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Vander Plaats: Fast and Loose With Reality?

Anytime I talk about Bob Vander Plaats, I feel like I have to clarify that I really like the guy overall.  Seems nice enough.  I’m with him philosophically on most everything outside of School Choice.  I also appreciate his zeal on the marriage issue.

However, I saw this video and it solidified my opinion [...]

Deace-Robinson Death Match

Ok, I’m exaggerating a little.  There is an interesting debate going on however between Craig Robinson of The Iowa Republican and Steve Deace of WHO Radio though over the Iowa Family PAC’s endorsement of Bob Vander Plaats and the direction that should be taken toward preserving traditional marriage in Iowa.

I’ve weighed in [...]

Caffeinated Thoughts Interview: Independent Gubernatorial Candidate Jonathan Narcisse

The last time I sat down with former Des Moines School Board Member Jonathan Narcisse to discuss An Iowa Worth Fighting For.  I asked if he was considering a gubernatorial run.  He said, “that’s an idea worth considering.”  We met at Smokey Row in Des Moines last Friday to discuss why he’s running as what [...]

Following the Money: Iowa GOP Gubernatorial Campaign Cash

As some of you may be aware state/local campaign reports were due last week in Iowa.  I’ve spent some time looking over just the Republican gubernatorial candidates in the race.  I decided to focus on those candidates for a couple of reasons.

1. Since Governor Chet Culver is currently in office much of [...]

What Trained Monkeys Can Do

Trained monkeys can not only help the disabled, practice martial arts, harvest coconuts, orbit the earth, but according to Iowa Gubernatorial candidate, Representative Chris Rants (R-Sioux City), they can also win gubernatorial campaigns (well against certain opponents at least).  In an interview with The Iowa Republican, Rants responding to questions about former [...]

Is Criticizing Vander Plaats Marginalizing Marriage?

Bryan English of Iowa Family PAC (Iowa Family Policy Center, IFPC ACTION) responded to criticism of their endorsement of Bob Vander Plaats in an op/ed posted at The Iowa Republican.  The title of the post seems somewhat inflammatory… “GOP Establishment Risks the Future of Their Party by Marginalizing Marriage.”  A question came to [...]

In Defense of IFPC’s Vander Plaats Endorsement

In response to Shane’s post on 1/15/10 critiquing the endorsement.

By Mike Hartwig

As someone that interviewed some, not all, of the candidates, it was blatantly obvious who deserved the endorsement. Chris Rants is a good guy and seems to be motivated by principle not politics, a change over the 10+ years I’ve known [...]

Branstad With Big Lead

I’ve got to somehow find a way to get on the leaked poll email distribution list that Craig Robinson is on.  He posted on leaked poll results that shows former Governor Terry Branstad with a big lead.

Here is the leaked email from Governor Branstad’s campaign manager, Jeff Boeyink:

As you are aware, we have [...]

Iowa Gubernatorial Race: Anybody But Chet

Whenever I post things like my criticism of IFPC’s endorsement of Bob Vander Plaats, it is always interesting to me to see who will link, and what kind of a response I’ll get.  Liberal blogger John Deeth linked to me and said:

Shane Vander Hart thinks the Iowa Family Policy Center stepped on [...]

On IFPC’s Endorsement of Bob Vander Plaats

I wasn’t able to be at the Two Days for Marriage event sponsored by the Iowa Family Policy Center as part of their LUV Iowa campaign.  I ended up having a conflict at work that prevented me from being present at that event.  I had heard that Bob Vander Plaats received an endorsement [...]