Who will Democrats Pick to Be Chair of the State Party?

With six candidates running, the race for chair of the Republican Party of Iowa has conservative blogs buzzing.  Yesterday, John Deeth wrote about who might be the next chair of the Iowa Democratic Party and what their goals might be.  

Maybe it's because the party chair seems to matter less when you control the White House, Congress, and the state government trifecta. And maybe it's because when you're in power, the opinions of those in power matter. 

In Iowa, that means Governor Culver and Senator Harkin. They'll have strong opinions, and for most of the election cycle they'll be otherwise busy. Culver will be focused on the re-election and Harkin, fresh off re-elect, will be busier in Washington with a friendly Administration.

One of the names in the mix is Patty Judge, which would take the IDP the route it went in the Vilsack era, with the lieutenant governor serving as party chair. But Sally Pederson didn't move in as party chair until after the re-election, and there's an inherent conflict as IDP interests and Culver-Judge interests may not always be identical. 

Other names in the mix have included Becky Greenwald and former Mike Blouin running mate and leading Hillary backer Andrea McGuire. Either would be a solid fundraiser and spokesperson.. But if Greenwald wants to take another shot at Latham, she's out, and McGuire's unlikely to get support from the governor.

One thing that seems likely: this will be figured out ahead of time and presented as a fait accompli, without the campaign web sites and public debates that we've seen in the Republican race. The grassroots influence, if any, will be less on the name and more on the direction.

Greenwald's Message on the Eve of the Election

At a rally at the UAW hall in Marshalltown this evening, Becky Greenwald discusses the differences between her campaign and Tom Latham and makes that final push to get voters to the polls tomorrow.

Des Moines Register's 2008 Endorsements

Over the past week, the Des Moines Register has released their endorsements for the upcoming election.

I was eager to see who they'd endorse in the 4th District and their "endorsement" of Leonard Boswell is about as mild of an endorsement as you can give.

1st District... Bruce Braley

When it comes to endorsements, it doesn't get much easier than penning one for Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley. In less than two years, the attorney from Waterloo has made Iowa proud. He deserves to be sent to Washington again.

Indeed, this ambitious and energetic congressman sets the standard for what Iowans should expect from their representatives.

During a recent meeting with Register editors and writers, it was clear how seriously Braley takes his job.

He brought along with him a copy of the economic-bailout legislation, riddled with his notes and highlighted sections He also had a page of scribbled pros and cons he weighed as he sorted through whether to vote for the legislation.

2nd District... Dave Loebsack

Loebsack has proven to be a smart, thoughtful and engaged congressman. A former political-science professor from Mount Vernon, he sees the bigger picture when it comes to politics and the world. He tries to work across the aisle and fully understand the complexities of foreign policy.

Loebsack has earned re-election.

3rd District... Leonard Boswell

After 12 years of light accomplishment and wrongheaded votes, Democratic Rep. Leonard Boswell doesn’t deserve to return to Congress.

But his Republican challenger, Kim Schmett of Clive, also fails to make a compelling case that he deserves a congressional seat.

Iowans deserve better.

However, the Register’s editorial board subscribes to the philosophy that if voters must decide, so must we. So the Register gives a weak nod to Boswell, with a list of expectations:

The Register then says that Boswell should announce early in his term that he does not plan to run for reelection in 2010.

4th District... Becky Greenwald

This is the one district that I wasn't sure which way the endorsement was going to go.

Iowa's 4th District has a chance to make history. This state has never sent a woman to Congress, but should do so this election.

Becky Greenwald, a Democrat from Perry, has not made that point the main emphasis of her campaign. She calls herself a candidate who "happens to be female." But she also happens to be a woman with potential to be a leader in Washington.

Iowa should give her that chance.

Greenwald faces 14-year incumbent Tom Latham, a Republican from Ames, who has done some good things in Congress but hasn't developed the kind of in-depth expertise on issues or demonstrated the national leadership Iowans should expect from their investment in his seniority.

5th District... Rob Hubler

When the Register editorial board met recently with Rep. Steve King, the Kiron Republican talked about renewable energy, securing transportation dollars for Highway 20, and the growing budget problems with entitlement programs.

