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.
Washington, D.C.,-based news site Politico took note of the Iowa Family Policy Center’s [IFPC] endorsement of Bob Vander Plaats in the Republican gubernatorial primary, and more importantly its vow to sit out the fall campaign if Terry Branstad is the party’s nominee, calling it a sign of turmoil in Iowa’s GOP.
The influential social conservative organization made their endorsement public Tuesday at a rally originally billed as a protest against same-sex marriage. Almost immediately, numerous Republicans spoke out against the group’s position, saying it is inflicting long-term damage to the party.
From Politico’s Ben Smith:
The [IFPC] statement seems evidence, in equal measure, of a rift between moderates and conservatives in the state party and of old bad blood between the group and a top Branstad aide.
The aide Smith is referring to is Doug Gross, Branstad’s former chief of staff and the Republican Party of Iowa’s 2002 gubernatorial nominee. Gross has drawn the ire of social conservatives for his persistent call for the GOP to broaden its appeal in order to overcome years of electoral defeats and a huge voter registration deficit. While he has no official role in Branstad’s campaign, most believe he is working for the former governor behind the scenes.
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