John Thompson
Republican Party of Iowa
State Central Committee Member
As a conservative, I am happy to see Hillary Clinton as the Democratic front-runner. There isn’t a Republican challenger that couldn’t beat her and she isn’t firing people up in Iowa. As she limps from one scandal to the next, even Democrats are fed up and apathetic.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Independent, is pulling in crowds but not in a capacity that helps local Democratic parties. On the opposite side of the fence, over a dozen presidential candidates are speaking at events across the state, bringing out new voters and filling the coffers of local Republican parties. Clinton’s inevitable win will set the stage for Republicans to take control of the State Senate.
The Democrats currently hold a 26-24 advantage. Republicans control the house and governor’s office. In addition to the boosts made by presidential attention, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) and its legislative caucus, the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC), announced they plan on spending a $40 million budget for six legislative chambers across the nation. One of the targets is the Iowa Senate. Republicans will have a significant advantage in gaining control of the entire state government.
Last year Republican businessman, Rod Blum, defeated former Statehouse speaker, Patrick Murphy in a race for Iowa’s first district. The Democrat leaning district had been held by Bruce Braley who lost so bad in our US Senate race that the Washington Post labeled him the worst candidate of the cycle.
After Braley’s epic loss, he limped out of the state to do lawyer stuff in Colorado. With Braley costing Democrats both a Senate and a house district, the only remaining Democrat in the Federal delegation is liberal college professor, Dave Loebsack.
I’m not sure if Hillary Clinton’s email problems and other scandals are a result of malicious behavior or if she just lacks the capacity to lead. Regardless of her shortcomings, I am happy that she is leading the charge in Iowa for us to become a Red State!
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John Thompson, of Jefferson is a graduate of West Point and Harvard University. He serves on the State Central Committee for the Republican Party of Iowa. Opinions are his own. John_kurt_thompson@yahoo.com or FB at John Thompson for Iowa
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