8:46p – Closing remarks by Polk County GOP Finance Chair… money pitch and I’m going to wrap this up. Thanks for reading!
8:43p – Matt Whitaker, U.S. Senate Candidate, is up. We need to send somebody to Washington, DC to hold President Obama accountable…. who else than the prosecutor who prosecuted CITEC? We need to do something, not just talk. He also was the target of an audit after applying for Iowa Supreme Court and discuss what the proper role of the courts, and helping several conservative groups get set up as 501(c)(4) organizations.
8:41p – Schultz: Started a new program last Memorial Day – Honor a Veteran With Your Vote. You can go to http://sos.iowa.gov and click on Honor a Veteran in order to participate.
8:40p – Schultz: Considering the run because it is personal for me, thinking of his kids. He is concerned about this country. He will make his decision soon, but it will be a tough decision because he loves his job.
8:37p – Secretary of State Matt Schultz: You would have thought that when I defeated a popular incumbent on a message of voter integrity Democrats would have gotten the message that Iowans want Voter ID. 71% of Iowans want voter ID. Schultz said he is considering a run for U.S. Senate.
8:36p – Northey: We have gone from a $40 billion food stamp program to a $80 billion food stamp program… the gridlock over the farm bill has been over a small cut in that program which has ballooned. It’s big government run amok. We need to send a conservative Senator to join Grassley in 2014 and a conservative from the 1st Congressional District
8:34p – Northey: If Iowa was a country we’d be the 4th largest corn-producing country in the world, and that was last year with a drought.
8:32p – Northey: Frustrating Spring for farmers… we went from drought to flooding in 15 minutes.
8:31p – Lt. Gov. introduces Bill Northey, Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture
8:30p – Mosiman: Auditor’s office impacts everybody – transparency, consistency in budgeting practices.
8:29p – Mosiman: This is an office worth fighting for… doing the job and keeping the job.
8:28p – Lt. Gov. Reynolds introduces Mary Mosiman Iowa’s new State Auditor.
8:27p – Latham: lack of leadership from President Obama, leading from behind. Washington is rudderless. We need to make a change and flip the Senate.
8:24p – Congressman Latham wanted to remind people what this Memorial Day weekend is about and we need to honor the sacrifice that was made for our freedoms. He also thanked the volunteers who helped him retire Congressman Leonard Boswell… they came within 4000 votes in Polk County even though it is a Democratic stronghold. Next time he said they’ll win a big majority.
8:24p – Introducing Congressman Tom Latham
8:22p – Lt. Gov. Reynolds back up honoring elected officials in the room. Former Governor Robert Ray is here… Senator Grassley couldn’t be here. She made note that GOP need to send somebody who will vote with him in the Senate in 2014.
8:21p – Governor Scott Walker has concluded his remarks and received a standing ovation.
8:20p – Walker: What has made America great, in moments of crisis, people stood up and though more about their children and grandchildren’s future than they thought of their political office or status.
8:19p – Walker: Founders – ordinary people who did something extraordinary. They risked their lives for the freedoms we have today.
8:16p – Walker: We need to encourage candidates to be more optimistic, more relevant and more courageous. I am optimistic about the future. We are bigger than just one election. We can still turn this around.
8:14p – Walker: When Democrats push welfare they are taking away freedom. We need to push true prosperity and freedom. “We celebrate the Fourth of July instead of April 15th because we celebrate independence from the government.”
8:11p – Walker: Want to make sure people who are on welfare are equipped and ready to take a job that becomes available. Obama and Democrats: measure success by how many people are on welfare, we should measure success by how many people are not. Welfare shouldn’t be a hand out, but a help up – experience the dignity of work. Nobody grows up saying, “hey I want to be dependent on the government.”
8:09p – Walker: Required work pr employment training to stay on welfare.
8:08p – Walker: Courage – we need to push for entitlement reform. “What I call moving from government dependence to true independence.”
8:07p – Walker: We need to go where we typically not expected to go. It is assumed that we don’t care if we are not there.
8:06p – Walker: When he was a county executive the only Republican to win three times in Milwaukee County. He won a majority in every Hispanic ward – championed small businesses and choice in education. We need to share a message of opportunity.
8:05p – Walker: Relevance means going to where people are at.
8:05p – Walker: We want every kid to have access to a great education no matter what zip code they live in.
8:04p – Walker: In our schools we can hire and fire based on merit, and pay based on performance.
8:02p – Walker – Relevance – people want to hear people who speak in terms that are relevant to them, not Washington speak.
8:01p – Won by a larger margin with more votes on June 5th, 2012 than they did in November 2012. Wisconsin residents saw the facts.
7:59p – Walker: After reforms were talking place, they started to see “We Stand With Walker” homemade signs crop up all over the state.
