by | Sep 21, 2012
Dave Edwards is the Republican candidate for Iowa Senate District 16, the vast majority of which covers Des Moines and then swings Southeast to include Pleasant Hill.
While there is no getting around the fact that this is a Democrat stronghold (they have double the number of registered voters), if any Republican can win this district it is most certainly Dave Edwards. What makes this race one of the most fascinating in the state this year is that Mr. Edwards is a blue collar, union member who is bringing the fight to Democrats on their turf. He is challenging an incumbent who has already been in the Iowa Senate for 18 years (and was in the Iowa House before that), and few would argue that this particular district is better off than it was two decades ago.
Besides knowing these neighborhoods well, I have seen Mr. Edwards speak on multiple occasions and can tell you first hand that his style and message will resonate. He has displayed courage both by stepping up to run, and by being willing to talk about illegal immigration, which is such an obvious problem that most are scared to talk about. Republicans who live in or near this district need to return the favor, and can do so by visiting his website (click here), and getting involved to any extent possible.
As you will see below, his answers are extremely thoughtful, spot-on, and the case he is making to traditional Democrats is very convincing. The age-old notions of the Republican Party that persist in this part of Des Moines certainly present a challenge, but there is no reason that a message of less government, fewer taxes, and more liberty can’t take root in districts like SD 16.
Simply put, Dave Edwards is the right candidate at the right time to be this messenger. Should he win, the more “buttoned-up” folks at the State House (including Republicans) would be wise to listen to him…but for now lets just hope the voters in his district are truly listening to him.
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1) Being a blue collar, union member Republican running in a heavily Democratic district makes you and your race one of the most unique in the state. Briefly tell us how your campaign is going, and if you are finding folks in your district receptive to the different political solutions you are offering? If so, which ones are resonating?
The campaign is going great. I have talked to literally thousands of people over the last year or so. In my job as a union laborer, I drive a truck all around the city during the day. I have the opportunity to interact with Republicans and Democrats alike. I have grown to understand that the issues we face, we face as Iowans, and not as Democrats or Republicans. The economic hardships that are facing the people of this state are affecting us all – not just one party or the other.
I am talking to all the voters in this district when we are door knocking. Naturally, when I knock on a democrat’s door, they are reluctant to talk to me when they find out I’m a republican. But as we talk, they begin to see that my message is not one of partisan politics. My goal is to be the voice of the working people of this state. I want to work to make Iowa a state where business can thrive and where our citizens can earn a living wage. The legislature shouldn’t be burdening the people of this state with more regulations, and definitely shouldn’t be adding any new taxes, when people can’t pay their bills or feed their families. These are messages that are resonating with the residents of my district.
2) As you are out door knocking and talking to voters, what are the top few issues weighing on the minds of the people in your district? And what are they saying they want done about them?
People in my district are definitely concerned about the economy and their job security. They want to be able to go to work every day, and at the end of the week, have something to show for it. My top priority as a senator will be to alleviate the tax burden on the working people and the businesses of this state.
Iowa is one of the 10 lowest-ranked states in Tax Foundation’s 2012 State Business Tax Climate Index. The ranking is arrived at by looking at all the taxes levied in a state. Iowa is known for high corporate tax rates, high property taxes, high individual income tax rates and high unemployment insurance tax rates – all of which are taken into account in arriving at this poor ranking. That is a very sad state of affairs. The fact that we need to offer tax incentives to get businesses to come to this state speaks volumes about Iowa’s tax climate. Let’s get rid of the incentives and lower Iowa’s total tax burden. If we improve the tax climate in Iowa, we create more jobs and people have more money to spend, thereby improving the quality of life for all Iowans.
Another issue on the minds of the people of my district is illegal immigration. They want the problem dealt with. I believe the existing immigration laws of this state and this nation should be enforced. The illegal workforce here is driving down wages, and placing an extraordinary burden on Iowa’s social safety net . Recently, I have been sharing my belief that the illegal immigrant population in this state is being held in bondage. They are forced to take low-wage jobs with unscrupulous employers who don’t care about the safety of their workers. Because of their low wages, they are forced to live in low-rent housing under sub-standard living conditions and because of their immigration status, they feel they do not have the freedom to report these conditions .This issue is pitting the working class citizens of this state against the immigrant population. But the real problem here is the government’s failure to enforce its own laws.
3) Assuming you are victorious in November and get sworn into the Iowa Senate, what are the three votes that you most look forward to casting, and why?
I have vowed to introduce a bill on day one of the session that will outlaw traffic enforcement cameras. We have got to put a stop to government intrusion into areas where it doesn’t belong, starting with traffic cameras. These cameras are an infringement of privacy and violate due-process laws. The citizens of this state have shown overwhelmingly that they are against these cameras. The fact is, they don’t improve safety. They are being used as a revenue source for municipalities.
