Socialists file for governor, 3rd congressional district, ag secretary

Candidates from the Socialist Workers Party are filing the paperwork today to put their names on the November ballot for the Iowa governor’s race and for the third district congressional seat currently held by Congressman Leonard Boswell (D-Des Moines).  Read the news release belowl

Socialists to challenge Culver and Branstad, Boswell and Zaun

David Rosenfeld, Socialist Workers Party candidate for governor,  and Rebecca Williamson, SWP candidate for U.S. Representative, to file nominating petitions

“Workers must fight to defend ourselves in the
face of the economic depression,” Rosenfeld says

Read more

Funk for Supervisor

Dave Funk got 22 percent of the votes cast in the June Primary and finished third in the seven-person race for the Republican Party’s nomination in Iowa’s third congressional district.  Funk, who got the support of many “Tea Party” activists, is officially a candidate for Polk County Supervisor this morning.

Funk endorsed both Brad Zaun, the winner of the third district GOP primary, and Terry Branstad, the winner of the GOP’s gubernatorial nomination.  This morning Funk held a news conference in Des Moines where he was joined by Branstad’s running mate Kim Reynolds, the GOP’s lieutenant governor nominee, as well as Iowa GOP chairman Matt Strawn. Funk formally announced his candidacy for supervisor.

A special Polk County Republican Convention was held Tuesday evening and Funk was nominated to run in the third district — the Polk County Board of Supervisors’ third district.  He’ll face incumbent Democrat Tom Hockensmith in November. Democrats have held a majority of seats on the Polk County Board of Supervisors for over six decades.  If Funk wins, it would tip the balance.

The website for Funk’s congressional campaign is still up, with a thank you note to his supporters on the home page.  (A previous version of this post had incorrect timing on the special nominating convention.)  Here’s Funk’s new campaign website.

Jeb says: “I am not running”

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush was a keynoter at the National Conference of State Legislatures 2010 convention.  During an interview with a Louisville, Kentucky TV station, Bush said he is not running in 2012.

The reporter first asked about Rand Paul, the Republican candidate for Kentucky’s U.S. Senate seat, then he followed up with this: “And when do you announce your plans or when will you decide your plans for president?”

Bush was brief.  “My plans are to give as best a speech, muddle through my speech here about education reform and then go back to work,” Bush told the reporter, then he started walking away.  “I’m not running for president.”

The reporter followed up with a question about education and Bush stopped, faced the camera again, and saluted the Obama Administration for being a “federal partner” to states on the issue.  “This is one place where I think President Obama deserves some credit,” Bush said. “He’s challenging the states to be open-minded about teacher effectiveness, about accountability, about really focusing on the kids that have been lagging behind and I give him credit for that.”

Bush walked away, toward a woman he recognized (likely someone, a Democratic legislator from Florida perhaps, who would be introducing him to the NCSL meeting).

“Did you hear me say something nice about your president?” Bush asked the woman, throwing his arm around her shoulders as the two walked away from the camera.

Santorum will be back, as will Pawlenty

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, a potential GOP presidential candidate in 2012, will be back in Iowa next month.  He’ll headline a fundraiser in Sioux Center for Brenna Findley, the GOP candidate for attorney general.

No word on a Santorum drop by at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, which would be a five hour drive away from Sioux Center.  The fair starts the next day, on August 12. 

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, another potential presidential candidate in ‘12, plans a visit to Iowa on the 11th and 12th of August.  He’ll headline a fundraiser for GOP congressional candidate Brad Zaun and go to the State Fair.  Pawlenty is due in Iowa this weekend, too, for events in northeast Iowa.

DC calls IA

The top official in the federal department which is home to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) spoke with Iowa’s governor yesterday.  Here’s what the White House press aparatus said happened:

WASHINGTON—Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today spoke with Iowa Governor Chet Culver following the breach of the Lake Delhi Dam in eastern Iowa on Saturday.

During the call, Secretary Napolitano and Governor Culver discussed the ongoing state and local recovery efforts in the flooded areas of Hopkinton, Monticello and neighboring communities, as well as the Preliminary Damage Assessments that will take place this week by the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division with support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

While Iowa has not requested federal assistance at this time, and no federal assistance has yet been deemed necessary, FEMA remains in close contact and coordination with its state and local partners and stands ready to assist should that assistance be requested and approved. 

Iowa ABI’s PAC endorses Findley

The Iowa Association of Business and Industry’s PAC has weighedin on the race for attorney general,endorsing the Republican challenger, Brenna Findley, over the Democratic incumbent, Tom Miller.

