Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal announced tonight that he will not run for governor in 2014. Gubernatorial candidate Bob Krause tweeted that Gronstal told the audience at the Pottawattamie County annual Democratic fundraiser that his Senate seat is needed to maintain the Democrats’ 26-24 Senate majority. IA-03 Congressional candidate Gabriel De La Cerda also reported Gronstal’s announcement. Gronstal has represented the Council Bluffs area in the Iowa Senate for many years and was just re-elected to another four-year term in 2012. Since he’s not up for re-election in 2014, he could have run for governor without giving up his seat. However, if he became governor a special election would be called in Senate district 8. Republicans hold both of the Iowa House seats in that district.
I am not surprised by Gronstal’s decision. I was more surprised when he said he was seriously considering the race. While I agree he could be a good governor, and other Democrats could be excellent Senate majority leaders, I would be concerned about finding another Democrat who could hol
UPDATE: Gronstal told Radio Iowa’s O.Kay Henderson that he made the decision in the last ten days, adding, “I think Terry Branstad is imminently [eminently] beatable. This is not the same Terry Branstad that was governor back in the ’80s who understood the spirit of compromise, so I think we have a much more ideological governor. I am confident we (Democrats) can find a candidate who will be able to beat him.”
SECOND UPDATE: Gronstal’s official statement is after the jump.
Press release of July 30:
A statement by State Senator Mike Gronstal
“At an annual Pottawattamie County Democratic event last night in Council Bluffs, I formally announced my decision to not run for Governor in 2014.
“My #1 goal in 2014 is to maintain the Democratic Majority in the Iowa Senate, not run for Governor.
“For the past 17 years, as the Minority and Majority Leader of the Iowa Senate, I have had the honor and privilege of leading an amazing and diverse group of Democratic Senators. We all have worked on a list of accomplishments that have helped make Iowa a better place to work, live and raise a family.
“During the 2013 session, for example, Senate Democrats kept the focus of the entire Legislature on efforts to expand Iowa’s middle class. This included:
•Expanding access to affordable health care to more than 150,000 Iowans across the state.
•Passing the largest water quality initiative in more than 25 years.•Expanding worker training efforts to help Iowa businesses fill skilled job openings.
•Keeping tuition affordable at our community colleges, state universities and private colleges.
•Cutting property taxes for every Iowa business– and helping small businesses the most.
“Because of the lack of leadership and accomplishment by the current Governor, this decision was not an easy one to make.
“Governor Branstad has failed to keep the promises he made to Iowa voters during the 2010 campaign. Most important, Governor Branstad has failed miserably in his efforts to boost job creation efforts across the state because he has focused his efforts on luring mega-corporations to Iowa and dismantling the state’s network for services that had been provided to jobless Iowans.
“Because of Governor Branstad’s poor leadership and lack of results, I am optimistic that Democrats have an excellent chance to regain the Governorship in 2014.”