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Despite ‘divided times,’ Pence says ‘good progress’ made on Trump’s agenda

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Senator Joni Ernst and Vice President Mike Pence.

Senator Joni Ernst hosted a gathering in Boone today that featured Vice President Mike Pence — along with assurances from Pence and others that President Trump has made a “good start” on fulfilling his campaign promises.

“In these challenging and divided times, I know in my heart there are better days ahead,” Pence said.

Pence listed Trump Administration accomplishments like placing a new justice on the Supreme Court and undoing the EPA’s “Waters of the U.S.” rule that had drawn criticism from farmers. And Pence praised Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement.

“How great is it to have a president who’s more concerned with Des Moines than Denmark?” Pence asked, drawing cheers.

Joni Ernst leads riders.

Pence was the main draw for the third annual “Roast and Ride” fundraiser hosted by Senator Ernst.

She led a three-mile-long trail of more than 500 motorcyclists on a ride from Des Moines to Boone, then from the outdoor stage on the Central Iowa Expo Grounds.

Ernst praised her fellow Iowa Republicans for their role in the 2016 campaign.

“A big hearty thank you to all of the Iowans who made it possible to take back our White House,” Ernst said, to cheers. “Thank you so much.”

A handful of other statewide officials, like Governor Reynolds, addressed the crowd. Senator Chuck Grassley used part of his time on stage to accuse the “nationwide” media of not writing about the concerns of “grassroots America.”

“We need to stand very strong and we need to stand up for the White House whenever we can,” Grassley said, to applause.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott made the trek to Boone, too, but downplayed the idea his visit to Iowa indicates he has White House aspirations of his own. Scott offered another suggestion.

“I am looking forward to the day when Mike Pence and Joni Ernst are on the same ticket!” Scott yelled into the microphone.

Ernst, who was on stage, too, immediately replied: “What?” and laughed.

A few hours earlier, Ernst had been asked if she had any regrets about “passing on the opportunity” to serve as Donald Trump’s vice president.

“Never, never. Absolutely not,” Ernst replied. “I think Vice President Pence is tremendous and he brought a lot to that ticket.”

Pence had planned to host a fundraiser of his own in central Iowa earlier today, before the Ernst event, but a death in the Pence family delayed his arrival in Iowa. When Pence did get to the outdoor venue in Boone this afternoon, the vice president climbed aboard a Harley Davidson and rode the motorcycle to the stage alongside Ernst.

Klobuchar: Democrats ‘can’t forget the middle of the country’ (AUDIO)

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Amy Klobuchar

More than 250 Democrats in Iowa’s largest county gathered tonight, commiserating about recent losses, but urging one another to “lean forward” to 2018 and beyond.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar was the event’s keynote speaker. She told Radio Iowa heading in that Democrats “can’t forget the middle of the country.”

“We need people who are speaking out nationally from the middle of the country,” Klobuchar said during a brief interview. “That means from the middle of the political spectrum and everything else.”

Klobuchar spoke for about 40 minutes at the Polk County Democrats Spring Fundraiser, briefly tweaking President Trump for being more focused on “tweetership” than leadership. She described the U.S. Senate as “a place of compromise” than can provide an “emergency brake” to some of Trump’s agenda.

“I had to make a decision at the end of last year and Trump had won and I had an opportunity to run for governor and you know what I decided?” Klobuchar asked the crowd. “I decided I wasn’t going to leave my duty station because the United States Senate is the place to be.”

But Klobuchar spent most of her time laying out a “four corners…competitiveness agenda” — something she might use as the foundation for a 2020 presidential campaign.

“Let’s not think of this as a moment in time just to overcome. Right?” Klobuchar told the crowd in closing. “Let’s think of this as an opportunity, a moment to shine, to show the world what America really stands for and to show the world what we’re made of.”

Klobuchar stood to speak in front of the huge American flag that was used on Election Night 2012 in Des Moines at President Obama’s final campaign rally.

“We wanted it to be here tonight to show that we’ve had good days in the past. We have a good day today and we’re going to have good days in the future,” Polk County Democratic Party chairman Sean Bagniewski said.

Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids told his fellow Democrats to quit moping around and complaining about one another on social media. Hogg urged Democrats to have a “summer of citizenship in 2017” and as his cadence escalated, Hoog seemed to be losing his voice.

“With your help, we’re going to take back the Iowa House…the Iowa Senate…the governorship,” Hogg said. “And with your help we’re going to take back congress and, with your help, in 2020 we’re going to take back the presidency before that man destroys our country, our democracy and our future.”

AUDIO of Hogg’s remarks, 15:00

AFSCME Council 61 president Danny Homan blasted Republican lawmakers at the state level for rolling back union bargaining rights and he promised political payback’s ahead.

