I want to preface this post by noting a couple of things: first, I'm a registered independent and proud of it. And given the craptacular behavior of the political class over the course of the past couple of years, at this point leading up to the Midterms, I have to say that it will take a minor miracle for me to cast my ballot in favor of either Republicans or Democrats. So these endorsements do not guarantee a candidate my vote in the fall, but for right now, these candidates represent for the most part 'the least bad option' on the ballot tomorrow.
Second Congressional District, GOP- Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks: Of the four candidates vying for the Republican nomination in the 2nd District, Dr. Miller-Meeks impresses me the most. She's a distinguished Doctor (always a plus when trying to craft a coherent health care policy) a veteran of the US Army and more importantly, at least according to her website, she doesn't seem as crazy on social issues as some of the other candidates out there- supporting traditional marriage (boo, but OK, she is a Republican) and what I would consider reasonable restrictions on abortion (exceptions for rape, incest and when the life of the mother is in danger) she comes across as thoughtful, intelligent and despite my ideological differences with the Republican party right now would most likely be an excellent public servant. What pushed me, personally over the top, however, was her position on immigration reform. While Steve Rathje went for something trite: ('There is a path to citizenship: it's called following the law') Miller-Meeks impressed me by acknowledging that we need to look at the problem of employers employing illegals and speed the immigration system up to make it easier and more efficient for people to become citizens legally. It's an extraordinarily sensible position on an issue that doesn't often seem to lend itself to common sense.
Like I said, it's a long-shot right now whether I'll support either Republicans or Democrats in the fall, but if Republican voters are looking to put their best candidate forward to run against Dave Loebsack in the Second District, Mariannette Miller-Meeks is the way to go.
Democratic Senatorial Primary- Roxanne Conlin: Given the fact that Roxanne Conlin was the Democrat that Terry Branstad beat to win the Governor's race when he first ran, lo those many moons ago, it seems almost fate that the two of them should be attempting comebacks again in the same election cycle. Conlin is an accomplished attorney with a history of fighting public corruption, and, as her website notes, wants to stand up for all Iowans. Of all the candidates that I've looked at, I think Conlin probably has the best chance of winning my vote in the fall. For a start, if there's one thing that's irritating about Iowa, it's the state's unfortunate tradition of keeping politicians in their jobs far, far, longer than they should and Chuck Grassley, bless him, probably remembers when Washington D.C. was a malarial swamp and not the regular kind of swamp it is now, he's been there so long. Usually when running against Iowa's two entrenched Senators, the opposing party usually finds some sacrificial lamb to walk blindly into the valley of entrenched incumbency, but this year the Democrats seem to be on the verge of picking a serious candidate that can give Chuck Grassley a run for his money, if not de-throne him all together and in Roxanne Conlin, they've got the right candidate.
Whatever the political tea leaves are reading right now, one thing is for sure, I think: it's not a good year to be an incumbent and a real challenge to Grassley could very well de-throne him once and for all. Roxanne Conlin appears to have the record, the drive and the qualifications to (hopefully) win- and at the very least, she'll make Grassley work damn hard to get back in this year.
Gubernatorial Race, GOP- Terry Branstad: I'm queasy about this one, but at the end of the day, Terry Branstad has his head screwed on straight. He gets it. While I'm not wild about giving him back a job he held for 16 years (and will probably hold again for 16 more if he really wants too), Branstad is coming across as the sensible grown up of the Republican candidates for Governor, putting job growth, fiscal responsibility and fixing the economy front and center instead of getting his underwear all in a bunch about gay marriage. That's not to say that he's not in favor of letting Iowans vote on the issue, he is- but unlike Bob Vander Plaats, who has promised to sign an executive order on Day 1 stopping gay marriages, Branstad seems to have a lot of understanding and more importantly, respect for the constitutional amendment process, which is how it should be! Whether you're for or against gay marriage, at the end of the day, whether we vote on it or not, the process matters! Signing bits of paper on Day 1 stopping gay marriage is a kind of slap in the face to our state Constitution that I'm not crazy about. Hence, my lack of love for Mr. Vander Plaats. As for Rod Roberts... well, he also seems to be doing his level best to be sensible about things- and as the Iowa Independent noted, he may be angling for a Lt. Governor slot- for which he'd be well qualified and would certainly help Branstad to bridge the gap between himself and the more right wing of the GOP or conversely, between Vander Plaats and moderates in the state.
But, at the end of the day, it's the economy, stupid. And Branstad seems to be making job growth, fiscal responsibility and fixing the economy his top priorities, while letting social issues that, to me at least, don't matter that much at all take a back seat. I like that. Which is why I'm hoping Republican voters will back him tomorrow.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: these endorsements are for the primary ONLY. This in no way, shape or form means that I'm going to vote for any of these people come November and my decisions were based purely off quick glances of their websites in a fairly half-assed way. But that's how I roll... now everyone remember to go and VOTE tomorrow!
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