U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack plans to move back to Iowa after President Barack Obama’s term ends, according to Radio Iowa’s summary of his remarks on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program. Vilsack has served in Obama’s cabinet from the beginning and said he’s not interested in continuing to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture if Hillary Clinton is elected president in 2016. He wants to move back to Iowa and might teach at a university, but he doesn’t want to become the University of Iowa’s next president. O.Kay Henderson reports that Vilsack is open to running for office again someday.
“You know, you never want to say never,” Vilsack said. After disappointing losses in 2014, the Iowa Democratic Party is in the midst of a rebuilding process and Vilsack seems personally committed to the effort. “It’s going to require a lot of work and it’s going to require all hands on deck,” Vilsack says. “And it’s going to require making sure that we are competitive and getting the message out and working in all 99 counties.”
How many Iowa Democrats would like to travel back in time two years and talk Vilsack into running for Tom Harkin’s Senate seat? There’s no doubt in my mind that even in a Republican landslide year, Vilsack could have beaten Joni Ernst. If he agreed to take her on in 2020 (a potentially tougher race because Ernst will be the incumbent), Vilsack would be nearly 70 years old.
Governor Terry Branstad came back to his old job after twelve years–would Vilsack run for governor in 2018? He would be well positioned beat Kim Reynolds or Bill Northey (who appear to be the two most likely GOP nominees), but I don’t see Vilsack going back to that job.
If Representative David Young wins re-election to Iowa’s third Congressional district in 2016, some Democrats would probaby try to recruit Vilsack to run against him in 2018. But a U.S. House seat in the minority caucus probably wouldn’t sound appealing. My best guess is that Iowans will not see Tom Vilsack’s name on a ballot again. What do you think, Bleeding Heartland readers?
6 Comments
I Don't Think He Will Run
I don’t think he will run for Governor, but I could be wrong. I think Culver would be more likely to run for office again.
I would like to see Mike Fitzgerald make a run for Governor against Reynolds or Northey. He has the name recognition and experience to win.
jakeporter Wed 15 Apr 1:37 PM
Vilsack
He’ll stay in Washington. He lived here for a time, but he’s someone else now . What’s he going to do? Work at his Father-in-laws Law firm? Iowa is not a place that can be won with a coalition of public sector union, climate changers, immigrants and women’s groups.
Culver? Pray it doesn’t happen.
Look to younger leadership with a new perspective. If I hear the names Clinton, Bush or Vilsack again I’m going to jump out the window.
jmike1400 Thu 16 Apr 11:35 AM
He's probably done
Regardless of his own personal positions on issues, Vilsack is very much identified as a “mainstream” Democrat. As the “mainstream” of the party becomes more and more baggage-laden by its neoliberal economic policy, fewer and fewer Democrats will be able to prevail at the ballot box. The tainted brand will take them down before they ever get a chance.
I can’t imagine a two-term governor and Cabinet member, having reached retirement age with honors, wanting to try and beat those odds in service of a party whose ideology has no electoral future.
bigriverbandido Thu 16 Apr 12:31 PM
Hah!
Reads like someone living in a Fox bubble.
conservative-demo Thu 16 Apr 2:32 PM
Reading comprehension needed
My comment criticized neoliberal economics and the Democratic Party’s embracing that agenda. If you think that “neoliberal” = “Democrat”, you are quite mistaken, and have hit upon the reason why the Democratic Party is in such severe trouble these days.
bigriverbandido Tue 21 Apr 1:49 PM
Clinton/Vilsack 2016
Anyone?
southiowamoderate Sun 19 Apr 4:51 PM