin McCarthy, Ako Abdul-Samad, Scott Raecker, Rick Olson, Janet Petersen, Brad Zaun, Pat Ward, Dick Dearden, Geri Huser, Jo Oldson, Wayne Ford and Bruce Hunter also won their bids for re-election.

See Polk County election results

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Visit the IowaPolitics.com Election Scorecard or get county-by-county results from Politico.com or the Des Moines Register.

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With just 5 percent of the vote in, KCCI has tabbed incumbent U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin the winner over GOP challenger Christopher Reed. Harkin has 63 percent of the vote so far.

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At the Republican election night party at the Marriott in downtown Des Moines, the mood was more somber than at the Dems' party. When TV networks called the race in Iowa for Democrat Barack Obama promptly at 9 p.m., people booed and some said, “Nobama!” About 100 supporters of Republican John McCain had gathered there. Few smiles could be seen and people didn’t seem too excited.

"I find it interesting since the polls aren't closed yet, but I can't say it surprises me," said Stewart Iverson, chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa. "Polls had him (Obama) up. I think Senator McCain and Governor Palin worked very hard here, but remember, this is the state that got Obama started."

Labels: 2008_election

Minutes before the polls closed in Iowa, approximately 200 Democrats are mingling in the ballroom of the Hotel Fort Des Moines.

At the Election Night party headquarters for the Obama Iowa campaign, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, and U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell, the mood is not one of nervousness.

"We could not be in a better position right now," Iowa Democratic Party press secretary Brooke Borkenhagen said. "I can't imagine what things are like over in at the Republicans' party."

Right at 9 p.m. as polls closed, the TV networks called Iowa for Democrat Barack Obama and there was a small eruption of applause at the Hotel Fort Des Moines.

Labels: 2008_election

See the MSNBC Web site

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Polls are closed across the state of Iowa.

Keep checking this site for results.

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Iowa polls close at 9 p.m. and Deputy Secretary of State Linda Langenberg said Iowa is "right on target" to meet predicted record voter turnout of 75 to 80 percent – which would be between 1.6 million and 1.7 million voters.

"Turnout has been heavy all day," she said. "Things have gone remarkably well in Iowa. There have been a few little hiccups here and there, but nothing major at all."

Langenberg, the former Linn County auditor, said there was some confusion today about Election Day registration. This was the first year that Iowans could register to vote at the polls. She said while no numbers were yet available, it appeared that lots of Iowans took advantage of same-day registration.

Other issues included what poll watchers could do at polling sites, and making sure that they weren't too close to the voters.

The Iowa secretary of state's office is using a new program this year for counties to get results uploaded electronically, instead of reading results over the phone and leaving room for error. Results will soon start pouring in from 1,774 precincts to 99 county auditors, and then to the state. The first data should surface about 9:30 p.m., but full results aren't expected until after midnight.

"There's always some kind of a glitch somewhere," said Langenberg, whose office was fully staffed with 26 people to receive the election results from around the state.

While many of Iowa's neighbors saw their polls close at 8 p.m. -- the networks called Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan for Democrat Barack Obama, and Kansas for Republican John McCain -- Iowa's polls stay open an hour later.

"That makes for a long day," said Langenberg, who's been working since 4 a.m.

In the state's largest county, Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald said everything went smoothly today, with no problems. As of 2 p.m. the state had 79,100 who voted at the polls and had collected a record 70,332 absentee ballots. He estimates by the end of the evening, the county will see 210,000 to 220,000 ballots cast – about 76 to 77 percent of registered voters.

The CNN voter hotline had tracked 137 calls from Iowa, including 34 from Polk County, 10 from Scott County and nine from Pottawattamie County, all home to Iowa's urban areas. Top problems were integrity (14 calls), voter registration (13 calls) and mechanical problems (seven calls).

*See the voter hotline page
*See the Iowa Secretary of State's site

Labels: 2008_election

Democrats and Republicans alike are expecting more than 85 percent voter turnout in Johnson County, and that could spell trouble for 2nd District GOP challenger Mariannette Miller-Meeks, insiders from both parties say.

Incumbent Dave Loebsack was propelled to victory in Johnson County in 2006 when he captured his seat from long-time Congressman Jim Leach.

"Johnson County was always a tall mountain to climb," a GOP operative said.

One Republican insider said the Johnson County turnout could result in a three to four point win for Loebsack when the final vote is tallied.

In the 1st Congressional District, Democratic and Republican insiders say they believe Congressman Bruce Braley's seat is safe.

"(GOP challenger and state senator Dave Hartsuch) didn't have the money, staff, infrastructure or party support," a GOP insider said. "He didn't have a chance the day he filed his papers."

