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.
Since whispers first surfaced about a possible Mitt Romney Oval Office chase the speculation started: How will conservative rural Catholics and evangelical voters in Iowa react to a Mormon?
It’s only anecdotal evidence, but Romney earned the Iowa Straw Poll votes of at least two indisputably devout Catholics Saturday. As the band The Nadas, flanked by their Templeton Rye touring bus, entertained Romney’s army of yellow-T-shirted supporters, Sisters Lucilla Oberbroeckling and Blanche Marie Haag of Dubuque sat under the edge of the Massachusetts Mormon’s tent, eating his cookies and barbeque and wearing his campaign shirts over their habits. Oh, and they voted for the Mormon, too.
“I think he’s a good family man and he’s pro-life and he wants to get rid of the illegal aliens,” Sister Oberbroeckling told Iowa Independent.
Over near the entrance to Ames’ Hilton Coliseum, GOP volunteer Hubert Hagemann, a Carroll County farmer known for asking pointed questions on property taxes and ag issues to anyone running for anything in western Iowa, helped credential members of the media (and declined entrance to a member of Newt’s family who didn’t have proper papers). He also found time to cast his straw poll vote for Romney.
“I like his style,” Hagemann said. “I guess I think of all of them he will be the most electable in November.”
Hagemann, who hails from one of the most historically Catholic counties in Iowa, one with landmark churches and family trees full of sisters who take the term to work, too, doesn’t think the Mormon matter is much of an issue.
“No, I don’t,” Hagemann said. “We’re just going through the same thing we did a number of years ago with John F. Kennedy.”
The idea of having a president with a different faith doesn’t concern Republicans like Hagemann as having one who puts her pant-suits on one leg at a time. “I’d rather we have him in there than Hillary,” Hagemann said.
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