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.
Some wondered if former Gov. Terry Branstad’s 46-percent support heading into the GOP primary was an indication of weakness for his general election campaign, but a new poll from Public Policy Polling (PDF) has Branstad comfortably beating Democratic incumbent Gov. Chet Culver, 52-37 percent.
The election hinges less on Branstad’s base of support than the current governor’s standing in the state. Culver’s approval rating sits at an abysmal 28 percent, with 56 percent disapproving of his job performance. He would start the general election trailing his opponent even if either Bob Vander Plaats or Rod Roberts pulls off an upset in Tuesday’s primary, though those races would be closer than if Branstad gets the nomination. The poll has Culver trailing Vander Plaats by five points and Roberts by two.
“Chet Culver is in big trouble, and while Terry Branstad isn’t massively popular, he takes advantage of Culver’s vulnerability with his own party to take a large lead a week before the primary,” said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling.
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