7:57p – Walker: Told GOP in Wisconsin after 2010 election, “If we end up being just a little bit less bad than the Democrats, the voters will have a right to throw us out of here.”
7:55p – Walker: We had a 3.5 Billion deficit, and now they have a 1/2 billion dollar surplus that they can give back in tax cuts.
7:54p – Walker: We can’t just run on a referendum on failure, GOP needs to present a positive vision.
7:53p – States need to lead the way. 2014 & 2016 we need optimism, relevance and courage – those are the keys to victory.
7:51p – Walker: Unemployment numbers in states led by GOP governors is 1% lower on average than states led by Democratic governors. The best states to do business 19 of the top 20 are states led by GOP governors.
7:49p – Walker: Quotes Reagan: “It is important to remember that the federal government did not create the states, the states created the federal government.”
7:47p – Lived in Plainfield, IA in the 7os, his dad was the pastor at First Baptist Church there.
7:46p – Walker: Appreciated Iowans prayers most of all during recall election.
7:45p – Walker: 70% of donors during recall gave $50 or less.
7:44p – Walker: Two people he respects the most – Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Utah Gov. Gary Heubert.
7:41p – Walker: I’m the only governor who has been elected twice in the same term.
7:39p – Branstad: Walker took on the public unions and said unions said “if this can happen in Wisconsin it can happen anywhere!” Won recall election with a wider margin.
7:38p – Branstad introduces Governor Scott Walker.
7:36p – Branstad: Tax surplus “didn’t happen by accident.” Inherited shortfall from Culver, spent less than taking in every year. In stark contrast to what is going on in Minnesota and Illinois.
7:35p – Branstad: “I think the American people are becoming more and more aware of all the hidden taxes and fees” in Obamacare. Creating Iowa specific plan.
7:34p – Branstad: Touts “transformational educational reform” – mentions homeschoolers and private schoolers. He wants Iowa to be the best in the nation in education once again.
7:33p – Branstad: Property tax reduction will help stimulate jobs. There is also income tax reduction. This is the type of stimulus that Iowans need.
7:32p – Branstad: Touting property tax reform, education reform and being the “healthiest state in the nation.” These were advanced this year Branstad said.
7:30p – Branstad: Welcomes Scott Walker “my friend and neighbor.” Walker one of 30 GOP governors who are charter a course of fiscal responsibility and job growth across the country. The states governed by GOP governors are balancing budget and seeing job growth.
7:29p – Reynolds introduces Gov. Terry Branstad.
7:28p – Reynolds: If we keep Polk County competitive we win the state.
7:27p – Lt. Gov. Reynolds – an honor to serve as emcee tonight and to serve as Lt. Gov.
7:26p – Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds is up… the person who introduced her butchered the name of her hometown – Osceola.
7:22p – Dinner smells good, I’m getting hungry. Unfortunately for me, but not for you – I’m at the media table…. don’t feed the hungry journalists (or in my case, I’m just a blogger). It can be hazardous.
7:19p – Here’s a Wisconsin joke for you which I appreciate as a Hawkeye fan.
Q: If you have a car containing a Badgers wide receiver, a Badgers linebacker, and a Badgers defensive back, who is driving the car? A: The cop.
7:18p – Sutton: The Robb Kelley Club is the main fundraising organization for Polk County Republicans and has become one of the best fundraising organizations in the state. (I agree).
7:16p – Pastor Claire Rudison gave the invocation, dinner is served. Ken Sutton welcomes everyone said the program will go on while dinner is being eaten because “our intention is to get you out of here before the next election.”
7:13p – Opened up with the Pledge and we’re off…. over 800 tickets were sold.
7:11p – Still waiting on the program… anyone know any good Wisconsin jokes?
7:07p and they’re trying – unsuccessfully – to start the program.
7:04p – Just chatted with Kay Henderson of Radio Iowa… will people after hearing Governor Walker speak suddenly drink the “Scott Walker” kool aid? Perhaps, it seems like some people like latching onto a candidate early. I prefer to actually see who is going to run first before I make my decision. How about you?
6:43p – I’m live blogging the Polk County Republican Party of Iowa’s 4th Annual Robb Kelley Dinner. The keynote speaker is Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. They are expecting 1000 people here at the Sheraton Hotel in West Des Moines. This is a huge “get” for the Polk County Republicans, and I believe their largest fundraiser to date.
With Governor Walker being here in Iowa pre-2016 that of course fuels speculation that he will run for President. From what I’ve heard in different interviews he has had he’s focused on reelection right now. From this Iowans perspective due to his record of reform, taking on the unions, actually accomplishing what he said he would do (go figure!), and winning by a larger margin in his recall election than he did when first elected – he would be an intriguing candidate.
Be sure to refresh your browser for updates throughout the night.