Labels: 2008_election

CNN, CBS and ABC News have called four states in the upper Midwest -- Minesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan -- for Democrat Barack Obama.

ABC and CBS have called Kansas for Republican John McCain, while CNN has not yet called that state.

Labels: 2008_election

The first round of national exit polling is in.

The economy is the top issue, cited by 62 percent of those surveyed, according to a report from CNN. Iraq was next at 10 percent, followed by terrorism and health care, both of which clocked in at 9 percent.

At least 40 percent say their family's financial situation has gotten worse in the past four years, according to an Associated Press report on the polling, while a third said it's about the same and a quarter say it's gotten better.

See a roundup of the reports:
http://thepage.time.com/2008/11/04/first-taste-of-the-exit-polls/?xid=rss-page

Labels: 2008_election

Champ at Obama HQ

Champ at Iowa GOP HQ

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A purple eight-foot inflatable mascot named "Champ" -- an animal that's half-elephant, half-donkey -- toured the Des Moines metro area today, taking photos with voters, campaign volunteers and political party officials.

Champ is the logo and mascot for Divided We Fail, the nationwide initiative calling for bipartisan action on health and financial security issues. His message was to end partisan gridlock so policy-makers can deliver bipartisan solutions on health and financial security.

"Champ was warmly and excitedly received throughout the central Iowa area where he traveled," said Pete Jeffries of Divided We Fail. "No matter who wins today on November 4th, come tomorrow November 5th, that governing needs to take place. It needs to happen in a bipartisan way to deliver solutions."

Labels: 2008_election

Several additional blogs have also spent the day tracking voting across the Hawkeye State today.

Among them are Iowa Independent, the blog hosted by the Sioux City Journal, and the blog Popular Progressive, covering Johnson County turnout.

Labels: 2008_election

Linn County Auditor Joel Miller reported no major problems today with the estimated 8,000 to 10,000 voters affected by this year's floods. He said while some of them had questions, it appears that election officials are handling their questions with relative ease.

"I don't think anyone's getting inundated with them," Miller said. "I think it's running well."

Flood-affected voters had the choice of voting in either their old or new precinct, depending on their situation. Cedar Rapids was the hardest-hit by the floods, which displaced residents from about 4,000 homes in 11 voting precincts.

Miller said he believes a lot of those residents chose to vote early, but he didn't have a chance to analyze how many.

Flood relief became an issue on the campaign trail this year. Democratic U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell and Republican challenger Kim Schmett last week clashed sharply in an Iowa Public Radio debate over whether Congress acted too slowly in providing Iowa flood relief because it took a five-week recess and another two weeks after that to act.

Labels: 2008_election

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Labels: 2008_election

The CNN voter hotline (877-GOCNN-08) had tracked 99 complaints in Iowa as of about 3 p.m. They included 27 calls from Polk County, seven from Scott County and six from Black Hawk County. Top problems cited included integrity (10 calls), poll access (6 calls) and identification (3 calls).

Nationwide, there had been 75,336 calls to the CNN voter hotline, including 31,394 complaint calls. The top problem nationwide has involved registration, followed by mechanical problems and poll access.

This is the first general election that Iowa is having same-day voter registration. So far, no major problems at the polls have been reported by election officials or the political parties.

However, Poweshiek County Republican co-chairmen Harry Meek and Rick Jacoby are challenging the absentee ballots cast by 50 Grinnell College students who listed the main campus address and a post office box on their voter registration forms, rather than their specific residence.

Poweshiek County Auditor Diana Dawley said the students have used the school's mailing address in previous years without any complaints. The contested ballots will be reviewed Thursday by a special precinct board. The students live in Iowa House District 75, where state Rep. Eric Palmer, D-Oskaloosa, is facing a re-match with former state Rep. Danny Carroll, R-Grinnell.

Labels: 2008_election

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has 576 volunteers out knocking on doors throughout Iowa today, said Marcia Nichols, legislative director for AFSCME Iowa Council 61.

Nichols was taking a lunch break around 12:45 p.m. today after a morning of door-knocking in the Oskaloosa area in southeast Iowa. "People are really enthusiastic," she said. "We're running into a lot of young people saying this is the first time they're going to get out to vote."

Nichols said there's already been high voter turnout and was predicting another surge at the polls around 4 to 6 p.m. for workers who didn't make it to the polls this morning. However, she said a large number of those she encountered today have already voted or were going to do so during the lunch hour.

