Vander Plaats denies he’s leaving governor’s race

One of the three G-O-P candidates for Governor is calling for debates, and denying rumors he’s exiting the race. Republican Bob Vander Plaats of Sioux City held a statehouse news conference this afternoon.Vander Plaats is running against Steve Sukup, a legislator from Dougherty, and Des Moines lawyer Doug Gross in the republican primary.Vander Plaats says the G-O-P competitors should have a series of six debates, in different parts of the state.Vander Plaats says all three candidates would benefit from the attention debates would bring to the race, as none of them are household names.Vander Plaats runs a firm in Sioux City that provides care to young adults with severe mental or physical disabilities.