“The pledge I am making to the Iowa Democratic Party and to every Democrat in the state: I am going to educate my members,” Homan said. “…They are going to know who the hell did this to ’em and it wasn’t Democrats.”

AUDIO of Homan’s remarks, 13:00

Klobuchar, who took the stage a few minutes later, praised other speakers and the crowd for exhibiting “incredible energy.”

“As I’ve told many of you before: ‘I can see Iowa from my porch,'” Klobuchar said, a turn on Sarah Palin’s remark that you can Russia from land in Alaska, and last night’s Des Moines crowd laughed. “It is good to be back with friends and I thought I was going to come down here to cheer you guys up, but you’ve cheered me up.”

AUDIO of Klobuchar’s speech, 41:00

IDP chair says Perez commits to lead-off position for Iowa Caucuses

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Derek Eadon

The Iowa Democratic Party’s chairman says the party’s new nation leader has committed “in writing” to keeping Iowa’s Caucuses first in the presidential selection process.

Tom Perez was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee Saturday night with the support of Iowans on the committee, including Iowa Democratic Party chairman Derek Eadon.

“He talks a lot about changing the culture of the DNC,” Eadon says. “He talks a lot about upgrading our technology, the importance of Iowa’s role as well as caucuses in this process.”

Eadon and other officers from the Iowa Democratic Party met with Perez earlier in mid-February and got a personal committment from Perez on the positioning of Iowa’s Caucuses. Perez, who grew up in Buffalo, New York, served as U.S. Labor Secretary during the last three years of the Obama Administration.

As the new leader of the Democratic National Committee, he will soon appoint a “unity commission” and the 2020 calendar for presidential contests will be on the agenda.

“I imagine the Caucuses will come up during that,” Eadon says, “but you’re hearing a lot more talk about ‘super delegates,’ you’re hearing a lot more talk about the make-up of the DNC leadership as well.”

Perez supported Hillary Clinton in 2016. Perez asked a key Bernie Sanders supporter to serve as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee and Eadon says that’s a significant move for the party.

“I think he’s a true change agent for the Democratic Party,” Eadon says.

Perez endorsed Clinton during an event in Sioux City back in early December of 2015. Last summer, Perez was rumored to be on Hillary Clinton’s list of potential running mates.

Walker advises Iowa GOP to ignore ‘hype’ about labor law changes

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Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker tweeted yesterday about the private pep talk he gave GOP lawmakers in Iowa who’re poised to narrow bargaining rights for public sector workers.

In 2011, Walker enacted major changes in that state’s collective bargaining law. Walker spoke with reporters in Wisconsin today about his advice to Iowa Republicans.

“Ultimately they’re going to face some of the same things we faced in terms of attention and potentially protests, but I told them to look at where we’re at over the last six years,” Walker said. “We’ve saved some $5 billion. Our economy is dramatically better and we have a ‘reform dividend’ that we’re able to reinvest into schools, into higher education, into tax relief, into welfare reform.”

More than 4600 people passed through the public entrances to Iowa’s capitol Monday. A fiery public hearing featured strong criticism from union workers. Walker told Republican legislators he faced the same opposition six years ago in Wisconsin.

“I encouraged them to look at the facts, not just the hype,” Walker said.

Jodie Butler of Ankeny, an advisor to Governor Terry Branstad in the 1990s, criticized Walker’s moves during last night’s public hearing.

“Iowa does not need to follow Wisconsin’s bad example where 28 percent fewer students choose education as a profession as a result, teacher shortage areas have been exacerbated, rural schools can’t attract or retain teachers,” Butler said, “and fewer candidates apply.”

The Iowa House and Senate are scheduled to begin debating the GOP’s collective bargaining plan at three o’clock this afternoon. The Iowa Democratic Party and other groups opposing the bill are urging people to go to the statehouse or watch the debate online.

Kaufmann reelected chairman of Republican Party of Iowa (AUDIO)

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Jeff Kauffman

The Iowa Republican Party’s governing board has unanimously voted to reelect Jeff Kaufmann as party chairman for another two years.

Kaufmann, a former state legislator from Wilton, has held the job since the middle of 2014.

He’s set a goal of raising a million dollars as quickly as he can this year to prepare for the 2018 election.

“You probably figured out already I’m extremely competitive and I like to win and we’ve had some very good luck lately,” Kaufmann told members of the Iowa GOP’s state central committee late this morning. “And one of the things I want to win is the battle against complacency because it’s very easy to start feeling good right now.”

AUDIO of Kaufmann’s remarks to Iowa GOP state central committee, 21:00

Kaufmann’s also hoping to target Dave Loebsack, the only Democrat who remains in Iowa’s congressional delegation. Kaufmann aims to recruit a “unique…non-establishment” candidate who’ll do well outside of Iowa City. Kaufmann calls Iowa City a “Democratic juggernaut.”

