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.
Responding to questions about his role in the three-way GOP gubernatorial primary brought up Friday by Bob Vander Plaats, state Rep. Rod Roberts said it was always his goal to be his party’s nominee for governor.
“You don’t give up a year of your life and work as hard as I’ve worked getting my message out there unless you want to win,” Roberts said in an interview with The Iowa Independent at the GOP state convention.
State Rep. Rod Roberts, R-Carroll (file photo)
During his first public interview since finishing second in the primary, Vander Plaats questioned why Roberts stayed in the campaign when it was clear he couldn’t win. Roberts garnered 9 percent of the vote in the primary, and many believe his supporters lined up more closely with Vander Plaats than with the eventual winner, Terry Branstad.
“The question I got asked many times throughout the campaign is, ‘If Rod can’t win, why does he stay in the race?’” Vander Plaats said, later adding: “If Rep. Roberts had not been in the race, I’d probably have gotten 7 or 8 out of every 10 of those votes.”
Christian radio host Steve Deace, who was conducting the interview, contended that Roberts was acting as a “human shield” keeping Vander Plaats from being able to take on Branstad one on one.
“I wanted to win,” Roberts said. “That was my goal and that was always my goal. I wouldn’t have stayed in if I didn’t think I had a chance.”
Roberts said he is disappointed that Vander Plaats has continued to refuse to endorse Branstad and continues to entertain the idea of running as an independent.
“Bob worked very hard and should be applauded for his campaign,” Roberts said. “But at the end of the day, the voters decide, and they picked Terry Branstad.”
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