Another vote I am looking forward to casting is one in favor of across-the-board property tax reform. This will be a good starting point towards making Iowa more attractive for business and giving our economy a much-needed jump-start.
Lastly, when the republicans gain control of the senate this fall, I really look forward to the opportunity to vote for a new senate majority leader to replace Michael Gronstal!
by | Sep 13, 2012
Below is the full text of a press release sent out by the Family Pac. Branco is running in a very tough district in Des Moines where the number of registered Democrats is more than twice that of registered Republicans.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, September 12, 2012
The Iowa Family PAC announces its endorsement of Patti Branco, a pro-family, pro-constitutional candidate for the general election for House District 34.
The Iowa Family PAC is endorsing Branco because of her proven ability to lead and stand firm for constitutional, conservative, pro-family principles.
The qualifications for an endorsement from The Iowa Family PAC include the belief that society and government work best when citizens accept a high level of personal responsibility and that the only way our nation can reclaim a God-honoring culture is to defend strong families. Other key qualifications include the protection of life from conception to natural death and the belief that marriage is a permanent, lifelong commitment between one man and one woman. The Iowa Family PAC also only supports candidates who believe it is the duty of parents to overseethe education of their children and that an ethical, free enterprise system is consistent with the biblical notion of stewardship. Endorsed candidates will be expected to support and defend both the Iowa and U.S. Constitutions.
Chuck Hurley, Chair of The Iowa Family PAC, said, “The Iowa Family PAC is happy to endorse Patti Branco, a godly woman of faith, whose worldview is consistent with Judeo-Christian principles and who will boldly defend and honor issues relating to the family. Patti understands the values of her district and will work hard to champion pro-family values of Iowans in her district. We will be praying diligently between now and November 6th for Patti Branco and her family.â€
Contact: Julie Summa
[email protected] ; 515-263-3495, ext.14 (office), 515-210-7475 (cell)
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About The Iowa Family PAC
The Iowa Family PAC is the official affiliated PAC of The FAMiLY LEADER. The Iowa Family PAC exists to elect pro-family lawmakers. It applies truth through direct intervention and support for the campaigns of bold, compassionate, pro-family candidates. Learn more about The Iowa Family PAC by going to www.thefamilyleader.com/inside-tfl/iowa-family-pac
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by | Sep 3, 2012
(This is the second installment of a continuing series posing 3 questions to Republican candidates statewide)Â
Vicki Stogdill is running for the seat representing Senate District 18 in the Iowa Legislature. She has been campaigning hard for months to give this traditionally Democratic territory a new voice at the State House. Every race in the Iowa Senate this year is of utmost importance, and Stogdill’s effort to engage the voters of District 18 will reveal much about the Iowa electorate at large.  Voters both in and out of her district should take the time to check out her positions and background on her website, and to show her support in any way they can. She brings to the table a long career in small business and a host of new ideas to strengthen Iowa’s communities and economy.
Recently, Vicki was kind enough to sit down with The Conservative Reader:Iowa to talk about her campaign and answer three questions that will have a direct impact both on her constituents and the state of Iowa.
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1.) Nearly 28% of the voters in your district are not registered with either political party, what two things would you like these folks to know about you and your candidacy before they vote in November?
A. I ran as an Independent/NP candidate in 2008 – which demonstrates that I’m not afraid to stand up for principles before a party affiliation. I won’t support a bill that’s not good for Iowa, regardless of party recommendations.  I want to foster greater cooperation between the two parties. People are tired of the “partisanship†at our State Capitol, and I’d like to help minimize that. Instead of the two parties going to their “opposing corners†in a disagreement, I will attempt to sit down and discuss where there are differences and find common ground, without compromising on principle. I will put “people before politics.â€
B. I will self-impose term limits to allow more Iowans to have a chance to participate in the process. I want to bring my business experience, creativity and problem-solving skills to the Iowa Capitol and have a positive influence on improving the future of our State. Let’s bring fresh ideas and perspective to the discussion.
2.) Education is both an issue you are passionate about and one that will be front and center next session. What major reforms need to be implemented to improve results state-wide (and in Des Moines especially), and why should voters resist the urge to not make these changes?
First of all, I don’t claim to have all the answers on how to “fix†Iowa’s Education system. However, I believe one of the biggest keys to restoring our State to excellence in education is to restore more local control to school districts. I am also a strong proponent of giving parents more choices in educating their children, and to having the dollars “follow the child” in those choices.
