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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.
In interviews with Iowa Independent this week, several delegates discussed the tough choices they may have to make at Saturday’s county convention.Many Iowa Democrats are going to be making some hard decisions. On Jan. 3 they were selected as delegates for John Edwards, Joe Biden and Bill Richardson, or they chose to go uncommitted to any presidential candidate. But this Saturday, they may be forced to decide at county conventions who they want representing them on the Democratic ticket this fall.
Some of those delegates to the county conventions don’t want to give up their candidates. They don’t like Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, so they plan to stick with their favorite-even if he doesn’t have a chance of being nominated.
One of them is Laurita Gatrelle of Ely who said she wants to stay with the candidate she’s been with for eight years: Edwards the former North Carolina senator. She doesn’t want to make a decision between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Gatrelle, a retired Ely resident, called Edwards “the total package” in an interview with the Iowa Independent this week.
Gatrelle said that a member of Clinton’s team left a message on her answering machine telling her: ‘You can no longer be a delegate for Edwards.’”
But after the county conventions this Saturday, delegates can remain uncommitted or with candidates who are out of the race, providing they meet the 15 percent cut-off for viability.
This was news to Gatrelle, who said she couldn’t decide between Clinton and Obama and that she would stay with Edwards as long as she can.
Gatrelle lives in Linn County, where Edwards will seat 174 delegates at the county convention. That’s one more delegate than Clinton has.
Unless they are able to form a separate group that clears over 15 percent, Richardson and Biden delegates will choose another candidate. Richardson and Biden, with only three delegates apiece in Linn County, are currently below the 15 percent viability to go to district conventions, the next step in the Iowa caucus process.
Johnson County’s Democratic Party has a history of sending second-tier delegates to district, state and national conventions. Iowa City Edwards supporter David Redlawsk is asking delegates to “stick together” for the candidate and the issues raised by the second-place Iowa finisher.
Edwards delegate Jennifer Trivedi of Iowa City said she was staying with the 2004 vice-presidential candidate because of his focus on issues such as “poverty, health care and not taking money from lobbyists.” She and other delegates told the Iowa Independent that they would “honor” Edwards and the issues he raised in his campaign.
Edwards himself remains uncommitted in the two-person contest, although he has privately met with both campaigns, who are seeking his endorsement.
Other candidates’ delegates are still deciding, too.
Several delegates felt it was time to choose and did not want to remain undecided.
Attending the event as her daughter’s alternate, Jean Sippy of Swisher is a Richardson delegate. She said, “it doesn’t make sense” to continue with her candidate or any other choices besides Obama or Clinton. She said she’s leaning toward Obama, but is not yet convinced.
Solon resident Barbara Weets-Caudill was “devastated” when her candidate, Biden, dropped out of the race. She’s an uncommitted delegate who feels that the election was decided by the “news media and corporations” who took the decision “out of the hands of the people.”
Although she joked that she might just call her alternate and let him decide, she said she was going to make a decision by Saturday.
Her precinct, like several others in Johnson County which had only four delegates up for grabs, evenly split among Edwards, Obama, Clinton and a fourth candidate.
And who would make up her “dream” ticket? Biden, of course, paired with a vice-presidential surprise: Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.
Uncommitted delegate Matt Roberts went to the caucuses with a woman on his mind. That woman, Hillary Clinton, was not viable in his Iowa City precinct so he joined with other candidates also below the magic 15 percent line as a delegate with no name attached. Roberts has given up on Clinton, although he said he could still make “a strong case” for either Clinton or Obama.
He said that McCain’s emergence as the Republican de facto nominee soured him on Clinton’s chances in November, but he stressed that he was still undecided.
The time of the district convention is fast approaching. On April 26, the delegates will advance and take their commitment to the next level.
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