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.
Via Marc Ambinder, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is ahead by 17 points in Iowa, according to an internal Romney campaign poll. This likely would not have been “leaked” had it been bad news for Romney and one must always be wary of polls conducted by the campaigns themselves, but this poll is somewhat believable. In a Des Moines Register poll conducted last month, Romney’s closest rival was 12 points behind, and he seems to have scared off his two biggest rivals from the Ames Straw Poll, at least according to the Romney campaign.
Like yesterday, Romney spokesman Tim Albrecht said his candidate led in the polls because “Gov. Romney’s message of change in Washington is resonating. His conservative message is clearly resonating with voters.”
But beyond message, some, such as Iowa GOP Chairman Ray Hoffman, have credited Romney’s lead to superior organization. Indeed, Albrecht said that the campaign is taking organization seriously. “We are out there actually recruiting voters. We are working very hard to get our supporters to the straw poll. We are leaving no stone unturned,” he said. “Iowa is not a state where you can campaign on TV and tarmac. You have to actively pursue the voters and educate them” about a candidate’s positions if “[you] expect them to show up on a cold night in January.”
The Romney campaign is investing a lot of resources in the state; it has one office in Urbandale and 18 staffers on the ground full time. Romney has been to Iowa nine times this year, or 11 days worth, Albrecht said, and Romney’s son, Josh intends to visit each of the 99 counties in an RV dubbed the “Mitt Mobile.”
A list of the Romney supporters currently released by the campaign is below the fold.
Polk County City Chairs:
Honorary County Chair – Senator Brad Zaun
Polk County Chair – Connie Schmett
Altoona – Jon Gruber
Ankeny – W. Carl Livingston
Clive – Councilman Scott Cirksena
Des Moines – David Payer
Grimes – Brian Jones
Johnston – Andy Christiansen
Mitchellville – Chelsey Harding
Pleasant Hill – Alex Clark
Polk City – Kathy Arndt
Runnells – Dean & Diane Johnson
Urbandale – Senator Brad Zaun
West Des Moines – George Steenson
Windsor Heights – Beverly Poncin
State Reps:
Christopher Rants
Dave Deyoe
Ralph Watts
Tami Wiencek
Dave Tjepkes
Linda Miller
Doug Struyk
Jodi Tymeson
State Senators:
Jim Hahn
Dave Mulder
Brad Zaun
David Johnson
County Chairs:
Debi Durham and Brent Hoffman, Woodbury
Denny and Jane Weber, Buena Vista County
Gene Newgaard, Hardin County
Sam and Lynda Thomas, Mills County
Matt Schultz, Pottawattamie County
Deb Hunt, Bart and Jody Pals, Cerro Gordo County
David and Becky Kepler, Hamilton County
Mick Sneider, Sioux County
Roby Smith, Scott County
Kevin Kimle and Gannon Hendrick, Story County
Campus Chairs:
Donald Bladt (Cornell College, Chair)
Tristan Cook (Cornell College, Co-Chair)
Phil Jeneary (Central College)
Ashton Schmidt (Drake University)
Luke Martz (Iowa State University)
Geoff Gustitus (Loras College)
Colton Long (Luther College)
Casandra Young (Morningside College, Chair)
Kathryn Kotlik (Morningside College, Co-Chair)
Amanda Allen (Northwestern College)
Matt O’Brien (
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