Democrat Governor Tom Vilsack has appointed some prominent Republicans to state boards and commissions. It’s a move one Republican calls “outreach.” Vilsack is required by law to appoint both Republicans and Democrats to state boards and commissions so there’s no partisan advantage on any panel. This past week Vilsack appointed dozens of Iowans to serve in state government, including the Des Moines Republican who twice ran against Democratic Congressman Leonard Boswell. “I was running by Stan Thompson’s house one day, and he taking the garbage out and he said ‘You know, Governor, I really want to help the state in some way. If there’s an opening, I’d appreciate the opportunity.’ So we found him a place on the Small Business Advisory Council.” Thompson confirms that, saying, “Well, he certainly has a good memory. He was jogging one day by my home and I stopped and talked to him and indicated I was still committed to serving the state and trying to make Iowa better.” Thompson says he’s always had an interest in business development, so the council is a good fit. “I’m very thankful and pleased that the governor had (the) confidence in me to make this appointment,” Thompson says. Vilsack has also appointed Carolyn Rants of Sioux City to the Vision Iowa board. She is the mother of House Speaker Christopher Rants, a Republican from Sioux City. Rants says his mom was a vice president at Morningside College who now works at Western Iowa Tech Community College. The Vision Iowa Board, which hands out state grants for community improvement projects, held a meeting last weekend, and Mrs. Rants was there. “She said it’s a lot like reading grant applications,” her son says. “She’s got some experience in both preparing and reading grant applications.” Governor Vilsack says that’s why Mrs. Rants was a fit for the job. Vilsack says because of her background in higher education, Mrs. Rants has “an understanding of dollars and cents” plus she’s from Sioux City, a city which has seen the benefit of Vision Iowa grants. The House Speaker says Vilsack’s gesture is being interpreted. “Boards and commissions do have to be balanced, but picking people who have recognizably-Republican names I think may be viewed as outreach by the governor to Republicans in the statehouse,” Rants says. “I certainly recognize it as such.”
