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Yesterday, State Rep. Christopher Rants (R-Sioux City) posted on Twitter that he plans to file exploratory committee papers so he can being raising money and officially campaign for the 2010 race for governor.

Here’s more from the Des Moines Register…

Rants, who has been meeting with GOP activists for months about a possible campaign, said he had met his early target for fundraising pledges. He also estimated it would take $2 million to mount a successful primary campaign.

Rants, 41, is among the party’s younger prospects. His announcement via Twitter, the popular social networking Web site, signaled his response to Democrats’ advantages in reaching voters through new media.

But Rants added during the program that the Iowa GOP, beset by consecutive statewide election losses and a voter registration gap of 110,000 with Democrats, would need a winning message as well as media.

“If we talk to those Republicans who believe the party has lost its way on things like fiscal discipline and accountability, if we become the party that’s about transparency and reforming government - and that’s who we are as Republicans - if we’re successful in doing that, I believe we’ll bring those independents back, we’ll bring the majority back,” he said.

Rants also appeared on Iowa Press which aired Friday and will be shown again on Sunday morning at 11:30. You can watch the appearance here.

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From Iowa Global Warming…

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Governor Culver signed a bill into law that would make it easier for passenger rail expansion to occur in the state. The bill would make it easier for the state to into regional agreements that would help passenger rail expand throughout the midwest.

The Governor signed the legislation at a former railroad station in Davenport, a community seeking to attract passenger rail service that would connect with Chicago.

“Passenger rail service is a key component to our state’s economic development efforts,” said Governor Culver. “By making it easier to connect between our state and key cities throughout the Midwest and the nation, we can attract new companies and bring new jobs to Iowa. This legislation, along with our other efforts this legislative session, puts us in the position to bring new lines to Iowa, and I look forward to continuing our work to bring passenger rail to Iowa.”

Senate File 151 includes several provisions related to freight and passenger rail service. The bill eliminates the Iowa Railway Finance Authority and transfers the responsibilities for the administration of the Rail Revolving Loan and Grant Fund and Passenger Rail Service Revolving Fund to the Department of Transportation. In addition, the bill removes the maximum threshold that applies to grants in the Rail Revolving Loan and Grant Program, and expands the Director of Transportation’s authorization to enter into agreements related to passenger rail service.

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Last week, Chet Culver named his chief of staff, Charles Krogmeier, to head of the Department of Human Services.

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Gov. Culver released a statement on Friday basically saying that he would take time to review the decision. Culver released a more detailed statement today.

Here is part of the statement…

As I have stated before, I personally believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. This is a tenet of my personal faith. The Iowa Supreme Court’s decision has, in fact, reaffirmed that churches across Iowa will continue to have the right to recognize the sanctity of religious marriage in accordance with their own traditions and church doctrines. The Supreme Court’s decision does not require that churches recognize marriages between persons of the same gender or officiate over such unions. The Court does not have, nor should any court ever have, that kind of power over our religious lives. Our churches and places of worship are free to decide for themselves, as they were before, who may enter the sacred covenant of marriage. As the Supreme Court’s decision states, ‘The sanctity of all religious marriages celebrated in the future will have the same meaning as those celebrated in the past.’

Yet, the Supreme Court of Iowa, in a unanimous decision, has clearly stated that the Constitution of our state, which guarantees equal protection of the law to all Iowans, requires the State of Iowa to recognize the civil marriage contract of two people of the same gender. The Court also concluded that the denial of this right constitutes discrimination. Therefore, after careful consideration and a thorough reading of the Court’s decision, I am reluctant to support amending the Iowa Constitution to add a provision that our Supreme Court has said is unlawful and discriminatory.

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A new Des Moines Register poll conducted by Selzer and Co. shows that Chet Culver might be vulnerable against a strong Republican opponent in his reelection campaign.

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver’s approval slipped to 55 percent, down from 60 percent in the Register’s September and January polls. […]

The poll also revealed some reservations by Iowans about Culver, as the Democrat looks toward mounting a 2010 campaign for a second term.

Just 35 percent said they would definitely vote to re-elect Culver, while 28 percent said they would consider an alternative and 18 percent said they would definitely vote for someone else.

On the bright side Culver’s approval is above the 50% mark. However, it has dropped 5% in the past few months and only 35% would definitely vote for him for reelection in 2010.

The question, however, is if Republicans have a strong opponent out there. Would Steve King or Tom Latham give up their seats in the US House? Does Bill Northey have what it takes to win in Eastern Iowa? Will anyone take Bob Vander Plaats serious? Do people actually know who Dave Vaudt and Rod Roberts are? I would have liked to see some head-to-head numbers of these people against Culver.

The next month is important for Culver, as the legislative session ends. Culver has bumped heads with leaders in his own party over key labor issues and an increase in the gas tax among others. Now there is a potential of disagreement over the Supreme Court’s decision on gay marriage.

Of the 35% that say they would definitely support Culver for reelection, I would assume most all are Democrats and very few are Republicans. Culver needs to shore up his Democratic support. The Republicans will do what they can to ostracize independent voters as the party continues to move to the far right.

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