This was the savvy, well-informed King the board endorsed in 2002 and 2004. We had hoped he would blossom as a member of Congress. Unfortunately, any blossoming has been overshadowed by his divisive, fear-mongering commentary.

Fifth District voters should not send him back to Washington. Fortunately, they have a promising alternative: Electing Democrat Rob Hubler, a retired minister from Council Bluffs who has brought himself up to speed and staked out reasonable positions on issues Iowans care about, including the Iraq war, energy and health care.

There isn't enough space in this editorial to list all the times King has embarrassed Iowa.

US Senate...Tom Harkin

Iowans should without hesitation cast their ballots to return Democrat Tom Harkin for his fifth term in the U.S. Senate. With that investment in seniority, however, comes heightened expectations for him to lead in shaping landmark legislation that will benefit Iowans and the nation for decades to come.

Harkin, 68, of Cumming already ranks in the top fifth of senators in seniority. He chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, a powerful role that he's used to nurture Iowa's biofuels industry. And he ranks third in seniority on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, putting him in position to mold a new president's proposals to reform health care and education policy.

Here are the Register's endorsements from 2006.

Obama to Hold Rally in Iowa on Friday, Hopefully in Ames

Barack Obama will be making a trip back to Iowa on Friday and holding a rally in the Des Moines area.  

I am hoping that they hold the rally in Ames on the campus of Iowa State University.  A visit by Obama to the 4th District would be a huge boost to congressional candidate Becky Greenwald.  A poll over the weekend showed Greenwald down by just 5%.  

The same poll showed Greenwald and Obama barely beating Tom Latham and John McCain among voters under 30.  A rally at Iowa State would draw huge crowds and create a loud buzz around campus the weekend before the election.

Daily Kos/Research 2000 Shows Greenwald Down by 5%

In 2006, Latham won by 14% and many expected similar results this election.

However, a Research 2000 did a poll for Daily Kos in Iowa's 4th District. It is the first public poll on this race and it shows the race is tight.

Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 10/20-22. Likely voters. MoE ±5% (no trendlines).

Latham (R-inc) 47
Greenwald (D) 42

Despite the purple nature of the district - IA-04 has a PVI of D+0.4, making it one of the few (slightly) Dem-leaning districts in the country represented by a Republican - Democratic candidate Becky Greenwald has been perceived as the ultimate underdog all cycle. She faces a well-entrenched incumbent in Republican Tom Latham, who has raised more than $1.3 million for his reelection bid.

The key to this poll is that Latham is polling below 50% with just over a week before the election. This shows that despite being a 14 year incumbent, Latham isn't well liked and not known throughout the district.

The poll also shows John McCain beating Barack Obama by a similar margin 47% to 42%. I don't believe McCain is doing that well in the district.

This poll has Obama winning among voters under 30 by just a 46% to 43% margin (Greenwald is up 47% to 43%). A Des Moines Register poll done by Selzer and Co. in mid September showed Obama with a 2 to 1 margin among voters under 35. With Iowa State University being in the 4th district, I believe Obama (and Greenwald) will perform much better among voters under 30.

This poll shows that Greenwald can definitely beat Tom Latham. With just 9 days, it's just a matter getting voters to the polls.

Latham's Poor Record Supporting Our Troops

Becky Greenwald is out with an ad telling the truth about Latham's abysmal record on veteran's issues.

Greenwald Gets Supports from DCCC

Bleeding Heartland reported yesterday that the DCCC named Becky Greenwald to their Red to Blue list.

The Greenwald campaign released this statement...

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today added Becky Greenwald to its "Red to Blue" program. Becky earned a spot in the competitive program by establishing significant local support and skillfully showing Iowa's voters that she stands for change and will represent new priorities.

The Red to Blue program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country, and offers them financial, communications, and strategic support. The program introduces Democratic supporters to new, competitive candidates in order to help expand the fundraising base for their campaigns.

"We are thrilled to have the complete backing and support of the national Democratic Party," said Becky Greenwald. "Today, I challenged Tom Latham to debate me on television after the 14-year incumbent attacked me for the first time in this race. His campaign must be sensing the strong support for my campaign. This election is too important not to debate the issues facing our working families in front of a television audience."

DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen said, "Becky Greenwald is running a solid campaign and is committed to making things easier for middle class families in their districts. With less than 21 days to make her case for change to voters, the Red to Blue program will give Becky the financial and structural edge to be even more competitive in November."

Red to Blue was a proven success in the 2006 cycle. In 2006, the Red to Blue program raised nearly $22.6 million for 56 campaigns averaging $404,000 per campaign. Red to Blue was also responsible for solidifying the structure of dozens of campaigns and making a real difference for Democrats across America.

This is a great sign of support from national Democrats and shows they see this race as tightening. Expect to Greenwald airing more TV and radio ads and expect more big name Democrats coming to campaign with Democrats.

Running Up the Score

John Deeth has some excellent analysis about the November election that is even more true after Obama's win in last night's debate...

From here on out this is about running up the score. It's about coattails. It's about the 58th and 59th and 60th Democratic Senators -- and, we hope, the 61st so we can finally consign Joe Lieberman to his own caucus of one. Georgia is in play, and in North Carolina Elizabeth Dole is a goner.

It's about House races on the bubble, like Judy Baker in Missouri 9 and Becky Greenwald in Iowa 4 and dozens -- yes, dozens -- of others. It retrospect, it almost seems like the Republicans saw this collapse coming, and the Palin pick was designed to hold the GOP base vote at x, rather than x minus y (y being a Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin or Stay At Home protest vote) to hold a few seats.

It's about making this a realigning year that finally kills off the Nixon-Reagan era Republican Southern Strategy and consigns the GOP to a Flags, Fags and Fetuses base from which recovery is impossible and reinvention is necessary. The Republicans won the battles of the 80s and 90s by pulling Democrats to the right and making us fight on their turf, and a big 2008 win followed by a 2012 landslide over a Palin or a Huckabee can do the same. I'd rather spend the 2010s battling a libertarian Republican Party than a theocratic Republican Party.

IA-04: Greenwald Releases First TV Ad

Remember Latham Voted Against Body Armor for Our Troops

Vote Vets ran this ad against in 2006 against George Allen, Conrad Burns, and Rick Santorum for voting against supplying the proper body armor to our troops serving in Iraq.

In the House, Tom Latham also voted against supplying the proper body armor to our troops serving in Iraq.



Becky Greenwald is running against Tom Latham and has been endorsed by General Wesley Clark.

“I’m endorsing Becky for Congress because her experience with the American Red Cross assisting wounded veterans returning home from the Vietnam War has shaped her strong commitment to our nation’s veterans,” said General Wesley Clark.

Tom Latham has voted to cut billions from Veterans programs in order to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. (HCR 95, Vote #78, 3/20/03)

“George Bush and Tom Latham have for too long cut funding for our troops returning from Iraq, and we need Becky in Congress to be a voice for our soldiers,” said General Clark.

Allen, Burns, and Santorum all lost in 2006. Latham will be running in 2008 and say that he supports the troops, but we all know better. All you have to do is look at his voting history against our troops.

IA-04: Interviews with the Candidates

Gavin, from the Ames Progressive, has interviewed the 4 candidates for Congress in the 4th District. The primary is June 3rd and the winner will face Republican Tom Latham in the general election.

Here are the links to each interview...

Becky Greenwald

Kurt Meyer

William J. Meyers

Kevin Miskell

IA-04: Greenwald Hires Staff

Becky Greenwald, candidate in the Democratic primary in Iowa's 4th district, has recently hired her first two staff members. She has brought on Mark Daley, who was Clinton's Iowa Communication Director. Daley previously worked for Boswell and was the Communication Director for the Iowa Democratic Party in 2004.

Greenwald has also hired Kim Pieper, who did fundraising on Mike Blouin's campaign in the 2006 Democratic primary for Governor and was Selden Spencer's campaign manager.

Greenwald will be holding a fundraiser next week in Waukee to kick off her campaign and I have heard the Vilsacks and Roxanne Conlin will be there.