Iowa's Radio News Network
Terry Branstad
Republican Terry Branstad has won the Iowa G.O.P.’s 2010 nomination for governor and he spoke to supporters in Des Moines shortly before 11 o’clock Tuesday night.
“Iowa Republicans have decided that our state is ready for a comeback and I’m ready to lead that change,” Branstad said.
Branstad promised “honest, open and scandal-free government” if he’s elected to a fifth term.
“We did it before and we can do it again,” he said, to cheers and applause from his supporters.
Culver says "Let the race begin." (file photo)
Democratic Governor Chet Culver offered a bit of bravado today after he cast his Primary Election ballot. “I’m ready to go right now. 12:01 this evening — it’s on now. I’ve had enough of the Republican rhetoric, the misstatements,” Culver said. “It’s time to fight for Iowa.”
Culver faces what many consider an uphill battle for reelection, as many public opinion polls have shown him trailing all three of the Republicans who’re competing for the shot to face-off against Culver in November. Culver talked with reporters after he voted in Des Moines. “My lucky number flashed on the screen. I was the 44th vote and I think that’s a good sign not only for the Primary but for the General Election,” Culver said. “Let’s let the race begin. I cannot wait.”
Culver delivered a brief “welcome” to whomever the Republican nominee may be. “I’ve been anxiously awaiting the 9th of June for a long time,” Culver said. “I want to get this race started.”
But Culver quickly sought to draw a contrast between himself and Terry Branstad, the four-term governor who has been a front-runner in polling in the Republican race. Culver argued he’s been an “effective” manager of state government for the past three-and-a-half years. ”Terry Branstad cooked the books according to the Republican auditor, Dick Johnson, who served with Terry Branstad, so that’s a choice that Iowans have,” Culver said. “It took Terry Branstad 10 years to reform the budgeting process so he followed the laws and kept the books according to the way that they’re supposed to be kept.”
Culver used Branstad’s name 16 times during a nearly seven-minute-long conversation with reporters, adding that his own record had been distorted. “Terry Branstad’s been making a lot of false charges and I want to correct the record straight,” Culver said.
Culver criticized Branstad’s call for a 15 percent cut in the state budget, saying it would lead to deep cuts in priority areas like education. When a reporter asked if a Culver/Branstad match-up would be a “bare-knuckles brawl,” Culver said it would be. “Yeah, and I can’t wait. I love a good fight,” Culver said. “We have a lot to fight for. We have to fight for civil rights. We have to fight for workers’ rights. We have to fight for women’s rights. Terry Branstad wants to require every woman to have an ultrasound before she makes a decision on her own health care. I mean, it’s really radical.” The state of Oklahoma has a new law which requires women seeking an abortion to be shown an ultrasound first, and Branstad has said he’d support a similar law in Iowa.
According to Culver, he will run a “well-organized and efficient” reelection campaign. ”Terry Branstad talks about the fact he’s never lost — I’ve never lost,” Culver told reporters.
On Monday evening Branstad told supporters who gathered at his campaign headquarters that he has a 10-0 record in elections and intends to make it 11-0 tonight. Culver won two terms as Iowa’s secretary of state before being elected governor in 2006, so that’s a 3-0 record.
The Iowa Transportation Commission today approved a five-year program to improve and maintain highways, railroads, trails and aviation in the state. Jon Ranney with the D.O.T. says the agency hopes to complete hundreds of road projects around the state.
He says the estimated state and federal money available for highway right-of-way acquisition and construction between 2011 and 2015 is $2.3 billion. The projection is based on federal highway funding at the 2009 level. Congress has not yet approved a new federal highway spending bill, so Ranney says Iowa’s five-year plan may need to be altered once the bill is passed.
The plan includes work on Interstate 29 in western Iowa and I-74 in eastern Iowa. Ranney says those modernization projects are planned in Sioux City, Council Bluffs and around Bettendorf and Davenport. Another major project involves the widening of five miles of Interstate 35 through West Des Moines from four lanes to six. Money is also targeted toward improvements to Highway 20 through Calhoun, Sac and Woodbury Counties in northwest Iowa.
See the five-year transportation improvement plan here:
www.iowadot.gov/program_management/five_year.html
A project in Grinnell that’s been on hold for years is now moving ahead. Iowa Transportation Museum president Gerry Schnepf says the money is in hand to begin phase one of the renovation of the old Spaulding Manufacturing Company. He says phase one includes the reconstruction of the administration building, the construction of an atrium and part of the facility to the south. Schnepf says that will give them a large amount of square footage for the museum.
The site once produced thousands of horse-drawn vehicles and motorcars in the early 1900s, and Schnepf says there’s funding to covert it to the museum use. Schneff says the buildings should be equipped and ready for exhibit purposes, but he says there’s a lot of work to do in the next 18 months to two years to be sure everything is in place. Schneff says some funding that had been promised is now in line and getting the first phase completed is important.
Schneff says it’s important as the other organizations that have an interest in transportation history now have an actual facility and place to invest in. Schnepf says the bid letting on the three-and-a-half million dollar phase one is planned for July. Construction would begin in late summer or early fall, with the construction taking about 14 months.
By Chris Johnson, KGRN, Grinnell
Triple-A offices across Iowa are kicking off a series of safety programs this week that’ll run into late June. Gail Weinholzer, spokeswoman for the motor club, says the events are open to everyone, not just members.
Fifty kids’ bike helmets are being given away to children at each Triple-A office in the state. There will be automotive safety events like battery checks and VIN etching, an effort to deter theft. The offices will also be offering free passport photos and carseat checks.
Weinholzer says the Safety Days events will be held at all eight branch offices statewide, in: Clive, Ankeny, Bettendorf, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Waterloo and Mason City. The events will run this Tuesday though June 24th. Weinholzer says the annual safety events have been popular in the past.
Each office last year drew 200 to 300 people. This is the fourth year for the Triple-A Safety Days. For more information, visit: “www.aaa.com“.
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City
Far more Republicans than Democrats are voting in today’s Primary. Thunderstorms have marched across the state, perhaps prompting some voters to delay a trip to their polling place. However election officials in eastern, central and western Iowa say turn-out trends for Republicans already are much higher than for Democrats because of interest in the Republican race for governor.
Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitsgerald says a fierce rain storm in the Des Moines area just as the polls opened at seven o’clock meant voting got off to a slow start. ”We think things have picked up quite a bit in the Republican Primary,” Fitzgerald says. “As of our one o’clock calls, 12.3 percent of (registered Republican voters in Polk County) had participated, and that does include people who have changed parties which we are seeing a good bit of that going on, especially in the suburbs.”
The senior catcher used the long ball in a pair of victories. Katcher slammed a pair of homers and drove in six runs in a victory over West Fork and followed that up with a homer and three RBI in a win over Rockford. He also scored four runs and in the two games was five-of-seven at the plate.
O.KayHenderson.com