Comments on: The Vilsack vacuum: Who will challenge Grassley? http://iowaindependent.com/9895/the-vilsack-vacuum-who-will-challenge-grassley Iowa politics, news and commentary Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:06:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: RELS12 http://iowaindependent.com/9895/the-vilsack-vacuum-who-will-challenge-grassley/comment-page-1#comment-24316 RELS12 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:25:31 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/?p=9895#comment-24316 I don't think Tom Rielly would get blown out. On the contrary, a candidate who is nearly four decades younger than Grassley and has a strong executive experience would be a good contrast and would run things close. Rielly's resume at this point is almost identical to Tom Vilsack's in 1998 and no one thought Vilsack would beat Lightfoot.<br><br>Incidentally, presuming Ed Fallon would "play along with the Democratic establishment enough to communicate a coherent message on behalf of his party’s whole ticket" seems about as likely as Fallon getting endorsed by Chuck Hurley. I don't think Tom Rielly would get blown out. On the contrary, a candidate who is nearly four decades younger than Grassley and has a strong executive experience would be a good contrast and would run things close. Rielly's resume at this point is almost identical to Tom Vilsack's in 1998 and no one thought Vilsack would beat Lightfoot.

Incidentally, presuming Ed Fallon would “play along with the Democratic establishment enough to communicate a coherent message on behalf of his party’s whole ticket” seems about as likely as Fallon getting endorsed by Chuck Hurley.

]]> By: RELS12 http://iowaindependent.com/9895/the-vilsack-vacuum-who-will-challenge-grassley/comment-page-1#comment-19872 RELS12 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:25:31 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/?p=9895#comment-19872 I don't think Tom Rielly would get blown out. On the contrary, a candidate who is nearly four decades younger than Grassley and has a strong executive experience would be a good contrast and would run things close. Rielly's resume at this point is almost identical to Tom Vilsack's in 1998 and no one thought Vilsack would beat Lightfoot.<br><br>Incidentally, presuming Ed Fallon would "play along with the Democratic establishment enough to communicate a coherent message on behalf of his party’s whole ticket" seems about as likely as Fallon getting endorsed by Chuck Hurley. I don't think Tom Rielly would get blown out. On the contrary, a candidate who is nearly four decades younger than Grassley and has a strong executive experience would be a good contrast and would run things close. Rielly's resume at this point is almost identical to Tom Vilsack's in 1998 and no one thought Vilsack would beat Lightfoot.

Incidentally, presuming Ed Fallon would “play along with the Democratic establishment enough to communicate a coherent message on behalf of his party’s whole ticket” seems about as likely as Fallon getting endorsed by Chuck Hurley.

]]> By: RELS12 http://iowaindependent.com/9895/the-vilsack-vacuum-who-will-challenge-grassley/comment-page-1#comment-14824 RELS12 Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:25:31 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/?p=9895#comment-14824 I don't think Tom Rielly would get blown out. On the contrary, a candidate who is nearly four decades younger than Grassley and has a strong executive experience would be a good contrast and would run things close. Rielly's resume at this point is almost identical to Tom Vilsack's in 1998 and no one thought Vilsack would beat Lightfoot.<br><br>Incidentally, presuming Ed Fallon would "play along with the Democratic establishment enough to communicate a coherent message on behalf of his party’s whole ticket" seems about as likely as Fallon getting endorsed by Chuck Hurley. I don't think Tom Rielly would get blown out. On the contrary, a candidate who is nearly four decades younger than Grassley and has a strong executive experience would be a good contrast and would run things close. Rielly's resume at this point is almost identical to Tom Vilsack's in 1998 and no one thought Vilsack would beat Lightfoot.

Incidentally, presuming Ed Fallon would “play along with the Democratic establishment enough to communicate a coherent message on behalf of his party’s whole ticket” seems about as likely as Fallon getting endorsed by Chuck Hurley.

]]> By: jordanmurphy http://iowaindependent.com/9895/the-vilsack-vacuum-who-will-challenge-grassley/comment-page-1#comment-14821 jordanmurphy Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:16:07 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/?p=9895#comment-14821 The four names about which I feel most strongly:<br><br><b>Ed Fallon</b> can't afford to lose another race for a while. A major problem is his commitment to running clean campaigns. He'll never get the money to compete with Grassley. I still do believe in him to have a great chance at another U.S. House run.<br><br><b>Chet Culver</b> really would be a good candidate. He's not terribly likely to win, but probably has the best chance. Besides, I would rather him win to get him out of Des Moines and have Patty Judge run our state.<br><br><b>Mike Gronstal</b> has the least to lose in running for the seat, and I think he'd be a good U.S. Senator. But does he have the energy to run the campaign?<br><br>And I'm really excited that <b>Tom Rielly</b> is on this list. He is going places. Even though he's a state senator now, I think he would make a better executive than senator and hope he runs for governor in the future. A senate loss could help him gain some statewide name recognition, but I don't think the likely blowout is the best way to build positive recognition. The four names about which I feel most strongly:

Ed Fallon can't afford to lose another race for a while. A major problem is his commitment to running clean campaigns. He'll never get the money to compete with Grassley. I still do believe in him to have a great chance at another U.S. House run.

Chet Culver really would be a good candidate. He's not terribly likely to win, but probably has the best chance. Besides, I would rather him win to get him out of Des Moines and have Patty Judge run our state.

Mike Gronstal has the least to lose in running for the seat, and I think he'd be a good U.S. Senator. But does he have the energy to run the campaign?

And I'm really excited that Tom Rielly is on this list. He is going places. Even though he's a state senator now, I think he would make a better executive than senator and hope he runs for governor in the future. A senate loss could help him gain some statewide name recognition, but I don't think the likely blowout is the best way to build positive recognition.

]]> By: B_W http://iowaindependent.com/9895/the-vilsack-vacuum-who-will-challenge-grassley/comment-page-1#comment-14817 B_W Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:55:30 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/?p=9895#comment-14817 What about Patty Judge?<br><br>The ticket for the governor's race was on its head two years ago. It should have been Patty at the top of the ticket and Chet running as lieutenant. Patty should ditch the number two spot in the governor's office in this upcoming election and take Grassley's seat.<br><br>Or... Patty should step up to run for governor as Chet steps in to take his dad's old senate seat away from the guy who took it from his dad. Wouldn't that be poetic? What about Patty Judge?

The ticket for the governor's race was on its head two years ago. It should have been Patty at the top of the ticket and Chet running as lieutenant. Patty should ditch the number two spot in the governor's office in this upcoming election and take Grassley's seat.

Or… Patty should step up to run for governor as Chet steps in to take his dad's old senate seat away from the guy who took it from his dad. Wouldn't that be poetic?

]]> By: Peggy2 http://iowaindependent.com/9895/the-vilsack-vacuum-who-will-challenge-grassley/comment-page-1#comment-14814 Peggy2 Sat, 20 Dec 2008 04:56:48 +0000 http://iowaindependent.com/?p=9895#comment-14814 Any one of the aforementioned would lose nicely against Grassley. Any one of the aforementioned would lose nicely against Grassley.

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