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.
Democratic congresional candidate Rob Hubler, already in the race more than a year for Iowa’s 5th District seat now held by U.S. Rep. Steve King,R-Kiron, says the provocative incumbent is known nationally, a factor that could add heft to Democratic fund-raising for the campaign outside of western Iowa.
“King is really the flag-waver on so many of the right-wing issues and he has raised the ire of people nationally,” Hubler told Iowa Independent recently.
Hubler, 64, a retired Presbyterian minister from Council Bluffs and a Navy veteran, has visited the 5th District’s 32 counties at least three times each, he said. He has been in Woodbury County, home of Sioux City, about 20 times.
Hubler believes some Republicans are looking for a change from the outspoken King as well.
“He is not a representative of even the Charles Grassley supporters in the Fifth District,” Hubler said.
Hubler said he is working on Federal Election Commission filing updates but he said he campaign has so far raised more than $80,000 — a fact that he said will soon be backed up with official filings. Current FEC reports show him with far less.
“It’ll cost $40,000 to run a primary against a good candidate,” Hubler said.
Hubler said it would take $800,000 to be recogized and a million dollars to beat King.
Hubler will have to get out the Democratic Primary first.
Retired businessman Bob Chambers of Essex, a candidate in 2006, is in the race and other contenders, including the 2006 nominee, Joyce Schulte of Creston, may emerge.
The Sioux City Journal’s Bret Hayworth reports that Chambers says he now has the need signatures to be in the race.
Chambers noted he got a lot of signers from Carroll, Pottawattamie and Page counties, and takes that as enthusiasm for his campaign. Nomination petitions are to be filed with the Iowa Secretary of State office from Feb. 25 to March 14. If a candidate doesn’t file by then, they can’t be in the June party primary and have to get on the November ballot via nominating petition.
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