LinkMessageShare Gov. Kim Reynolds is doubling down on a right-wing agenda rejected by voters in Iowa and across the country on last week.Art Cullen’s Notebook is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Nov 21, 2023·edited Nov 21, 2023Liked by Art Cullen
Rob Sand has one thing going for him: He's from outside The Golden Circle. The Iowa Dems have been playing "next player in" from Polk County and its periphery too long and there's almost a total disconnect with the rest of the state. This goes back years but has culminated in the shellacking they took in 2022. Only a third of the statehouse seats, one statewide executive office (losing two longtime incumbents) and no seats in the congressional delegation. And their fourth straight defeat in the governor's race. Not to mention the inability to tabulate caucus results. You know things are bad when they have to pull Gov. Tim Walz down from Minnesota to come to the Iowa State Fair to show folks what a winner looks like. I think Sand's trying to position himself as a Democrat version of Richard Johnson (the former Republican state auditor who held Democrat and Republican governors accountable) or the second coming of Attorney General Tom Miller, another Dem from Northeast Iowa (And you can tell Miller's gone; I had a friend call the AG's office with a consumer protection question and the answer was "talk to a private attorney.").
And Sand has let folks know he's a hunter. I'm reminded of Dave Nagle's successful early campaigns for Congress and the "Sportsmen for Nagle" bumper stickers.
I hope Sand has the grit necessary to refuse assistance from the national party. Iowa Democrats won't start winning until they purge all the DNC suckups from their ranks. Those people know less than nothing about winning elections, let alone how to win elections in Iowa.
Nobody's asked for my advice but if I were Sand I would get my paperwork submitted to the Des Moines Register ASAP. Once he has their permission to run, he looks good to win.
Spot on column. Your caution on overreaching is a lesson for all--including those who were victorious--to avoid overreacting or enhancing the meaning of these victories. If our Governor is feeling blowback from doubling down, what about Trump's poll rankings and escalation of authoritarian views?
Rob Sand has one thing going for him: He's from outside The Golden Circle. The Iowa Dems have been playing "next player in" from Polk County and its periphery too long and there's almost a total disconnect with the rest of the state. This goes back years but has culminated in the shellacking they took in 2022. Only a third of the statehouse seats, one statewide executive office (losing two longtime incumbents) and no seats in the congressional delegation. And their fourth straight defeat in the governor's race. Not to mention the inability to tabulate caucus results. You know things are bad when they have to pull Gov. Tim Walz down from Minnesota to come to the Iowa State Fair to show folks what a winner looks like. I think Sand's trying to position himself as a Democrat version of Richard Johnson (the former Republican state auditor who held Democrat and Republican governors accountable) or the second coming of Attorney General Tom Miller, another Dem from Northeast Iowa (And you can tell Miller's gone; I had a friend call the AG's office with a consumer protection question and the answer was "talk to a private attorney.").
And Sand has let folks know he's a hunter. I'm reminded of Dave Nagle's successful early campaigns for Congress and the "Sportsmen for Nagle" bumper stickers.
I hope Sand has the grit necessary to refuse assistance from the national party. Iowa Democrats won't start winning until they purge all the DNC suckups from their ranks. Those people know less than nothing about winning elections, let alone how to win elections in Iowa.
Nobody's asked for my advice but if I were Sand I would get my paperwork submitted to the Des Moines Register ASAP. Once he has their permission to run, he looks good to win.
Spot on column. Your caution on overreaching is a lesson for all--including those who were victorious--to avoid overreacting or enhancing the meaning of these victories. If our Governor is feeling blowback from doubling down, what about Trump's poll rankings and escalation of authoritarian views?
Rejected Art? Did you forget the last election?