Some Fun Facts About the New Iowa Democratic Party Chair

On January 17, 2015, the Iowa Democratic state party central committee named Dr. Andrea “Andy” McGuire to lead their state organization.  She replaces Scott Brennan who did not seek re-election.

Some fun facts you may (or may not) know about Dr. Andrea McGuire:

• President and Chief Operating Officer at Meridian Health Plan.
• MD, specializing in nuclear medicine
• 58 years old
• Married with seven kids (For all the liberals calling for “common ground” – here it is!)
• Ran unsuccessfully in 2006 as a Lt. Governor candidate to Mike Blouin.  They lost the Democratic nomination to Chet Culver and Patty Judge. (Ouch.)
• Founding member of the Women’s Leadership Connection for United Way of Central Iowa
• Former President of the Creighton University National Alumni Board
• She has thrown Planned Parenthood fundraisers at her home and is a regular Planned Parenthood donor.
• On the National Advisory Council for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) — appointed by former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
• McGuire’s Meridian Health Plan, is a managed Medicaid plan.
• Chairman of the College of Public Health Board of Advisors at the University of Iowa.
• While McGuire was on the Prairie Meadows Executive Committee, the casino’s grants to Planned Parenthood jumped from $10,000 to $100,000.
• In 2012, when McGuire was Chair of the Grant Advisory Committee, Prairie Meadows’ grant to Planned Parenthood was increased to $100,000.  Planned Parenthood got another $100,000 from Prairie Meadows as a “Legacy Grant” in 2013.(Sources: Prairie Meadows annual reports.)  Maybe $100,000 is not that much, considering the Des Moines Social Club, that just put on a play called, “Cock” (that had nothing to do with chickens) got $250,000 from the same Prairie Meadows fund.
• Dr. Andy McGuire was on the board of Warren Buffet‘s failed Iowa Initiative campaign to “reduce unintended pregnancies”  (Which quietly dropped out of sight when the resulting numbers were not the ones they intended.) Iowa Initiative, if you remember from past IRTL News issues, spent $35 million to pay for IUDs and implanted hormone devices in women in Iowa.
• Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, a big beneficiary, increased its patient visits for IUDs and Implanon from 550 in its fiscal year ending in 2007 to 4,645 in its fiscal year ending in 2009. But abortions at Planned Parenthood didn’t go down, they went up — from 4,397 abortions in 2007 to 5,685 abortions in 2009.
• McGuire was joined on the Iowa Initiative Board by other Planned Parenthood darlings: Christie Vilsack, Susan Knapp and former Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson.
• McGuire’s license plate on her Buick Enclave says “HRC 2016,” as in “Hillary Rodham Clinton.” (Source: “Clinton makes just one excruciating’ Iowa mention,” Des Moines Register, 6/11/14) Despite the “Draft Elizabeth Warren” undercurrent, the Iowa Democrats must be more serious about Hillary Clinton to put someone so in the tank for the Clintons like McGuire in charge.
• McGuire was co-chair of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign in Iowa.
• McGuire had Hillary Clinton fundraisers in her home.  In 2007, the New York Times reported, “On Friday night, Mrs. Clinton had dinner in Des Moines at the home of a leading Democrat, Andrea McGuire, and was joined by several other influential party members: Mr. Boswell; the state Senate Democratic leader, Michael Gronstal; and Bonnie Campbell, the former state attorney general, among others.” (“Clinton, in Iowa, Vows to ‘Renew the Promise of America,’” New York Times, 1/28/07)

Could McGuire be banking on Mrs. Clinton, because if she wins, McGuire might be on the short list to be Secretary of Health and Human Services?  Just asking.

It will be interesting to see if McGuire is an effective leader and fundraiser for the Democrats.  Or if she is spread too thin to have any impact at all.