AFSCME has had up to 50 staffers on the ground in the last six weeks -- mainly local union members who took a leave from their jobs to work on elections. They have a presence in all of Iowa's 99 counties.

"We've had a huge, huge general election operation," Nichols said. She said in areas like Mills County where AFSCME has 500 members plus their families, "We make the difference in a local election there. Our folks can carry the day in some of these areas."

Labels: 2008_election

There's no sign yet of the early exit poll leaks that led some to believe John Kerry was headed to victory in 2004, but if they do leak early again, one Dem-leaning polling expert has 10 reasons they should be ignored.

Nate Silver, writing on his blog FiveThirtyEight.com, says the polls consistently overstate the Democratic share of the vote, often end up with a non-random sample and have margins of error "somewhere between 50-90% higher than they would be for comparable telephone surveys."

Read his entire post for more

Labels: 2008_election

Most Iowa political insiders agree that the biggest unknown in today's election is control of the Iowa House. That's the spot on the ballot where Republicans feel they may have a chance to see some gains and possibly even retake control.

But House Democrats appear confident they can hold on to enough seats to retain power. House Dems will be live-blogging the results tonight on their Web site at www.iowahouse.org

At least eight Iowa House incumbents face competitive races for re-election. Five Democrats and three Republicans saw their opponents match or exceed their fundraising levels in the past 3 1/2 months.

Those incumbents include Rep. McKinley Bailey, D-Webster City; Rep. Tami Wiencek, R-Waterloo; Rep. Dan Rasmussen, R-Independence; Rep. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids; Rep. Eric Palmer, D-Oskaloosa; Rep. Jamie Van Fossen, R-Davenport; Rep. Elesha Gayman, D-Davenport, and Rep. Paul Shomshor, D-Council Bluffs.

Competitive open races include those between Republican Nick Wagner and Democrat Gretchen Lawyer in Marion's House District 36, Democrat Sharon Steckman vs. Republican Scott Tornquist in Mason City's House District 13, and Jerry Sullivan vs. Chris Hagenow in Windsor Heights' House District 59.

Democrats hold a 10-seat advantage in the Senate, 30-20, and are in no danger of losing control of that body.

On the remainder of the ballot, recent public polls appear to put the presidential race out of reach for Republican John McCain, despite his ticket's late focus on the state. The same goes for incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin in his race against Republican challenger Christopher Reed.

In Iowa's congressional races, Dems are hoping Becky Greenwald can pull off an upset over Republican incumbent Tom Latham while Republicans are looking for a surprise showing from Mariannette Miller-Meeks in her race against first-term Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack.

In Iowa's other U.S. House races -- Democratic incumbent Bruce Braley vs. Republican David Hartsuch, Democratic incumbent Leonard Boswell vs. Republican Kim Schmett and Republican incumbent Steve King vs. Dem Rob Hubler -- most observers expect the incumbents to retain their seats.

Labels: 2008_election

The Service Employees International Union said today that its members are responsible for registering 102,156 new voters in battleground states, including 5,053 new voters in Iowa, said SEIU spokesman Mark McCullough. The national total is equal to more than one new voter per every public school in the United States.

The state effort was done by going door-to-door as well as holding SEIU and Iowans for Health Care events throughout the state. Today, the union is continuing its get-out-the-vote efforts by knocking on doors and making phone calls in 19 battleground states, including Iowa.

UPDATE: Through last night, the union reports making 16,137,541 phone calls in battleground states and key races across the country. Here's how the union framed that number in a note to reporters: "That is more than one call per every acre of corn planted in Iowa in 2007."

Labels: 2008_election

At the open of the polls today the secretary of state's office said 533,967 people had voted absentee -- about 16 percent more than the record 460,000 who voted four years ago in the last presidential election. County auditors are still accepting absentee ballots that were postmarked Monday or that are hand-delivered to county auditor offices before 9 p.m. today. The state reported distributing 588,371 absentee ballots total.

Among the early ballots received, 246,276 came from Democrats, 153,836 from Republicans, 133,536 from independents and 319 from those with the Green or Libertarian parties. Democrats have also in the past had the advantage in early votes, but Republicans said they like to vote at the polls on Election Day.

Labels: 2008_election

Iowa polls opened at 7 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. today for the 2008 general election. Iowans, who kicked off the presidential nominating process 10 months ago with the first-in-the-nation caucuses, today will have their say again.

Some voters reported long lines this morning but said they moved fairly quickly. Poll watchers from both the Republican and Democratic parties are monitoring each polling place for irregularities. While there is generally one poll watcher from each party at each polling site, some targeted places where high turnout is expected may have more than one poll watcher, said Nathan Treloar of the Republican Party of Iowa.

