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.
The bulk of absentee primary ballots received by the state so far have been from Republicans, according to numbers released Friday by the Secretary of State. Republicans have mailed back more than 7,000 absentee ballots while more than 2,000 ballots have been sent by Democrats.
One Republican leader said the numbers are evidence that the party is excited about their candidates.
“Compared to the noticeable lack of energy on the Democratic side, Republicans are enthusiastic about the upcoming elections,” said Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley, R-Chariton, who has been active during the primary season. “Iowans are ready to replace the failed leadership of Gov. Culver and his out-of-touch Democratic allies in the Legislature.”
Republicans have more contested nominations across the state than do the Democrats. Bleeding Heartland blog points out:
The disparity between ballots requested by Republicans and Democrats is expected, since Democrats have relatively few contested primaries going on (the U.S. Senate race, the fifth Congressional district, a few Iowa House districts and Iowa Senate district 13). Republicans have a three-way primary for governor, two candidates for state treasurer, three candidates for secretary of state, crowded primaries in the first, second and third Congressional districts, and many competitive primaries in Iowa House and Senate districts.
However, Iowa City-based blogger John Deeth attributes the disparity to an absentee push before primary day by gubernatorial hopeful Terry Branstad‘s campaign:
… But Terry Branstad, who I remind you retired in 1998 with a lifetime undefeated record, has revived the old-fashioned mail drive. Even many Democratic households are getting the absentee mailer, and today Mike Mauro reports that Republicans have a three to one absentee edge in the June primary.
Tim Albrecht, a spokesman for Branstad, denied the campaign was specifically pushing for absentee ballots.
“Our campaign is encouraging all forms of voting,” Albrecht told The Iowa Independent. “This campaign will work very hard to turn out all of our supporters on June 8.”
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