Iowa Governor Chet Culver downplays the latest change at the top of his campaign as a normal part of the process. Culver announced Monday his third campaign manager in the last seven months after the person holding the job announced she was leaving. Culver is a Democrat seeking his second term, and says there’s always going to be turnover in positions.
“That happens, that happens in life, it happens in campaigns, it happens in ever professional officer there is, and we’re moving on, we’re excited and we’re ready to win this race,” Culver says. Culver cited the record of his Democratic predecessor, as an example of how things can change.
“I think Tom Vilsack is a good model, he had three campaign managers his first race, and it all worked out perfectly,” Culver says. Vilsack served two terms in office before deciding not to seek a third. Culver refused to answer reporters questions Monday after a bill signing, but did so today after signing an education related bill. The governor was asked by a reporter about rumors that he is hard to get along with.
“You guys know that’s not the case,” Culver told reporters. Culver went on to stay he couldn’t be more excited to have his new campaign manager, Donn Stanley, take over on May 1st. Culver says he has worked with Stanley for 22 years, starting back with work in the Democratic party in 1988. Culver says with Stanley taking over they “will take this ship all the way to victory.” Culver says he will soon hold a formal kickoff for his campaign.
“I can’t wait to get out there and talk about the choice that Iowans have, they can either build on this progress and keep moving Iowa forward, or they can go backwards,” Culver says. Many school districts are taking action now that the legislature has adjourned to make cuts of teachers and programs to meet their budgets. Culver was asked about his advice to those districts.
Culver says he talked with three Des Moines schoolboard members who thanked him for the 330-million more dollars that lawmakers gave to schools. He says things would have been a lot worse without that extra funding. “And I’ve encouraged districts to do exactly what the state had done, we saved a quarter of a billion dollars by reforming government, reforming state government,” Culver says.
The governor made his comments after signing a bill that requires state education officials to study opportunities for recruiting and retaining racial and ethnic minority teachers and adminstrators.