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.
Despite the fact that U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, continues to hold a double-digit lead over Democratic opponents in a poll released Monday, support for the Democratic candidates has increased.
Rasmussen Reports conducted a telephone survey showing Grassley with 53 percent support when he is facing former U.S. Attorney Roxanne Conlin, the Democratic frontrunner for the nomination. Conlin received support from 40 percent of those surveyed. When facing Bob Krause, a former Iowa Representative, the spread widens in favor of Grassley: 57 percent to 31 percent. Grassley also garners 57 percent of the vote when facing northeastern Iowa attorney Tom Fiegen, who pulled 30 percent of the vote.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa (Lauren Victoria Burke/WDCPIX.COM)
In February, however, Grassley, who is seeking a sixth term in the U.S. Senate, led Conlin 53 percent to 36 percent. In January, Grassley led Conlin 59 percent to 31 percent.
Those polled in February gave Grassley 55 percent support over Krause, who received 33 percent of the vote. It was a slight up-tick for Krause, who received 26 percent support in January, compared to 59 percent support for Grassley.
Fiegen has also received increased support while Grassley’s has declined. In February, Fiegen garnered 28 percent support, while Grassley received 56 percent support. A month earlier, Grassley had earned 61 percent support while Fiegan garnered only 25 percent.
Rasmussen’s findings indicate that Grassley garners more than 80 percent of the votes from individuals who strongly favor repeal of recently passed health reform. Conlin, however, gets 80 percent support from those who are strongly opposed to repeal. Krause and Fiegen earn 56 percent of the vote among voters who strongly oppose repeal.
Grassley also continues to lead by large margins among both male and female voters in all match-ups, except when his opponent is Conlin. He now leads Conlin by only five points among women.
The survey of 500 likely voters in Iowa was conducted on April 29. The margin of sampling error is plus-or-minus 4.5 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence, according to Rasmussen Reports.
The Democratic nominee to face Grassley will be chosen by primary ballot on June 8.
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