I would like to hear more about how the Iowa House and Senate candidates are campaigning around the state.
I live in House district 59, which is a targeted district for both parties. Republican Dan Clute has retired, and Windsor Heights Mayor Jerry Sullivan is facing Chris Hagenow, a Republican attorney.
I don’t watch much television, but I’ve heard that Hagenow has been on the air for a few weeks. His first spot was apparently positive about his Iowa roots and how he wants to make Iowa a good place for his young son Owen. More recently, I think he’s been running an ad attacking Sullivan on taxes. If you’ve seen either of these tv ads, please post a comment or send me an e-mail (desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com).
I’ve received seven direct-mail pieces about this race, all paid for by the Iowa Democratic Party. Five were positive: one about how Sullivan has done a good job as mayor of Windsor Heights, one about his biography and how he’s “always been part of the fabric of our community,” two on how he supports more investment in renewable energy as an economic engine that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and one on how he wants to do more to protect children from sex predators (don’t we all!).
Just this week I’ve received two negative mailings also paid for by the Iowa Democratic Party, about how we can’t trust Hagenow on Social Security. One states that Hagenow wants to replace Social Security with a “voluntary system in which no senior receives the guaranteed benefit they worked a lifetime for.” These mailings contain a footnote to the Polk County Republican platform:
http://polkgoptemp.iowalink.co… Plank 7.4
Unfortunately, the link doesn’t take you directly to the platform. I searched for it on the Polk County Republican site and found this:
http://polkgoptemp.iowalink.co…
Plank 7.4 does indeed state
7.4. We call for the replacement of the current Social Security System with a new private and voluntary retirement investment program.
I live in Windsor Heights, which is obviously a stronghold for Sullivan, and I see lots of his yard signs (including in some Republican households). I don’t know who is winning the yard sign war in the Clive and West Des Moines parts of the district.
If you live in a contested House or Senate district, please post a comment or send me an e-mail about what you are seeing and hearing from the candidates.
If you receive any robocalls or push-polls against your Democratic candidate, please take detailed notes and post a diary or send me an e-mail about it.
Here are some more tips about what to do if you get push-polled.
5 Comments
Davenport Action
Thede is making phone contacts in Davenport. Adds are up against Gayman. Hartsuch is not to be heard from. Braley is holding a fundraiser here this weekend. Wood is on the radio.
dbrog Thu 16 Oct 11:15 PM
HD 10, 70
In 10 I have seen commercials for Jamie Johnson, who is running against McKinley Bailey, its surprisingly similare to Dave Deyoe’s ads in the 70th. Maybe they got a joint deal.
I know that Bailey has a fundraising edge of 2 to 3 times that of his competitor, while it looks like Deyoe has a large advantage in the 70th just judging by the massive commercialization.
It is amazing to see the yard sign war here in Ames. Definitely being won by the Democrats, but the surprising thing is that there are these absolutely huge signs in many of the vacant lots.
The ironic value of this during the housing crisis is sad, but it isn’t lost on me.
Other races I know a little about:
Al Sorenson could really use some help against Jerry Behn in his State Senate race, at least in the Boon County Area.
Eric Palmer seems to be doing awfully well from what I have been hearing against Danny Carroll.
Thats all I got for now.
secondtonone Fri 17 Oct 10:09 AM
thanks for the news
I heard that Hagenow’s ads in HD 59 are very much like some other House Republican candidates’ ads. Maybe they were all filmed at the same time.
desmoinesdem Fri 17 Oct 10:41 AM
Ads I've seen
In Iowa City we don’t have any really competitive races going on, so our ballots are pretty boring outside of a bond issue.
On TV in our odd Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Dubuque media market I have seen ads for some candidates in other places.
I saw my first Larry Marek ad here this morning, after a load of Jarad Klein attack ads. 🙂
I specifically remember seeing some ads for Gretchen Lawyer.
And Gene Ficken has some really nice ads “Gene Ficken was our coach, Gene Ficken was our teacher, Gene Ficken is my husband, Gene Ficken is my dad.” Cute ad with a lot of name recognition.
And something bugging me is, who the heck is Phil Garthwaite? I guess he must represent the across-the river Wisconsin area around Dubuque, because there’s been an attack ad on him in heavy rotation on KWWL. I guess he must have “voted with Madison liberals” to “give healthcare to illegal aliens, people who don’t even work or live in Wisconsin”. Supposedly I should “call him and tell him to stop raising my taxes and blood pressure”. I wonder if our counterparts in Wisconsin know much about that.
american007 Fri 17 Oct 11:34 AM
There are no ads in our area.
Probably because there aren’t any major media markets. My local representative, Marcie Frevert; and senator, Jack Kibbie, are campaigning by going to soup suppers, pancake breakfasts, parades and going door to door…that’s how you campaign around here.
When I talk to people about them I generally get very positive results…with the exception of one really funny old man who is voting for Obama and Greenwald, but not the local candidates because of “that damn smoking ban”. He seems to be in the minority though. Sometimes I lead with Marcie and Jack because they are so popular.
lorih Fri 17 Oct 9:46 PM