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.
Bob Vander Plaats has formally accepted a nomination for lieutenant governor, challenging state Sen. Kim Reynolds, who was nominated by the GOP’s gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad.
Supporters of Vander Plaats, who garnered 41 percent of the vote on primary night, said earlier this week that they would attempt to force Branstad to choose Vander Plaats as his running mate. During his first public appearance Friday night since losing the primary, Vander Plaats refused to endorse Branstad and also refused to rule out a potential independent campaign this fall.
“I fully understand and respect Gov. Branstad’s ability to recommend to [the delegates] who he wants as his lieutenant governor,” Vander Plaats said in an address to the Republican Party of Iowa Convention. “But it would be hypocritical of me to spend more than a year championing government by the people, of the people and for the people and then ignore the will of the people.”
State Rep. Rod Roberts was also nominated but declined and endorsed Reynolds.
Vander Plaats was nominated by state Rep. Dwayne Alons, R-Hull. The nomination was seconded by Will Johnson, who finished second in the 1st District GOP congressional primary.
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