Kim Reynolds endorsement, Fetterman in Iowa, local elections, and more
November 6 "Capitol Week" is online
Happy election day! This recap is coming to you a bit later than usual, because I had a surprise guest post submission related to today’s public library vote in Pella, and I needed to get it online as quickly as possible.
If you haven’t voted yet in city or school board elections, polls will be open across Iowa until 8:00 pm. Check to see whether your polling location has changed, and remember to bring some form of voter ID. If you have moved since the last time you voted, bring ID and proof of address (possibilities include a residential lease, utility bill, paycheck, or bank statement).
Although there are some spirited local government races around Iowa—Des Moines has a competitive campaign for mayor and contested races in three of the city’s four wards—my impression is that the school board races are generally hotter this year, because of recent legislation affecting public schools. West Des Moines had sleepy school board campaigns for several cycles in a row but now has eight candidates seeking four positions. In many communities, there are “slates” of candidates backed by the Iowa State Education Association on the one hand, and conservative groups like Moms for Liberty on the other.
Dennis Hart and I will go over the main takeaways next Monday evening. But our latest show was dominated by Iowa caucus news.
Remember, the entire “Capitol Week” archive is available on KHOI’s website.
Topics we covered during the November 6 program:
Governor Kim Reynolds endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for president at a rally that was ongoing while Dennis and I were on the air. Among other things, she said she doesn’t think Donald Trump can win the next election. I understand why DeSantis and his allies are hitting the panic button after last week’s Iowa Poll by Selzer & Co, but the idea that Trump can’t beat Joe Biden is not landing with most Iowa Republicans, and is not supported by recent swing state polling;
I’m skeptical the governor’s endorsement will give DeSantis a big boost here, but it’s a signal to his supporters and leaners that they should not abandon ship;
I’ve never believed Reynolds aspires to be the vice presidential nominee, but I think she likes being mentioned as a contender. Certainly if DeSantis were better positioned to win the nomination, she would be on his short list;
Trump reacted to the news just like you’d expect, by lashing out at Reynolds and taking credit for her earlier political success. I don’t know many people who believe she wouldn’t have been elected governor without him. I’m curious to see whether his fan base will turn on Reynolds or mostly ignore this news;
It’s rare for Iowa governors to endorse before the caucuses. In January 2016, then Governor Terry Branstad didn’t pick one favorite but urged Iowa Republicans not to caucus for Senator Ted Cruz, who (he said) was bad for renewable fuels. Cruz went on to win the caucuses;
DeSantis started airing his first Iowa tv ad last week. It was nothing special and sought to draw a contrast with Biden, not GOP rivals;
Senator Tim Scott was back in Iowa last week and amped up his rhetoric against college students who (in his words) “are encouraging terrorism, genocide and Jewish genocide and mass murders”;
Vivek Ramaswamy launched his own tv ad campaign in Iowa with a 30-second spot featuring several of his “ten commandments.” I find it amazing that after all the time he’s spent here, Ramaswamy is sitting at 4 percent in the latest Iowa Poll, the same as former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who hasn’t visited Iowa all year;
Dennis and I spent a couple of minutes talking about the latest NYT/Siena polling, which showed Trump leading Biden in five of six swing states.
