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IA-Gov: Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie thinking about it (updated)

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie may seek the Democratic nomination for governor, Graham Gillette reported at Iowa Watchdog today.

Cownie has courted both Republicans and Democrats in recent weeks and appears ready to jump into the fray. Cownie has called [Governor Terry] Branstad vulnerable and [State Senator Jack] Hatch unelectable, giving him a shot at taking over Terrace Hill.

Cownie said he believes his record will attract Iowa voters. Hatch and Branstad are seen as state political insiders. Cownie sees himself as the person with executive experience capable of bringing something new to the governor’s office, he said.

Cownie and Hatch could easily split the Polk County Democratic vote, leaving the door open for a candidate from another part of the state. Des Moines is Iowa’s most populous city, but it’s not nearly large enough to dominate a statewide primary. Both Hatch and Cownie are strong on many progressive issues. Cownie was first elected mayor in 2004 after serving two years on the Des Moines City Council.

Any comments about the governor’s race are welcome in this thread.

UPDATE: Then again, maybe he won’t. Cownie told the Des Moines Register’s Jennifer Jacobs Friday afternoon, “the rumors of my running for governor at this moment are greatly exaggerated.”

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal will “make a decision before the end of the summer” about running for governor.

Tags: 2014 Elections, Frank Cownie, IA-Gov, Jack Hatch, Mike Gronstal, Terry Branstad

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desmoinesdem

13 Comments

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  • 100%

    I am in full agreement with Frank Cownie’s statement that Jack Hatch is unelectable to the governor’s office.  

    mirage  Fri 31 May 1:08 PM

    • And

      neither is Frank Cownie.  No way the state votes for a Des Moines mayor for Governor. Eastern Iowa won’t. The hinterlands won’t. The Des Moines suburbs won’t. A non starter.

      rockm  Fri 31 May 2:43 PM

  • Hogg

    I kinda wish Mike Blouin was a little younger.  He would make a good candidate.  I don’t regret supporting Culver in the 2006 primary, but in this go around I would probably ignore Blouin’s stance on social issues in order to get someone that I consider to be a quick study on policy matters.

    I don’t think Blouin would win, but I am a pessimist and I think the only person on the scene right now that could beat Branstad would be Tom Harkin.  

    I assume Rob Hogg is still in the mulling stage.  I’d like to see an honest debate about flood preparation.

    Mark Kuhn would make an interesting candidate.  I know he’s not interested, but I always look for candidates that they can’t claim as a life long bureaucrat or whatever.

    There are a lot of good names to throw out there, but you almost don’t want to get any rumors started.  

    moderateiadem  Fri 31 May 3:42 PM

    • Hogg

      I love Rob Hogg. An environmental warrior. I would eagerly support him, but I fear he is a one trick pony. Would love love love to see the Iowa Farm Bureau squirm a little with a Hogg candidacy.  

      rockm  Fri 31 May 4:09 PM

      • I would hate to lose Hogg

        in the Senate, and he’d have to give up his Senate seat to run for governor. He is young enough to wait until 2018 or 2022.

        desmoinesdem  Fri 31 May 4:14 PM

        • Hogg

          Hogg has said he won’t run for Governor if Tyler Olson does, and that is looking more and more likely.

          columcille  Fri 31 May 7:29 PM

    • Go ahead

      Throw the names out. That’s what a blog is for.  

      rockm  Fri 31 May 4:11 PM

      • List

        I’ll compose a list shortly, give me a couple days.

        The problem with doing this is you don’t want to out people that want to be viewed as apolitical in most venues.  The second problem is that one person’s prize winning cow could be considered another persons goat.

        I would be more likely to support a squishy centrist than someone that fires up the base.  I’m kind of a proponent of the status quo.  

        moderateiadem  Fri 31 May 4:46 PM

    • speaking of regrets

      it’s really too bad that Tom Miller didn’t become pro-choice about 10-15 years earlier than he did, because being anti-abortion is the only reason Miller lost the 1990 IA-Gov primary, and I firmly believe that he could have beaten Branstad that year. I supported John Crystal, a great guy but he had no chance in the Dem primary. Avenson was never going to beat Branstad.

      desmoinesdem  Fri 31 May 4:16 PM

    • Mark Kuhn

      was a good legislator and would be a good governor. I agree with you, though, he’s not going to run.

      desmoinesdem  Fri 31 May 5:03 PM

    • "I think the only person on the scene right now that could beat Branstad would be Tom Harkin."

      Vilsack would crush him if he would actually run. Indeed, I suspect Vilsack would beat Branstad more easily than Harkin.  Of course, such speculation is irrelevant on both counts. 🙂  

      zeitgeist  Sun 2 Jun 2:34 PM

  • Update

    Mayor Cownie is backing away from his possible candidacy, in a blog post by JJ on The Des Moines Register’s website.  A short-lived candidacy. He probably saw this blog, and thought the better of it.  ðŸ™‚

    rockm  Fri 31 May 6:31 PM

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