Nussle says potential rival Gross has "selfish" ambition

An Iowa republican who’s been in Congress since 1991 — and considering a bid for governor in 2006 — formally announced today that he’s seeking re-election to Congress.First District Congressman Jim Nussle says the most important issues are the strength of the nation, the growth of the economy, and opportunities for kids to get an education and find jobs that’ll keep them in the state. Nussle faces democrat Bill Gluba (gloo’-buh) this November, but Nussle says he doesn’t think this year’s campaign will be “as much of a battle” as some in his career. Nussle is chair of the House Budget Committee, and Gluba has been criticizing Nussle for helping add to the federal budget deficit. Nussle says the deficit isn’t the headache it was the past year or two. Nussle says the deficit’s been reduced by $100 BILLION this year by controling spending and from growth in the economy. Doug Gross, the 2002 republican candidate for Iowa governor, has formed a political action committee to finance research, advertising and meetings to tout his ideas for revitalizing rural Iowa’s economy. Nussle has formed his own PAC, too, and is handing out money to Iowa legislative candidates as well as Iowa’s other republican congressional candidates. “I understand that there might be some people who are looking forward and making very specific and somewhat selfish plans for themselves,” Nussle says. “I think we ought to focus on the this election here and the next job at hand which is electing not only our congressional delegation and our president, but also making sure that we keep the majorities in the state House and the state Senate. Those are probably the most important things to focus on, not someone’s individual personal ambition.”