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.
Rekha Basu at the Des Moines Register wrote about Steve King voting against spending that would help struggling Americans, yet voted to give himself a pay raise.
Congressman Steve King doesn’t like the government to spend money. Or so he says.
He voted against the economic recovery plan, calling it “a monstrosity” and “more wasteful special-interest spending.” He voted against the auto-industry bailout and against extending health insurance to 4 million children.
He opposed loan guarantees to help homeowners struggling to ward off foreclosure, and legislation to lessen America’s dependence on foreign oil and promote renewable-energy sources.
He voted against disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The list goes on.
In many of these votes, King has been alone among the Iowa congressional delegation, Republican or Democrat. “Our economy will not recover because people spend more,” he has said. “It will recover because people produce more.”
Yet there is one area of government savings King did not support: a freeze on his own pay.
Last week, he broke ranks with other Iowans in Congress and all but 23 members of the U.S. House of Representatives to vote against freezing their own 2010 salaries. The pay-freeze amendment, part of a bill to allow a vote on the omnibus appropriations measure, passed 398 to 24.
I would like to know what Rep. King has against middle class Americans and hurricane victims?
Steve King will be appearing on Iowa Press this week. The show was taped yesterday and King was asked by David Yepsen if he will be running for Governor.
Yepsen: “Is it safe to say you’re thinking about it or keeping your options open? How should we couch that?”
King:“Well, I think we can say that it would be foolish to foreclose options and I think it’d be constructive for me, at this point, to say that our most important job right now is to bring together and reunify the Republican Party in this state and I think with the leadership in the Iowa House and Senate along with the new chairman in the party, we have the tools to do that and I want to continue to support that before we start competing against each other.”
King knows he represents a safe district, so he won’t run unless he truly thinks he has a shot. If he does I would think Chris Rants would jumping at the chance to run for Congress.
Research 2000 released a poll commissioned by Daily Kos yesterday that showed Sen. Charles Grassley leading former Gov. Tom Vilsack 48% to 44%.Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 12/8-10. Likely voters. MoE…
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This morning I wrote about the Democrat’s chances in the US Senate in 2010. That got me thinking about Sen. Grassley, who is up for reelection in 2010. However, he will be 77 at that time and…
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The Rob Hubler campaign has hired Joe Trippi to help end the Steve King circus in the 5th district.
Hubler and Trippi met in Washington, D.C., in recent days to iron out details of the agreement.
“The American people are hungry for change, but more of the same divisive rhetoric and embarrassing headlines by Washington politicians like Steve King is not the answer,” said Trippi. “If we want real change, we need grassroots candidates like Rob Hubler who will always put the people’s interests first. From creating new, good-paying jobs right here in Iowa to lowering gas prices, Rob Hubler is a new kind of leader who will deliver real solutions and real change for Iowa and America.”
Trippi should be able to help Hubler get his message out and help raise money online.
Hubler’s campaign put together this video of Steve King’s antics at a recent hearing on detainee interrogation.
That is just one of the many examples of Steve King’s embarrassing behavior. Over at Daily Kos, 2laneIA did a great job keeping track of the other embarrassing statements King has made.
Steve King cannot let a week go by without saying something to which the appropriate response is: “He said what???” For more on that topic, go here and here. He was one of 11 Republicans to vote against relief for Katrina victims. He is expert on numerous subjects, from drilling our way to energy independence, to the similarities between Mexicans and livestock, to the marriages that result when soldiers get drunk in Bangkok, to the real story on that Niger yellowcake. Really, you can’t make this stuff up.
Please consider helping out the Rob Hubler campaign by donating to the retire Steve King fund.
In an interview with the Sioux City Journal, Steve King cites his effort to block Democratic legislation in the last two years as one of his major accomplishments.
“That very well may be the best contribution that I have made in the 110th Congress, is slowing down, sometimes stopping Democratic-sponsored bills,” King said.
King specifically cites his efforts to derail the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), known locally as the Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (HAWK-I) program. King was the lone member of Iowa’s congressional delegation to stand with President Bush in opposition to this popular, bipartisan legislation.
“I do believe if you took me out of the equation, there would have been a different funding result,” King said.
Rob Hubler, who is running against Steve King in Iowa’s 5th District posted this comment about telecom immunity on his blog…
This is wrong. No one should get a free pass for breaking the law. Iowans and all Americans have a right to live their lives without government intrusion on their privacy.
If elected, I would vigorously oppose this measure. I believe that the constitutional rights of everyday Americans are at issue here, and full accountability is needed. No President should ever have unchecked power. Americans in the U. S. with no connection to suspected terrorists should never have their privacy abridged by an overzealous, unchecked executive branch. As Americans, we can protect ourselves without destroying our Constitutional rights. We need to focus on the very real threats we face, and not waste our resources on spying on loyal Americans.
Steve King was one of 3 Iowans in the House (along with Republican Tom Latham and Democrat Leonard Boswell) that voted for FISA bill and the terrible telecom immunity that was included in it. Democrats Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack voted against the bill.