Treloar said some poll watchers called this morning to say that they were being told to stand 20 to 30 feet away, but that situation was remedied with a call to the county auditor to say that poll watchers must be able to see and hear the voting process. No other problems were immediately reported this morning, said Treloar and Jarrett Schneider at the Iowa Secretary of State's office.

"Everything seems to be going well. Everything is going smoothly," said Brooke Borkenhagen of the Iowa Democratic Party. "Iowa has a history of fair and clean elections. Everything is going well so far."

The phone at the Polk County Election Office remained busy for the two hours after polls opened at 7 a.m.

Labels: 2008_election

Iowa Secretary of State Michael Mauro predicted record voter turnout today. The state saw 72 percent of registered voters participate in the 2004 general election. Mauro said he expected Iowa to be at 75 to 80 percent this year.

"That is a phenomenal number," Mauro said. "If we do get that number ... I'm going to say we're going to be close to being top in the nation."

Iowa had a record 2,144,021 registered voters as of Monday morning, although under a new law, voters will be allowed to register at the polls today. Registered voters include 736,337 Democrats, 624,867 Republicans, 781,842 independents and 975 from the Green or Libertarian parties.

New voter registration numbers as of this morning are expected to be released soon.

Labels: 2008_election

A bus carrying U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell, Gov. Chet Culver, Lt. Gov. Patty Judge, and state party chairman Scott Brennan rolled into Des Moines Monday night for an election eve rally at Barack Obama's downtown campaign office.

The delegation of elected officials said they were confident in their presidential candidate's chances and that his opponent would not upset the polls to come from behind.

"I'm not saying McCain is toast, but he is rapidly approaching English muffin territory," Harkin said.

The team of Democrats finished their three-day, 16-city swing through Iowa on Monday in advance of polls opening Tuesday morning.  They joked about traveling together and operating on little rest.

"Sleep just makes you groggy," Culver said.

The party leaders said they were doing all they could to make one final push for Obama in the state.

"The polls look very good, but we can't take anything for granted," Brennan said.

Labels: 2008_election

Both state parties are planning on parties in Des Moines set to start after polls in Iowa close at 9 p.m.

Iowa Democrats will gather at the Hotel Fort Des Moines in the main ballroom on election night. The Obama campaign, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, and U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell will all be there, according to Iowa Democratic Party spokeswoman Brooke Borkenhagen.

Iowa Republicans will have a results-watching party at the downtown Marriott.

Labels: 2008_election

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin urged more than 5,000 enthusiastic Republicans in Dubuque this afternoon to "go with your gut" and vote against higher taxes and for John McCain.

The appeal of the Alaska governor and veep candidate came at a rally full of patriotic messages. Hank Williams Jr. came out on stage with Palin and sang the "Star Spangled Banner'' and later belted out his pro-McCain and Palin version of "Family Tradition."

Dressed in a red jacket and blue jeans, Palin thanked the crowd for waiting so patiently after taking the podium to shrieks of approval.

"We're near the end of a campaign trail that for John McCain has lasted these very many many months. Victory is where he is headed," Palin predicted.

"A few hours from now, the time for choosing is near. Are you ready to carry this state to victory? Are you ready to elect John McCain as president of the United States. Are you ready to send us to Washington to shake things up," Palin asked the crowd, some of whom came over the Mississippi River from Wisconsin.

Palin spoke to the crowd for a half hour before continuing the final leg of her campaign tour. She stayed close to the stump speech, echoing support for the "maverick" and "American hero"  and attacking the Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, "that we're only getting to know in this eleventh hour."

"Do the math, or go with your gut. Obama is for bigger government and higher taxes. See what his intentions are here. It's so phony," she complained.

The Obama campaign was quick to respond to Palin's speech in Dubuque -- drawing the issue back to taxes and the economy, and linking John McCain with President George W. Bush.

"Governor Palin spent a lot of time attacking Senator Obama, but once again failed to identify a single thing she and John McCain would do differently than George W. Bush when it comes to the economy," said Jackie Norris, Obama's Iowa state director. "Senator Obama will cut taxes for 95 percent of workers and their families, while John McCain's plan provides no tax relief to more than 100 million Americans."

Read more IowaPolitics.com coverage of Palin's visit

Labels: 2008_election

Iowa broke the half-million mark today for absentee ballots cast in the 2008 presidential election. As of midday today, 502,964 early absentee ballots had been received by county auditors across the state, according to the Iowa secretary of state's office. The number breaks the record of 460,000 set four years ago.