Iowa should repeal the “core curriculum†mandates and instead offer recommendations which would allow local school districts to decide how and what to teach again. Locally elected school boards and administrators should make curriculum decisions based on the needs of their community, such as whether to enhance vocation programs for kids who do not choose a 4-year college after graduation, etc. The Iowa Dept. of Education should be downsized to serve as an advisory support agency instead of an umbrella. The State should continue to license and certify teachers. School districts should conduct annual assessments (such as ITBS) and scores should be published locally for taxpayers to see what kind of results they are getting for their investment. The State would only step in if a school district is consistently under-performing.
While technology and cutting edge learning must be a priority — we can’t lose sight of the “tried and true” teaching methods and foundational basics that have served us well in the past. And throwing out “old” methods just because they’re old isn’t necessarily progress. Teachers should have the ability to use their creativity again – to inspire kids to learn, with oversight from their local school administrators and school boards, instead of the State. Iowa must stop trying to mold each child into a cookie-cutter curriculum and teaching methodology that obviously isn’t working. Iowa should continue to reject “No Child Left Behind†mandates.
In Des Moines our test scores and drop-out rates demonstrate that local voters need to recruit better local school board candidates and then “clean house†at the voting booth. The results of our local schools are unacceptable at best, and it is not the job of the State to fix it – it is the responsibility of the community to demand it. Local taxpayers must hold their local school boards and administrators accountable. When searching for administrators, we should look first at the wealth of Iowa educators who are qualified to lead our schools – instead of conducting expensive searches to bring in out-of-state educators.  We have more than enough talented educators in Iowa who already know the landscape, challenges and history of our state.
A few other ideas that are worthy of consideration are to implement a dress code so students could focus on learning instead of fashion, which might also improve discipline and respect in our classrooms. We must also realize that it’s not the job of schools to “socially engineer†our kids—that task is the duty and responsibility of parents. In the Iowa Senate, I will work with educators, parents and the business community to arrive at recommendations which will prepare students for a career path after graduation. Iowans deserve better than what we’re currently delivering in Education, and I will work tirelessly to achieve positive results for Iowa’s kids, parents and taxpayers.
3.)Â Should you prevail in November and enter the Iowa Senate, what are the two or three votes you would most like to cast, and why?
While there are many bills I’m passionate about seeing passed – these three are among the most commonly suggested from my constituents, so they will be top priorities for me in the upcoming session:
A. Voter ID – because NOT verifying the identity of voters is unconstitutional – and my vote is disenfranchised when fraud is allowed to potentially cancel it out.
B.  Property tax reform – on all classes of property. For businesses, this will spur more expansion and investment which in turn will create more jobs when we stop penalizing the very engine of economic growth. For homeowners it will mean leaving more money in the pockets of those who earned it. For farmers, it will mean using a funding formula that doesn’t penalize them for success.
C.  Education Reform, as discussed above.
![2012 Debates Story Update: Fired and Disgraced Yahoo Bureau Chief Tied To Moderators Employers]()
by | Sep 3, 2012
The news last week that recently hired Yahoo News Washington DC Bureau Chief David Chalian was fired for a truly unbelievable “hot mic†moment was bad enough–but digging into his background re-enforces the mess that likely awaits Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan come debate time.
Chalian was fired for yucking it up with fellow reporters by saying that “They (Republicans) are not concerned at all. They are happy to be having a party while black people are drowning (Hurricane Isaac).â€Â You can hear the “hot mic†comment here along with the, almost as disturbing, huge laughs this got from the reporters he was talking to.
In an earlier piece, I made the point that the folks selected to moderate the three Presidential debates and the one VP debate were very concerning–and possibly incapable of approaching this crucial role objectively. This revelation regarding David Chalian should win over any of those who thought I was making too much of this story–here is why.
David Chalian’s Background
As noted by Tucker Carlson, Chalian was not a mere media foot soldier. He had risen through the ranks to become Political Director at ABC news (2007-2010), Political Editor for PBS NewsHour (2010-2012), and had just been hired as the Washington DC Bureau Chief for Yahoo News (November 14, 2011-last week). Not too shockingly, his professional accomplishments include an Emmy nomination for producing Charlie Gibson’s infamous Alaska interview with Sarah Palin in 2008. There is simply no chance that his personal hyper-partisan and crass political viewpoint did not come up in the private job interviews he had with the network brass that eventually hired him.
Worse yet is that, recalling the four news organizations who are supplying the moderators, two of Mr. Chalian’s former employers will be controlling the conversation in what will be the most watched debates in political history.
First, you have the PBS NewsHour.  This is both where Chalian had worked until last November as Political Editor and the home of Jim Lehrer who will moderate the first debate. Second, you have ABC News, where Chilian served as Political Director for three years. This news room is providing Martha Radditz as the moderator for the Paul Ryan vs. Joe Biden debate.