The news release:

Brenna Findley of Dexter, IA has been named a “Friend of Iowa Business” by the Iowa Industry PAC, the political action committee of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry.  Findley is the Republican candidate for Attorney General of Iowa.
 
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“No chance” Christie’s running in ‘12

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said on the Imus show that he won’t run for president in 2012.  You can count the ways he says “we’re” not running in the last graph.

Bubba for Bos

Former President Bill Clinton will be helping Congressman Leonard Boswell (D-Des Moines, Iowa) raise campaign cash this weekend.  Clinton will headline a $250-per-person fundraiser for Boswell Sunday in rural Norwalk at the home of a construction company owner.  It will be a two-hour tour as  Clinton’s scheduled to be in Iowa for just a couple of hours (Norwalk’s VERY close to the Des Moines Airport). 

There’s nothing on Boswell’s campaign website about the event which is closed to the public and the press.  As you may remember, Boswell endorsed Hillary Clinton’s 2008 bid for the White House in the middle of December, 2007 — just before Iowa’s Caucuses.

King on Hannity

Congressman Steve King (R-Kiron, Iowa) just tweeted that he’ll be on FOX News tonight.  From King’s Twitter account:

will do Hannity live tonight at 9.00 pm EDT on immigration, Tea Party, etc.

A week away

I’ve been away from the blog for a week.  A lot of political hay has been made in that time, from Tom Vilsack’s firing of a black USDA employee to campaign cash reports to a senate committee’s vote on Elena Kagan.

Here are some of the bales of political hay that I’ve missed, in no particular order:

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, the US Ag Secretary, has a starring role in this week’s DC tempest.  Cedar Rapids Gazette columnist Todd Dorman has a link to the video of Vilsack’s apology for firing Shirley Sherrod.  Wonkette has been blogging about it.

Money, money, money.  Bleeding Heartland had a take on fundraising in the US Senate race and the five Iowa congressional races.  The Iowa Republican offered its analysis of the $$$ in the congressional races.  Blogger John Deeth did an analysis of fundraising in state legislative races.  The Des Moines Register’s Tom Beaumont reports on the fundraising in the Culver v Branstad race.  Hint:  the Democratic and Republican Governors Associations are spending mightily.  Politico’s Jonathan Martin reports potential ‘12 presidential candidates are raising money, an indication of intentions down the road.

Senator Chuck Grassley voted no on Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan when her nomination came up in the US Senate Judiciary Committee.  Roxanne Conlin, Grassley’s Democratic opponent, issued this statement:

(Des Moines)—Senator Grassley continued to obstruct progress today as he voted against the confirmation of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court.  Below is a statement from Democratic US Senate candidate Roxanne Conlin:
 
“Senator Grassley opposes Wall Street reform, he opposes extending unemployment benefits to thousands of jobless Iowans and now he opposes filling the Supreme Court vacancy despite decades of support for past nominations.  Senator Grassley’s failure to act on unemployment benefits is costing Iowans food and shelter.  He gave $700 billion to Wall Street but refused to hold them accountable and now he’s casting only his second vote against a Supreme Court nominee in his thirty years in the U.S. Senate.”

Grassley and Conlin, on what happens in Vegas & DC. 

The Iowa Taxpayers Association issued a news release with its take on the FY 2011 state budget the 2010 legislaure drafted.

The largest state employees’ union — AFSCME Council 61 — endorsed Governor Culver’s reelection bid.

Des Moines, IA – This Saturday, July 17th, at the AFSCME Iowa Council 61 PEOPLE Endorsement Conference, the PEOPLE Committee made the decision to endorse Chet Culver for Iowa’s Governor.
Governor Chet Culver received the nod from AFSCME due to his support of such programs as the State Employee Retirement Incentive Program (SEIRP) and efforts to reform state government through the massive reorganization that the state began this year.  Cuvler’s opponent, Terry Branstad, has a record that public employees remember that includes refusing to honor collective bargaining agreements bargained in good faith and contracting or attempting to contract out state services and jobs.  His current pledges concern AFSCME members as well, like his pledge to eliminate many of their jobs that are important to the operation of state government, and to drain the state treasury further by cutting corporate income taxes further at a time of tight budgets at all levels of government.

“Our members who worked under Terry Branstad remember the way in which he treated public employees during his rule, and our younger members are aware of his current pledges to cut them if he is elected.  With those options in front of AFSCME members, the choice was very clear to them,” said Danny Homan, President of AFSCME Iowa Council 61. “We need to continue to move forward under Chet Culver, not backward under Terry Branstad.”

