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.
Liberal blogger John Deeth has taken on the herculean task of compiling a list of everyone who filed to run in all 125 legislative races on the ballot this year.
All 100 seats in the Iowa House and 25 of the 50 in the Iowa Senate will be up for grabs, and Deeth has cobbled the information together in what he is referring to as “The Mothership.“
Some caveats: Candidates have until Wednesday (March 24) to drop out. Parties can still nominate candidates at conventions until August. Such candidates rarely succeed (I was one of those late-starters myself) but sometimes do (ask Congressman Dave Loebsack). …
… Also remember: This is the last election cycle under the current legislative district lines. Redistricting means that any senator elected to a “four” year term this year could be on the ballot again in 2012, depending on how the deck gets shuffled.
Over at The Iowa Republican, blogger Craig Robinson lays out the GOP’s strategy for taking back control of the Iowa House for the first time since 2006. Democrats currently have a 32-18 advantage in the Senate and 54-44 in the House, and most observers believe it is in the House where Republicans have the most opportunity.
The difference between winning the majority in the House verses the Senate is that there are more routes to take in getting there in the House. House Republicans start out with 38 incumbents that should win re-election. Next they add three or four of their open seats. Then they pick up four of the Democrats’ open seats, which puts them at 45 or 46 seats. That means they need to be able to pick off six incumbents or win a couple more of their open seats.
Follow Jason Hancock on Twitter
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter