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 its own message by endorsing BVP at its marriage inequality rally, and he wants to give also-rans Rants and Roberts a chance. But he’s firmly in the Anyone But Terry camp.
I want to be very clear on a few things…
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I love and respect the individuals I know who work for Iowa Family Policy Center. They do fantastic work, but I do think they stepped on their message. By the way, Deeth, homosexuals have the same right to marry someone of the opposite sex as I do. What you want is special rights. But can we at least agree that the people, not one court, should be able to decide this matter?
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Governor Terry Branstad may be my fourth choice in the primary, but if he wins the nomination he’ll have my support. As would Bob Vander Plaats if he should win.
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I think it is good to have a feisty primary, and am sick of people who talk of a practical Branstad coronation or some of my fellow evangelicals picking Vander Plaats as being the candidate that all Christians should get behind. Why would we pick somebody who has already lost twice? It seems like some of my brothers and sisters are embracing the same philosophy as some of the GOP establishment has when it comes to picking Presidential nominees – “it’s his turn.” We saw that with Senator John McCain, and I’m sure we’ll see it with some and Mitt Romney. When has that ever been a winning strategy?
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I want to choose who I feel is the candidate who best reflects my beliefs, and who I think will be the most competent for the job. I’ll leave pragmatism for the general election. Right now my top two would be Roberts and Rants. Are they a long shot? Yes, but both would better positioned if some of my brothers and sisters didn’t run to the first candidate who, in my opinion, waved the evangelical flag. I feel like Branstand is mostly about name recognition and political posturing. I think that Vander Plaats is mostly rhetoric.
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The two candidates who offer the best ideas, substance, and temperament are Roberts and Rants. If neither of them win the nomination I would hope whomever the nominee is would select one of them for the ticket. I personally would love to see a Rants/Roberts or Roberts/Rants ticket (this is as close to a primary endorsement as I am likely to make).
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Iowa Democrats would love to see Vander Plaats be a third party candidate if Branstad should win the nomination. That would be a disaster so I hope and pray that Vander Plaats, IFPC or anyone else would not consider that. That would guarantee four more years of a Culver administration and that is not in the best interest of this state.
Update: I neglected a candidate, Jonathan Narcisse, who will run as what he describes himself as a “small government, low tax, free market, 10th amendment gubernatorial candidate.” He’ll either primary Governor Culver or run as an independent. He’s sitting down for an interview with me on Friday.