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Terry Branstad, the former Terrace Hill resident widely regarded as the front-runner for the Republican nomination for governor, came under repeated rhetorical fire from Sioux City conservative Bob Vander Plaats Thursday during the third and final GOP gubernatorial debate before the primary.
Republican gubernatorial hopefuls, from left, Bob Vander Plaats, Terry Branstad and Rod Roberts (photo by Dave Davidson, TEApublican.com).
As Vander Plaats challenged Branstad’s conservative bona fides and record — often straying from questions to do so — the former governor repeatedly shook his head in frustration.
The sharpest exchange came over disputed recollections of a meeting prior to Vander Plaats’ entrance into the 2002 GOP gubernatorial primary, which he eventually lost to former Branstad aide Doug Gross.
Vander Plaats contends Branstad told him during that meeting that a candidate with a lack of a governing record would be harder for then-Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack to attack.
The same argument should hold true today, said Vander Plaats, who has never held elected office.
Branstad said Vander Plaats’ memory was off on the conversation. Or worse.
“That’s just not true, Bob. I’m sorry, but your recollection is wrong. Either that, or you’re flat-out lying,” Branstad said
Later, when the candidates were discussing how best to measure future court appointments, Branstad said of Vander Plaats, “I think he’s naïve.”
Vander Plaats even pointed to recent attacks made by the liberal 527 group Iowans for Responsible Government, saying the accusations made in recent ads paid for by the organization were fair.
“A lot of the records are footnoted,” Vander Plaats said of the ads. “They’re true.”
Meanwhile, the third candidate on the stage and the perceived long shot, state Rep. Rod Roberts of Carroll, continued his strategy of staying out of the way of Vander Plaats and Branstad’s squabbling.
What Roberts hopes to pull off is a replication of South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds surprise 2002 GOP primary win over two better-known and more highly-funded Republicans who turned voters off with attacks on each other.
Roberts stressed that Iowans are frustrated with negativity in politics. He added that of the three candidates running he has the freshest experience, having served the last decade in the Iowa General Assembly. That experience seemed to show when the candidates were asked about specific suggestions to cut state spending, with Roberts offering the most detailed answer: $92 million on benefits going to undocumented residents; $18 million in savings through privatizing the state’s vehicle fleet: and $2.5 million in cutting state funding to Planned Parenthood.
Vander Plaats took a swipe at the benefits for illegal immigrants as well, and Branstad echoed Roberts’ views on Planned Parenthood.
A fact check by The Des Moines Register found there would be little savings associated with cutting off benefits to undocumented immigrants, since the only government services that illegal immigrants are eligible for are elementary and secondary public education and emergency health care. And cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood would cause Iowa to lose nearly $6 million in federal matching grants.
For social conservatives, the debate may very well reinforce a sense that their choice is between Roberts and Vander Plaats. Both men were definitive with answers in favor of banning same-sex couples from serving as foster parents. Branstad said that a suitable household for an adopted child “generally” means one with a heterosexual couple.
Later, Vander Plaats challenged Branstad’s selection Joy Corning as his running mate in 1990 and 1994. Corning supports abortion rights and has been vocal in support of gay marriage. The running mate spot is serious business, Vander Plaats said.
“That’s one heartbeat away from the governorship,” he said.
Branstad had a heart procedure earlier this month.
Roberts and Branstad had their biggest disagreement when the lawmaker form Carrol said unequivocally that he would only appoint justices to the Iowa Supreme Court who oppose abortion rights and gay marriage.
“I don’t think the governor has the authority to impose that,” Branstad said in response to the question.
The GOP candidates threw uncompromising support behind an Oklahoma law that requires pregnant women to watch ultrasounds of their fetuses and listen to details from doctors about the function of vital organs. There are no exemptions for rape or incest, meaning women could be forced to watch a monitor showing the product of a violent attack against them.
All three candidates simply answered “yes” without qualifications when asked if women should be under Oklahoma-style requirements in Iowa. They each predicted abortion would be a major issue in the fall, but by elevating a divisive social issue, all three appeared to open the door for Democrats and independents — who may be frustrated with the economy and Gov. Chet Culver’s leadership — to stay with the incumbent Democrat in November.
While the candidates want to dictate how Iowa doctors handle consultations in their offices with female patients, all three said they opposed federal health reform, with Roberts and Vander Plaats saying the government should not be able to force people to buy health-insurance policies.
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