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Nearly half of the delegates to the Republican Party of Iowa Convention Saturday voted to force Terry Branstad to select his chief rival as running mate, a clear indicator the wounds that opened during the hotly contested primary have yet to heal.
Terry Branstad (photo by Dave Davidson, TEApublican.com)
Of the 1,349 delegates at the convention, 749 voted for Branstad’s choice, Kim Reynolds, and 549 voted for Bob Vander Plaats, who finished a close second in the gubernatorial primary. Vander Plaats was nominated on the floor of the convention by state Rep. Dwayne Alons, R-Hull, and in a speech to the convention, said he would be willing to serve if chosen.
“I fully understand and respect Gov. Branstad’s ability to recommend to [the delegates] who he wants as his lieutenant governor,” Vander Plaats said. “But it would be hypocritical of me to spend more than a year championing government by the people, of the people and for the people and then ignore the will of the people.”
During a radio interview Friday night, Vander Plaats refused to endorse Branstad and would not rule out the possibility of an independent run for governor this fall. He said his only meeting with Branstad did not go well, and that when he asked whether the former governor’s campaign was worried about social conservatives who are not comfortable supporting his campaign, Branstad reportedly said, “No, who else are they going to vote for?”
Several other speakers, including Branstad, attempted to strike a chord for party unity, saying the only way Democrats can hold on to their majorities is if the GOP is divided on Election Day.
“At the end of the day, we’re all Republicans,” Branstad said. “We need to support this ticket because the future of our state is at stake.”
Branstad said in an interview that he wants Vander Plaats and his supporters to be a part of the team, saying he will continue to reach out to try to win their support.
Earlier in the day, U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, also spoke of party unity, saying the primary is done and its time to come back together and attack the real enemy: the Democrats.
“We’ve got to resolve our issues and move forward,” he said. “We have to work together as a family and make sure we are on this path together.”
State Rep. Rod Roberts, R-Carroll, was also nominated for lieutenant governor on the convention floor, but when given the opportunity to speak he took his name out of the running and publicly endorsed Branstad and Reynolds.
“Bob worked very hard and should be applauded for his campaign,” Roberts said in an interview shortly before his speech. “But at the end of the day, the voters decide, and they picked Terry Branstad.”
After addressing the convention, Vander Plaats left the convention hall without speaking to the delegates or the media.
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