Congressman Steve King says he doesn’t know whether he will endorse one of the Republicans who’s running for governor before the June primary.
King, a Republican from Kiron in western Iowa, won his seat in congress in 2002. Before that King served in the Iowa Senate for six years, so he was a state legislator during former Governor Terry Branstad’s last two years as governor. Branstad is seeking a fifth term in office, but King doesn’t seem ready to endorse Branstad or any of Branstad’s competitors either.
“You know, I don’t know. I really don’t know…I believe I know them all and, boy, they’re good people and so I’d like to see them fight this out because it tests their vigor and it tests their ability,” King said this week during taping of the IPTV program, Iowa Press. “And it also shapes the policy for Republicans that’ll be matched up against the policy that’s been set by Governor Culver.”
Culver, a Democrat, intends to seek a second term in 2010. According to King, the Republican candidates are basically in agreement when it comes to the issue of gay marriage. King said that’s why he wants the primary contest among the Republican candidates for governor to focus on economic issues, like tax policy, and fixing the state budget.
“I think Governor Culver is wobbly. I think that he is vulnerable,” King said. “…This is the time. I think there will be a Republican governor. There are many reasons for it and the budget is the biggest reason.”
King endorsed 2008 Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson, but laments on the show that he should have made the endorsement sooner. Read more about King’s remarks on the topic of endorsements.