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.
Des Moines Register political columnist Kathie Obradovich used her Sunday column to address the growing controversy surrounding the Iowa Family Policy Center’s denouncement of former Gov. Terry Branstad and its vow not to support him in the fall if he wins the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
But the most telling portion came near the end of her column, when speculation turned to a possible third-party candidacy.
The politically powerful Christian group used a rally at the state Capitol last week to publicly endorse Sioux City Republican Bob Vander Plaats, but it was the attacks on Branstad that garnered the most attention. The decision to sit out the gubernatorial election of Branstad is the nominee came as a shock to many Republicans and caused a rift that was already very much present within the party to split wide open. Many Republicans publicly complained that the group could be handing Democratic Gov. Chet Culver a second term.
Many also wondered if the endorsement set the stage for a third-party or independent gubernatorial bid for Vander Plaats should he lose in the primary. Obradovich put that possibility before his campaign manager.
His spokesman, Eric Woolson, did not pledge that Vander Plaats would support the GOP nominee: “Our focus has been entirely on winning the GOP primary and the general election.”
By refusing to immediately disavow a third-party run, and refusing to endorse whoever ends up with the GOP nomination in June, speculation will continue to grow that Vander Plaats’ campaign won’t end even if he is defeated by Branstad.
Woolson did not respond to a request for comment from The Iowa Independent.
Follow Jason Hancock on Twitter
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter