Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
The candidates and special interests vying for victory in the special election in House District 90 have spent more than $300,000 collectively, according to documents filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.
The race to fill the southeastern Iowa district of Democrat John Whitaker has become the focus of the Republican Party of Iowa, the Iowa Democratic Party and activist groups of all political persuasions. Despite the fact that its outcome will have no bearing on control of the legislature, it is thought that the winning side will gain much needed momentum going into the 2010 elections.
Republican Steve Burgmeier raised $60,101. His campaign has spent more than $40,000 and has received in-kind donations, mostly direct mail pieces from the Republican Party of Iowa, totaling more than $77,000. His biggest contributors include $15,000 from the RPI, $10,000 from tax watchdog Iowans for Tax Relief and $10,000 from a political action committee associated with U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley.
Democrat Curt Hanson has raised $42,881. His campaign has spent $27,651 and received nearly $129,000 of in-kind donations, mostly mailing paid for by the Iowa Democratic Party. His biggest donations came from numerous labor organizations.
Republicans were also assisted by the anti-gay marriage group National Organization for Marriage, which spent nearly $90,000 on a television advertising campaign. Gay-rights group One Iowa has also been highly involved in the race, although their financial commitment is not yet known.
Both candidates have said they support a vote on a constitutional ban of same-sex marriage.
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