The Des Moines Register continues to publish results from the recent Selzer poll showing which issues matter to likely Republican caucus-goers, and what voters think about Trump’s assertion that strict abortion bans were a “terrible mistake.” As I wrote about last week, Trump maintains support even from voters who disagree with his comments about key issues. Also, caucus-goers trust Trump more than any other GOP candidate to handle the situation in Israel and Gaza;
Moving to Congressional news, all four Iowa members of the U.S. House supported a bill combining aid to Israel with cuts to the Internal Revenue Service. It’s not going anywhere in the Senate;
The Iowans also voted uniformly against expelling fellow House Republican George Santos. They split on a motion to censure Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib; Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) joined Democrats on a motion to table that censure motion, while Representatives Ashley Hinson (IA-02), Zach Nunn (IA-03), and Randy Feenstra (IA-04) tried to advance the censure motion. Incidentally, the House took up a different censure motion against Tlaib on November 7, and all four Iowans voted against tabling it;
The Israel/Hamas war created a rift last week between Iowa Democratic Party leaders and some campus Democrats. My impression from my conversations with Democrats is that most people think state party chair Rita Hart overreacted by issuing a press release condemning a social media post that had already been taken down. Those who agreed with the social media post were very angry about Hart’s statement;
I went to the Iowa Democratic Party’s big fundraiser on Saturday, mainly to hear Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. His remarks were well received and hit on three major themes: mocking Republicans, criticizing Democrats who are running against Biden, and speaking frankly about his stroke recovery and mental health challenges. I believe Fetterman is saving lives by reducing the stigma surrounding depression and getting help for depression;
The Iowa Democratic Party is accepting requests for ballots (technically “presidential preference cards”) ahead of next year’s caucuses. We still don’t know how all of the logistics will work. If you missed it a few weeks ago, John Deeth’s thoughts on that angle are worth reading;
Senator Joni Ernst made news last week by being one of the Senate Republicans who attempted to bring 61 military nominations and promotions to the floor. Their GOP colleague Tommy Tuberville blocked each nomination, and Ernst said in one of her Senate floor speeches that she did not respect men who do not honor their word;
Galen Bacharier reported for the Des Moines Register last week that Lanon Baccam, a former USDA official, is seriously considering running in Iowa’s third Congressional district as a Democrat. I still expect more than one candidate to enter the field, but it’s obvious that many well-known potential contenders decided to pass on a bid against Representative Zach Nunn;
We briefly previewed today’s city and school board elections. Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board executive director Zach Goodrich told me on Friday, “Based on what our office has dealt with, this campaign cycle for city/school elections has been far more toxic and contentious than last year's campaigns. Those with our office for a long time have said this is a complete 180 from how these campaigns used to be”;
We briefly discussed a piece I finished on Monday afternoon, about a dark money group that popped up last week to send mailings attacking Josh Mandelbaum, one of two leading candidates for Des Moines mayor. I explained how this group was able to avoid disclosing its donors or details about its spending, even though its direct mail was obviously designed to influence the election result;
We closed out by previewing that Pella library referendum I mentioned at the top.
Thanks for reading or listening! Dennis and I enjoy doing the show. I encourage you to check out some of KHOI’s other talk and music programming as well.
The Iowa Writers Collaborative continues to grow. All of these authors provide columns for free, with paid subscription options.
In your piece you said you still do not understand the new Democratic Caucus format. Here is some information that might help you.
Caucuses will be held on January 16. 2024, which is Martin Luther King, Jr Day. This holiday commemorates Dr. King and others’ work for civil rights and social justice. It is also a day when people are encouraged to volunteer to work on community service projects. It is most fitting that Democrats will be gathering that day to come together and have grassroots input into the political process. Please attend and help Dems build their party from the ground up!
The Iowa Democratic Caucuses are now more accessible than ever. In addition to the in person meeting, you will cast your Presidential preference by mail. First, you will need to request a Presidential Preference Card, be going now to https://iowademocrats.org/2024-caucus-2/ You will choose one of three ways to request your preference card- online, by mail, or call in. Online is preferred. The last day to request a card is February 19, 2024. Second, Preference Cards will be mailed out to Democrats who have requested them starting on January 12, 2024. Third, you fill in the preference card and return it by mail ASAP. Last day to be postmarked is March 1st. If you have any questions, call the helpline: (515) 216-3893.
Please consider attending the in person portion of the caucus on January 16th. As in other years, your input is important as we help build our party. You will be voting for members of the Central Committee from each precinct and delegates to the County Convention on March 23rd. You can also submit and discuss planks for the platform. Bring your ideas.