What’s on your mind this weekend, Bleeding Heartland readers? This is an open thread.

Lots of politicians have come back after one or more electoral setbacks. Tom Harkin lost his first campaign for U.S. House in southwest Iowa. Bill Clinton lost his first re-election bid as Arkansas governor. But it’s rare for a politician to win a general election after losing a party primary for a different office in the same year. Two high-profile Iowa Republicans are now attempting this feat in 2014. Sam Clovis, who finished second in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, shifted gears to run for state treasurer.

This past week, Madison County Republicans nominated Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz to run for county attorney. Schultz finished third in the GOP primary to represent Iowa’s third Congressional district after choosing not to seek re-election to his current position. (He also finished third in Madison County, behind David Young and Brad Zaun.) The Vote Matt Schultz website now focuses on his plan to fight crime in Madison County. I’ve posted text from the “issues” page after the jump. In keeping with his relentless hyping of voter fraud as a major crime problem (in the absence of evidence), Schultz is now stoking fears that suburban sprawl will allow “more big-city crime” to “spill over” into nearby areas.

Schultz lived in Council Bluffs, where he served on the city council, before relocating to the Des Moines area after winning the 2010 secretary of state election. Dar Danielson reported for Radio Iowa on August 15,

Schultz moved to Truro a year-and-a-half ago and was asked about those who say he hasn’t lived in the area long enough to represent the people there. “This is a situation where it’s not about money, and I could have made a lot more money working at a law firm in Des Moines, I’ve got a lot of legal experience and professional experience,” Schultz says. “I have a passion for public service and I really care about the community I live in. I love Madison County, it is like heaven for us.”

According to the Winterset Madisonian, the county attorney position is a full-time job with a salary of roughly $73,500. I would be surprised to hear that Des Moines law firms are lining up to hire an attorney who spent a relatively short time in private practice before presiding over an underwhelming term as secretary of state. But perhaps there’s an untapped market for lawyers who are able to spin any courtroom defeat as a victory and have attempted to enact rules that were eventually slapped down by not one but two district court judges.

From the Matt Schultz for Madison County Attorney issues page:

Tough on crime

I love Madison County, this is where my wife and I have chosen to raise our family. I want to make sure that Madison County does not become an easy target for criminals. As the Des Moines metro continues to grow, more big-city crime will spill over into its neighbors. I want to ensure that our communities and schools are kept safe. With five young children this is very important to me. Prosecuting criminals is an important responsibility, one that I will take very seriously.

Strong leadership

We need strong leadership on all levels of government, especially for County Attorney. As an Eagle Scout I was taught to help other people at all times. Public service is a great honor and a place where we can help other people. I have served on a city council and for the last four years I have been fighting for election integrity and supporting small business as Iowa’s Secretary of State. It takes strong leadership to stand up and fight for what is right, even when it seems hard. When fighting crime, we need a strong leader as our County Attorney if we want to keep our communities safe.

Community partner

Fighting crime is not the only responsibility of the County Attorney. Advising the County Supervisors and departments on legal matters is one of the office’s primary responsibilities. With my strong civil background I will provide professional and timely legal counsel and advice to the County Board of Supervisors and County Departments.

I will also be a partner with the citizens and communities in Madison County. I will hold public forums and meetings in every community in our County in order to receive public input on how to keep our communities safe.

I will also work closely with the County Sheriff and local law enforcement. They put their lives on the line everyday and they need to know that the County Attorney will stand behind them and prosecute lawbreakers.