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Paul McKinley
Senate Majority Leader Paul McKinley, R-Chariton, followed through on his promise Friday and dropped out of the 2010 campaign for governor.
McKinley said last month that when former Gov. Terry Branstad made his candidacy official, he would withdraw. While Branstad has yet to formally enter the race, he’s hired staff and begun holding campaign events, making McKinley’s departure inevitable.
In a press statement, McKinley said he plans to devote attention to winning back a Republican majority in the Iowa Senate.
“The actions taken by the Culver administration and the Democrats in the Legislature during the last three years have made it abundantly clear that Iowa needs new leadership and a new direction,” McKinley said. “I am confident that next November, Iowans will elect a Republican governor and add many more Republicans to the Legislature. With Republicans leading the way in Iowa, our state will finally get serious about curbing our out-of-control spending and higher taxes brought forth by Governor Culver and legislative Democrats, we will finally get serious about making it easier to create good jobs and we will give our citizens a greater voice in their own government.”
McKinley’s departure leaves six men battling it out for the GOP nomination to take on Gov. Chet Culver — Branstad, state Sen. Jerry Behn, businessman Christian Fong, former state House Speaker Chris Rants, state Rep. Rod Roberts, and businessman Bob Vander Plaats.
