I am amazed that the Republican Party in Iowa is intent on rolling over so easily this year. In a story in today’s Des Moines Register, we find out that party leaders and potential candidates have essentially decided it’s not worth the effort to put up a race against Leonard Boswell (Democrat-Iowa 3rd District US House of Representatives) or Tom Harkin (Democrat-Iowa US Senator).
Boswell does face a primary contest, but no Republican challenger has emerged.
According to the Register:
Part of the outlook is the chilling effect on the party of losses in 2006. That’s when Iowa Democrats reclaimed legislative majorities, won two of four U.S. House seats held by Republicans and elected the party’s first successor to a Democratic governor in 70 years.
Other parts of the article explain how the overall numbers of registered Democrats have increased (many during the Caucus season) significantly more than Republicans have recently.
“I’ve watched the pendulum swing for us,” said [former state Rep. from Grinnell Danny] Carroll, who went from second in command of the Iowa House majority to one of his party’s highest-ranking casualties in 2006. “I think it’s a time of re-evaluation and reorganizing. I think we’re all just trying to figure it out for ourselves.”
The next four to six years are going to be impacted by decisions like this. Not putting up a candidate is as good as saying there’s no voice here for Republican voters. I could understand better if we had 90% Democrats in the community, but that’s just not the case. On top of that, we have critical issues to discuss that simply will not get any attention now.
The last time I contacted Harkin’s office to express my opinion on pending legislation, the staff member I spoke with essentially tried to convince me I didn’t know what I was talking about, and wasn’t interested in hearing my thoughts on the matter. I want Harkin replaced. I’d even run myself if I thought the party would support me. But the party appears to be giving up… very frustrating.
This whole situation is just disappointing.
The good news is that I still plan to attend the county convention in March. Perhaps something good can happen there. Something needs to happen… we can’t let the Democrats run over us, that’s just not right.
Maybe, just maybe, I should look at moving to the GOMLP. It’s worth a thought…
Hat tip to the Queen of the house… she spotted the story today in the print edition of the Register.