Congressman Steve King suggests the top Republican donor in Iowa offered “incentives” to the state senator who is challenging King in a Republican primary.
“I do think Rick Bertrand needs to answer this question: what did you get offered and what did you accept? And I think the voters need to know that because that’s a bigger part of this equation,” King said today.
Bruce Rastetter is Governor Terry Branstad’s top donor and he’s backing Bertrand’s bid to derail King’s race for reelection. Rastetter told Radio Iowa King “knows very well” that if a candidate asks for his support, Rastetter will offer to hold a fundraiser. Rastetter, in the past, held fundraisers for King and Rastetter plans to help Bertrand raise money this year.
King said Rastetter is among “a number of people” who are upset King endorsed presidential candidate Ted Cruz, an opponent of the federal production requirement for ethanol.
“There are people in this state that believe that there is only one yardstick to measure a presidential candidate by and that’s a full 36 inches of support for the RFS and nothing else. If you can clear that hurdle, then they’ll listen to the other things you have to say,” King said. “I say we have far higher ideals than that.”
King calls Cruz the constitutional conservative the country needs.
Rastetter said Rick Bertrand — King’s Republican opponent — is a “quality person” and voters in the fourth district will decide who would be the best congressman.
King made his comments today during taping of the “Iowa Press” program which airs tonight on Iowa Public Television.