Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
State Sen. Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) will take the next step toward a campaign for governor, reports The Beanwalker, a GOP blog.
The Senate Minority Leader will reportedly begin “aggressively exploring” a bid for governor today, and he will file paperwork to form a campaign committee soon:
“During my travels, I’ve been actively encouraged to run for governor,” said McKinley. “I’m going to take some more time to tell Iowans my story and my vision.”
When asked if he had yet reached the $750 threshold that would trigger the required paperwork to form an exploratory committee, McKinley told The Bean Walker, “We will make the necessary changes wihin the next day or two.”
Updates:
According to Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson:
Today I am announcing that I will begin aggressively exploring a run for governor,” McKinley just told me over the phone. “During my travels as senate leader around the state… I’ve been actively encouraged to run for governor and now I’m going to start devoting more time to telling Iowans my story and my vision and my vision is we must prepare our state for the global economy and give Iowans back their government and I believe my background is best suited to make the necessary changes.”
State Sen. Paul McKinley (R-Chariton)
McKinley gave nearly identical interviews to The Des Moines Register’s Tom Beaumont, The Ottumwa Courier, Lee Newspaper’s Charlotte Ebby, and the Associated Press.
Rumors of McKinley’s interest in a gubernatorial bid have been circulating for months in political circles. Last month, conservative blogger Craig Robinson and controversial radio host Steve Deace included McKinley in their unscientific straw poll of potential 2010 candidates.
McKinley is serving his first term as minority leader. He was first elected to the state senate in 2000. If he jumps into the race, he would join Bob Vander Plaats, Christopher Rants, Christian Fong and Rob Roberts in what is becoming a crowded GOP field.
Jason Hancock contributed to this story.
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