In Iowa, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 61 represents 40,000 public employees including law enforcement and correctional officers, home health care and child care providers, firefighters, mental health workers, professional school staff, emergency responders, and many other workers.

The three Democrats and two Republicans in Iowa’s congressional delegation  agree on something. 

Iowa Congressmen Seek Presidential Approval of Disaster Declaration Request
House Members Act to Spur Relief for Iowans Impacted by Severe Weather

Washington, D.C.- House Members of the Iowa Congressional delegation today sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking that he quickly approve Gov. Chet Culver’s request for a disaster declaration for Iowa counties that have recently suffered significant damage from a severe weather system that began on June 1, 2010 and continues today.  The storm system has produced high winds, heavy rain, hail, thunderstorms, tornadoes and flooding which have caused extensive damage throughout the state. Gov. Culver submitted his official request for a disaster declaration to President Obama on July 6.

Statements of Congressmen Braley, King, Boswell, Latham and Loebsack follow:

“In recent weeks and months, severe weather has taken a serious toll on communities across the state of Iowa,” said Braley. “It is critical now, just as it was following the floods of 2008, for the federal government to respond quickly and efficiently to give our communities the tools they need to recover. I look forward to working with President Obama, Governor Culver and my colleagues here in Washington to make sure Iowa’s small towns and families aren’t hung out to dry.”

 “Iowa has been hit hard by the severe weather systems that have moved through our state, and the people who have been affected expect a swift and efficient response,” said King. “In Cherokee County, for example, the waters exceeded the 1993 flood levels. There is no doubt that the request for federal help to these areas is appropriate and I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Culver, the members of Iowa’s Congressional delegation and President Obama to ensure that this assistance is approved quickly.”

“For the second time in two years, flood waters have ravaged homes, farmland and businesses across the state,” said Congressman Leonard Boswell. “I support Governor Culver’s request for presidential disaster declarations for several Iowa counties that have been impacted by the flooding. Many Iowans are still trying to recover and rebuild from the floods of 2008 and this summer’s weather has set them further behind. I encourage the President to issue these declarations in order to help Iowa’s families and small businesses get back on their feet.”

“The severe weather that has recently struck throughout Iowa requires a coordinated and efficient response,” said Congressman Latham. “Iowans are no strangers to severe weather and I have no doubt that the impacted communities will come back stronger than ever. However there is a legitimate need for federal help, and I’ll do everything I can to work with my colleagues to make sure that need is met.”

“Iowa has struggled since the Floods of 2008, and the current flooding is hurting our state’s ongoing recovery efforts,” said Loebsack. “I support this request to help affected residents, businesses, and farmers and look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to ensure that this is handled in a timely manner. Iowans are in trouble and we must assure them that help is on the way.”

The text of the letter follows:

July 20, 2010

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. President,

We respectfully request that you grant the request made July 6, 2010 by Iowa Governor Chet Culver for a declaration of a major disaster for the State of Iowa as a result of damages from a severe weather system that produced high winds, heavy rain, hail, thunderstorms, flooding and tornadoes beginning June 1, 2010 and continuing. Governor Culver has determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments and that supplementary Federal assistance is needed.

We thank you for your prompt consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Steve King
Leonard Boswell
Tom Latham
Bruce Braley
Dave Loebsack

Governor Culver says a lot of people have I-JOBS jobs.  Dave Price of WHO-TV reports there’s no way of knowing how many I-JOBS jobs there are.

Are they drinking Bohea, Singlo, Congou, Souchon, or Hyson? (Those are the types of tea dumped during the original Boston Tea Party in 1773.)

Washington D.C.- Congressman Steve King (R-IA) today issued the following statement announcing his decision to join the newly-formed  House Tea Party Caucus. The House Tea Party Caucus, which will be chaired by Rep. Michele Bachmann, was approved by the House Administration Committee on Friday afternoon. The caucus will focus on injecting the American people’s desire for fiscal responsibility, fidelity to the United States Constitution, and limited government into policy formation.
 
“America’s Tea Party organizations believe that Washington’s policymakers are ignoring the public’s demand for a limited government that is fiscally sound and that adheres to the principles of the Constitution,” said King. “The forced passage of the unconstitutional Obamacare bill over the objections of the American people shows that this belief is well founded.  As the new majority-makers in American politics, the views of the Tea Parties deserve a Congressional forum.  Rep. Bachmann should be commended for making sure that Tea Party voices extend from town-hall meetings to the halls of Congress.”