Iowa Democrats continued to have the advantage in early ballots. As of midday, they had cast 234,387 ballots, compared with 145,118 cast by Republicans, 123,155 by independents and 304 by those in the Libertarian or Green parties. Another 62,999 absentee ballots had been mailed out but not yet received as of midday today.

Early voting closed at 5 p.m. today. Polls in Iowa open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

See the press release

Amid reports of long lines for voting in other states and in anticipation of record turnout at the polls tomorrow, Mauro reminded voters to be patient on Election Day. "Voting will take some time, especially at peak hours throughout the day, when the polls open, over the lunch hour and after work," he said.

Labels: 2008_election

Drake University political science professor Arthur Sanders predicted that Democrats are going to kick themselves for doing "too little, too late" in targeting the race against Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Latham.

"Had the Democrats as a party targeted Tom Latham earlier, they would have had a real shot at that seat," Sanders said. "They have an outside shot at it now. He's much more vulnerable than either side thought originally."

Sanders said the race is still worth watching and Latham recognizes the threat, judging by the kind of ads he's running. Demographics of the district have changed tremendously. But Sanders said the race only became targeted by EMILY'S List -- a Democratic group that endorses pro-choice, female candidates -- about six weeks ago, when it should have been targeted about 10 months ago to really have an impact.

But Greenwald spokeswoman Erin Seidler said Greenwald has done well, given that she started her campaign seven months ago.

"Becky greatly appreciates all of the support for her campaign. She didn't start her race for Congress until March, and then had to win a four-way primary," Seidler said. "Since her decisive win in the primary, her campaign has gained momentum capped off this week with a Research 2000 Poll showing her within the margin of error. This poll just shows what we are seeing and hearing across the 4th District."

As Iowans prepare to go to the polls, Iowa newspapers are laying out which candidates they think are most worthy of readers' votes.

A count of Iowa newspaper endorsements shows that at the top of the ticket, Democratic candidate Barack Obama has eight editorial boards in his corner to Republican John McCain's four.

Some of the papers with the largest circulations in the state – The Des Moines Register and the Quad-City Times, along with the Iowa City Press-Citizen – have endorsed Obama. Obama also got the nod from the Mason City Globe Gazette, which endorsed President Bush in 2004. But the Cedar Rapids Gazette on Sunday endorsed Republican John McCain for president, saying his approach is best aligned to spur economic recovery.

See an IowaPolitics.com round-up of newspaper endorsements in the presidential race and Iowa's congressional races

Labels: 2008_election

Iowa legislative candidates who matched or exceeded incumbents' fund-raising over three months of the campaign continued to do well in the last two weeks, while Democratic and Republican parties lent a helping hand to these races with thousands of dollars in TV ads and direct mail pieces.

Campaign finance reports that were due Friday for the two weeks between Oct. 15 and Oct. 28 show Democrats' House Truman Fund helped with media buys, TV ads and direct mail worth $279,812 to Rep. Elesha Gayman of Davenport, $251,416 to Phyllis Thede of Bettendorf, $81,629 to Rep. Art Staed of Cedar Rapids, $41,704 to Gene Ficken of Independence and $40,801 to Rep. Eric Palmer of Oskaloosa.

The Iowa Republican Party also helped with TV ad buys and direct mailings, but not to the same extent. Its help was valued at $26,867 to Scott Belt of Council Bluffs, $23,659 to Rep. Dan Rasmussen of Independence and $11,978 to Rep. Tami Wiencek of Waterloo. Help from outside groups such as the conservative American Future Fund, which has run ads that compliment Republicans and criticize Democrats, was not included in the reports.

Read an IowaPolitics.com analysis of the Oct. 15-28 finances in a few of the most competitive races.

Labels: 2008_election

Iowa State University political scientists say John McCain may be running out of time and options that would allow him to rally for victory by Tuesday.

"You know, Sen. McCain can hope that the economy will suddenly turn around, which is not very likely," said ISU political science professor Steffen Schmidt. "That is now his biggest liability and unfortunately, presidential candidates really can't do anything about the economy."

ISU professors say McCain's surprise choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate initially brought him up in the polls -- allowing him to briefly pass Obama following the Republican National Convention. But Palin's now become a liability, according to polls showing that the majority of American voters find her unprepared to be president if called upon. The Palin decision may ultimately play a big hand in McCain's election day fate.

"John McCain had a difficult choice in what to do," said Dianne Bystrom, director of ISU's Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics. "He's made his political life by primarily appealing to independents as a maverick. ...I think he tried to excite the base of the party with Palin's selection, while still appealing to independents and mavericks."

See the ISU press release for more

Labels: 2008_election