Congressman Bruce Braley of Waterloo says he plans to run for reelection in 2014 — but plans could change. Braley is considered a leading Democratic prospect to challenge Republican Governor Terry Branstad in 2014.
“I can tell you with absolutely certainty that the average Iowa voter is not thinking any thing about the 2014 elections. They’re thinking about whether or not the people they’ve elected to serve them now are doing their jobs,” Braley says. “That’s what I’m spending my time focusing on.”
Braley was first elected in 2006 and just won a fourth term in the U.S. House this past November. A reporter today asked Braley if there is a “deadline” or “alarm bell” by which he needs to make a decision about running for governor.
“There is no alarm for me because I am moving forward, planning to run for reelection in 2014,” Braley replied. “But things can change…I’m trying to focus on doing my job and the rest will all sort itself out.”
Governor Branstad has already raised over a million dollars for a reelection effort. Last week Branstad suggested reporters should ask Braley when was the last time a congressman had been elected governor of Iowa.
“It’s kind of interesting that he would ask you to ask me that question…I had breakfast the day after the inauguration with my good friend Governor Jay Inslee of the State of Washington who served in congress with me, ran for governor and was elected….Mike Pence, a Republican congressman from Indiana, just got sworn in as the governor of Indiana and my friend Mary Fallin who came in with my class in 2006 is now the governor of Oklahoma,” Braley says.
“Are people in Iowa so different from the people in those three states that they would never consider someone who had served in congress as a governor? I don’t think so. I think for every elected position people evaluated based on what you have done with your life, what you can do for them to make their lives better and then they decide among candidates who they want to vote for.”
Braley made his comments today during taping of the “Iowa Press” program that airs tonight at 7:30 on Iowa Public Television.