This is not to say that these moderators share the same despicable view of Republicans that Chalian was revealed to have, but what it does point to is the internal culture that thrives in these organizations. Simply put–there is a great chance that this bias not only exists in the other “journalists†who have climbed the totem pole at these networks, but that it will shine through one way or another in the upcoming debates.
Upon being hired by Yahoo News last year, Chilain did an interview in which he said working with Yahoo would provide, “an unparalleled opportunity to deliver high impact, high quality storytelling in what is shaping up to be a really consequential presidential election.â€Â Huh…I wonder what he meant by “high impact†storytelling?
((To read original story click here– “The 2012 Presidential Debates: When Moderators Aren’t Moderate†))
The post 2012 Debates Story Update: Fired and Disgraced Yahoo Bureau Chief Tied To Moderators Employers appeared first on The Conservative Reader.
by | Aug 27, 2012
While the direction of the Country will be decided at the top of the ballot this November, the epic struggle for control of Iowa’s political landscape will be decided down ballot.
Of all the races taking place across the state, the long blocked agenda of Iowa Republicans is only two Senate seat gains away from being able to be implemented. Since the Iowa House is in no danger of flipping—the fate of this agenda lies in the Iowa Senate’s 26 open seats.
While anything can happen in these legislative races between now and November, this following analysis reflects where they stand today. Here is how we get from the 26 Senate seats up for grabs down to the 5 that will determine control of that chamber—and hence political control of Iowa for the next two years.
First things first: From 50 to 26 to 22
From 50 to 26— There are 50 seats in the Senate and all even numbered districts are on the ballot this year plus SD 49, which holds a race for a two year term before going back on the ballot in 2014. This means that there will be 26 seats in play, with the Democrats starting with an advantage due to having 13 of the hold over seats to the Republicans 11.
From 26 to 22— Of the 26 races, Republicans have fielded a candidate in all of them while the Democrats have let four seats go unchallenged (SD 2, SD 10, SD 12, and SD 20). This takes us from 26 possible races to 22 that will actually take place.
From 22 to 13— Of these 22 races, nine heavily favor* one party or the other. Four favor the Republican candidate (SD 40, SD 28, SD 6, and SD 4); while 5 favor the Democrat candidate (SD 50, SD 34, SD 32, SD 18, and SD 16).
*Note: This analysis is largely based on the past history of communities making up the districts, registered voter advantages, and money raised and on hand for each candidate. In all likely and leaner districts there are more than enough registered Independents to technically make up R and D registration advantages.
The Battle Field
From 13 to 5— This leaves 13 races left which will be heavily contested and which will draw the attention of, and funds from, the state political parties. Of these, I see five leaning Republican and 3 leaning Democrat– for Republicans they are SD 46, SD 38, SD 24, SD 22, and SD 14, and for Democrats they are SD 44, SD 42, and SD 8.
Of note here is that, for the time being, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal is given SD 8 over Al Ringgenberg. Also, the best shot for Republicans in these Democrat leaners are SD 42 and SD 8, while Democrats look to have the best chance in SD 46 and SD 38.
The Final 5
The remaining 5 races can truly go one way or the other and are absolutely critical for control of the Iowa Senate. They are SD 49, SD 48, SD 36, SD 30, and SD 26.
Here is a recap of how we got there:
                                                                   Republicans         Democrats
                        Hold Over Seats                       11                        13       Â
                       Uncontested                              4                          0 Â
                         Likely R or D                            4                          5 Â
                         Lean R or D                              5                          3                                                    Â
                                                             ——————————————                                                             Â
                                                                           24                        21
Going Forward
As you can see from above, assuming my “likely†and “lean†numbers hold true, Republicans are in great shape to take the Senate as they only need to win 1 of the “final 5†races to tie and only 2 of the 5 to gain outright control. Conversely, Democrats would have to win 4 of the “final 5†for a tie and would need a clean sweep to retain control.
Two interesting facts here are that all the big action is in Eastern Iowa, which is home to all 5 of these decisive races, and that 4 of the 5 are contained in U.S Congressional District 1. This is further good news for Republicans as Ben Lange is a great candidate who seems to be gaining steam against a sputtering Bruce Braley.
In the coming weeks The Conservative Reader: Iowa will be featuring interviews with Republican candidates from across the state. Additionally, we will be taking in-depth looks at the 8 races which will be highly contested and the 5 that will be utterly critical for taking the Iowa Senate.
The voters in these 13 districts will ultimately answer the questions of how much property tax relief we receive, what reforms are made to our declining education system, and whether Iowa will set up health insurance exchanges for Obamacare. One thing I have no question about is that these districts are where the battle for ideological control of Iowa will be won or lost.
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Dave Edwards is the Republican candidate for Iowa Senate District 16, the vast majority of which covers Des Moines and then swings Southeast to include Pleasant Hill.
