Democrat: reform campaigns

The leader of Democrats in the Iowa House says campaigns have grown toolong, and it’s time to at least try a little something new. House DemocratLeader Dick Myers of Iowa City proposes moving the primary day from June tothe fall in hopes of shortening the campaign season. Myers says he’d alsolike to advance the date by which candidates may start raising money, too,because he says the “perpetual” campaigning “has got to stop.’ While manypress for campaign reforms that would prohibit so-called “negative”campaigning, Myers says that’d be hard to define and tricky to enforce sinceeveryone has free speech rights. Myers says something has to be done,because it’s now become a full-time job to campaign for the legislature, ajob that pays just $21,000 a year.