Conservative talk radio host Steve Deace told Fox News today that he may run for the U.S. Senate in 2014 if Representative Steve King passes on the race. Deace said King is uniquely qualified to “unite the Rand Paul faction and the Mike Huckabee faction of the grassroots activists.” In his opinion, neither Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds nor “anybody connected to Terry Branstad” can unite Iowa Republicans.
Reynolds confirmed on a conference call with reporters today that she will “take a serious look” at the Senate race. According to Branstad’s communications director Tim Albrecht, Reynolds would not run against King in a GOP primary. UPDATE: The National Journal quotes skeptical Iowa Republican insiders on Reynolds as a Senate candidate.
I am still confident that King will opt out of the Senate race. In that case, a far-right candidate would be well positioned to beat Reynolds in a primary, but I’m not sure that Deace is that person. Spin your own IA-Sen scenarios in this thread.
UPDATE: Bruce Braley’s campaign has started taking shots at King already.
Carroll-based journalist Douglas Burns argues that former State Representative Rod Roberts, now the director of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, would be the best candidate Republicans could field against Braley. I don’t think so, although Roberts was a good stalking horse for Branstad in the 2010 gubernatorial primary.
SECOND UPDATE: Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey will “strongly consider” running for Senate, but only if King does not run. His past support for a gasoline tax increase to pay for road work would be a problem for him in a Republican primary. Also, the conservative base may not trust him, since he has no record on most issues not related to agriculture.
I enjoyed the Iowa .Gif-t Shop’s take on Deace as a possible candidate.
14 Comments
Oh my!
That little man appears to suffer a case of enlarged sense of self-importance.
conservative-demo Thu 28 Feb 6:31 PM
he said he's been getting calls
from lots of people inside Iowa and out of state, encouraging him to run. I don’t think he would win a primary. I guess it depends who runs against him, though.
desmoinesdem Thu 28 Feb 7:01 PM
If Kim Reynolds thought King was likely to run,
she would probably not be telling reporters that she will “take a serious look” at the Senate race.
cocinero Thu 28 Feb 8:02 PM
Now Bill Northey is talking about entering the race.
Without Latham or King, it might be a crazy crowded primary.
cocinero Thu 28 Feb 8:06 PM
I think so
Three or four candidates at least, maybe some dropping out before the filing deadline if they can’t raise any money.
desmoinesdem Thu 28 Feb 9:00 PM
Deace
I really expected Latham to somewhat reluctantly run. I don’t think Northey will run. I’m not sure how her primary opponents would accept Kim Reynolds. Would they hesitate to say “you haven’t done anything in four years” or would they show some level of restraint?
I presumed we were going to get the clown car treatment if Harkin ran for re-election, if they blow this one by electing a real wackadoodle with no fundraising skill you have to question the entire structure of the Iowa GOP.
Steve Deace was/is really good at sports, every time I hear him talk about politics I wish he would do sports talk again.
moderateiadem Thu 28 Feb 9:46 PM
Northey
I think Northey would give BB a run if Northey made it thru a primary. Good guy. Good campaigner. Knows everybody. He could raise money. Place for non tin foilers in the GOP to rally round and take back their party. I like his chances in a general better than Reynolds, if King does not run. How much impact is the Iowa Republican Party’s current dysfunction going to have a small or large impact on the Senate race?
rockm Thu 28 Feb 9:49 PM
I think Northey
would have trouble getting out of a primary. How much does he know about non-ag issues? I see how having no record is an advantage in a general election campaign, but would the Iowa GOP rank and file trust him to look out for “the base” instead of the big money establishment?
He’s also on record supporting a gas tax increase to pay for road work.
desmoinesdem Fri 1 Mar 7:12 AM
Northey's style
is to stick to a few simple talking points and say as little as possible, and not commit on anything he doesn’t have to. If he runs, the challenge will be to flush him out and make him take a stand on issues.
francis-thicke Fri 1 Mar 8:01 AM
Northey
I’m probably naive but perhaps at some point moderate gops will get their act together and take back their party. That video on TIR (cap tip) of the meeting in Fort Dodge is something else. Eventually there will be an uprising. Maybe a rally around Northey. He is very likeable.
Do Republicans NOT want to win elections? King Reynolds Zaun Deace wont beat BB. Northey might.
rockm Fri 1 Mar 8:05 AM
Patience, just be patient
Quote:
Do Republicans NOT want to win elections? King Reynolds Zaun Deace wont beat BB. Northey might
————
Mirage’ll be here before long and tell us who’ll be th next senator.
conservative-demo Fri 1 Mar 8:23 AM
You are right....it didn't take long.....
I predict a very competitive republican primary, with two strong candidates in this primary head and shoulders above the others, and both of those with a real stong shot in the general election against Braley.
I am sure we will all be talking a lot about this subject as time moves along. Right now I am in relaxation mode…just a bit too early for this campaign.
mirage Fri 1 Mar 2:33 PM
Sorry
Hard to post from iPhone 🙂 last sentence didn’t make any sense
rockm Thu 28 Feb 9:51 PM
to answer the question
I think you were asking, I believe the Iowa GOP’s dysfunction will have a large impact on the Senate race.
desmoinesdem Fri 1 Mar 7:13 AM