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.
Tim Pawlenty
WEST LIBERTY — Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty cautioned Iowa Republicans Sunday not to expect an immediate change in government policies if they only succeed in turning Terrace Hill from blue to red.
“Come November Iowa is going to have a Republican governor — Terry Branstad is going to be your next governor of this great state,” Pawlenty predicted as he stood before roughly 200 people that had turned out for a Republican House Majority fundraiser hosted by state Rep. Jeff Kaufmann.
Pawlenty, who toured Iowa on behalf of several statehouse candidates over the weekend, was elected as governor of Minnesota in 2002 and won re-election in 2006. During his entire tenure as governor, Pawlenty has had a state House and Senate controlled by Democrats. From the start of his first term in 2003 until 2007, however, he enjoyed a Republican majority in the Minnesota house.
“Take it from a governor who has not had a legislature of the same party for many of the last years that it is much more difficult to get things done if you have just a Republican governor and not a Republican legislature,” said Pawlenty, who is widely considered to be a likely candidate for president in 2012.
“So, for Jeff [Kaufmann] and his team and these legislative races — I know everybody feels good, as they should, about Terry’s chances in the fall — but to complete the picture, and to make sure that we can really move the ball down the field, we’ve got to take control of one, and hopefully both, houses of the legislature in Iowa.”
The reminder played well with the crowd, which was heavily populated by current Republican lawmakers and candidates. Among those attending was Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who hopes to unseat Democratic Congressman Dave Loebsack in Iowa’s 2nd District; Mark Lofgren, who is running against state Rep. Nathan Reichert in District 80; state Rep. Tom Sands of Louisa County (District 87); state Rep. Pat Grassley of Butler County (District 17); and state Sen. Jim Hahn of Muscatine County (District 40). There was also a smattering of local and county candidates present.
Follow Lynda Waddington on Twitter
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter