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Will Culver face a Democrat in a Primary?

In a recent article in the Sioux City Journal Ed Fallon calls out Governor Culver’s lack of returning messages. Not returning calls is not the issue. Is Fallon’s complaint just the tip of the iceberg and are other Iowa Democrats not happy with the Governor? I am sure there are some, but is there enough to actually try and primary the sitting Governor. The Des Moines Register did have some so-so poll numbers the other day. What are your thoughts?

Tags: Culver, Fallon

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frogmanjim

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  • I don't think so

    I heard some chatter about this in November, but I didn’t put much stock in the rumors then and I don’t now.

    I do think Culver’s office is less accessible for certain Democratic constituencies than Vilsack’s was. That is certainly the perception of many in the environmental movement, even among people who prefer Culver’s policies on the whole to Vilsack’s.

    desmoinesdem  Thu 16 Apr 7:23 PM

    • Possible, but unlikely

      Ed Fallon wants a job, and politics is all he knows how to do. Culver didn’t give him a job and so he’s going to whine until he becomes a big enough pain to get some kind of favor out of the Big Lug.

      I think it’s highly unlikely that Culver will get primaried, but possible. There are a number of ways it could happen. If his numbers go below a certain point, there may be a move for him to step aside and let someone else run in 2010.

      If same-sex marriage gets to be too much of a hot potato, he could get primaried by someone more socially conservative–like Blouin (again).  

      american007  Sat 18 Apr 2:04 PM

      • Fallon knows Culver isn't giving him a job

        and he also denies that he ever asked the governor’s office for a job. Fallon says he has urged them many times to create a public liaison-type position, because they are not very responsive to members of the public, but he denies that he had himself in mind for that job.

        Culver’s numbers really aren’t that bad. Even if you don’t believe the recent Selzer poll that put him at 55 percent approval and you take the SUSA poll that put him at 46, a lot of other governors around the country would kill for that approval number. He would have to drop a lot lower than that before he’d face pressure to step aside.

        I put the chances of some Democrat primarying Culver on the gay marriage issue at zero.

        desmoinesdem  Sat 18 Apr 9:06 PM

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