“I mean I could fly in with a cape with blue tights…and I’m not going to turn Iowa City to voting even 40 percent Republican,” Kaufmann told reporters during a news conference this morning. “…I think what we have to do is look for ways where we can run up our total.”

To have a shot at beating Loebsack, Kaufmann said the Republican challenger must win areas where Donald Trump did surprisingly well in 2016.

“I call ’em Truman Democratic strongholds,” Kaufmann said. “…Trump won Wapello County big. Trump won Lee County. If we can somehow continue to run up the totals there, I think we can be very competitive.”

AUDIO of Kaufmann’s news conference, 22:00

Kaufmann took over the party two and a half years ago when it was nearly bankrupt and preparing to host the 2016 Iowa Caucuses after a controversy with the 2012 Caucus results. Today, Kaufmann promised members of the Iowa GOP’s state central committee that he’ll be an “aggressive” leader for the next two years.

“I’m going to continue to be blunt,” Kaufmann said. “…If there are people I believe that do not have the best interests of this party, even if they are fellow Republicans, I’m going to say it. I’m not going to back away from those kind of things…I’m going to be very aggressive towards Democrats if I see them saying things that are not correct and quite frankly, if I see shenanigans from the media, I’m going to call them out, too.”

The Iowa Democratic Party’s state central committee elected a new chairman last weekend. Thirty-three-year-old Derek Eadon is a political consultant who worked on both of Barack Obama’s campaigns in Iowa.

State senator paid by Ron Paul camp sentenced to 15 months in prison

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Official 2013 photo of then-State Senator Kent Sorenson

A former state senator has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for lying about being paid by Ron Paul’s presidential campaign.

It is a violation of state senate ethics rules for senators to be paid directly or indirectly by presidential campaigns. Kent Sorenson of Milo resigned after an independent investigator concluded Sorenson had secretly been paid $73,000 by the Ron Paul campaign.

Sorenson had been chairman of Michele Bachmann’s 2012 Iowa campaign, but he resigned shortly before the Iowa Caucuses and endorsed Ron Paul. The judge who sentenced Sorenson to 15 months in prison said this case was a textbook example of “political corruption.”

Sorenson was viewed as a rising star in Republican Party politics four years ago. Sorenson initially denied he had been paid and said he was the target of a “witch hunt,” but he later testified against three Ron Paul campaign aides. Those aides were convicted of making the secret payments to him.

Sorenson’s prison sentence is five times longer than the man credited with being the architect of the scheme. That man, the deputy manager of Ron Paul’s campaign, got three months in prison. Two other Ron Paul aides — one of whom is married the candidate’s granddaughter — were given probation after their convictions. Prosecutors had recommended probation for Sorenson as well, since he wound up testifying against the other three.

During testimony in October of 2015, The Des Moines Register reported Sorenson expressed regrets about entering politics. Sorenson served one term in the Iowa House and was in the middle of a four-year term in the state senate when he resigned.

Ron Paul, by the way, finished third in the Iowa Caucuses in 2012, behind Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney.

State’s third-tallest building sold to Chicago investment group

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An Iowa hotel that is the state’s third-tallest building is being sold.

The downtown Des Moines Marriott is 33 stories tall and has 373 guest rooms. The late John Ruan, the founder of a trucking company, helped bring the Marriott franchise into downtown Des Moines in 1981. His family has held a majority interest in the hotel ever since.

The Singerman Group is buying the property for $33.6 million.

John Ruan was a major donor to Republicans and the property has been a gathering place for prominent politicians for decades. GOP candidates like George W. Bush used the property for their Caucus Night parties. It was partly because of Ruan and partly because of the size of the hotel.

In the run up to the 2008 Iowa Caucuses, there were so many reporters for national media outlets staying at the downtown Des Moines Marriott that the hotel became known as “the dorm.” In the weeks leading up to the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, Bloomberg Politics turned the hotel’s former street-level bar into a live TV studio for its daily “With All Due Respect” program.

Trump’s to-do list for Branstad’s role as ambassador

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trump-thank-you

Donald Trump speaking in Des Moines.

About 5,000 people celebrated in Des Moines tonight with President-elect Donald Trump.

“I’m here today for one main reason: to say ‘Thank you’ to the great, great people of Iowa,” Trump said, and the crowd cheered. “You went out and you pounded, I mean, pounded the pavement.”

Trump touted his 10-point win in Iowa as “a lot more” than was expected.

“Just to go into this for a second, so we won almost every single county in this state,” Trump said. “…We won one county that wasn’t won since Dwight D. Eisenhower. Anybody know the name of that county?”

A few people in the crowd yelled: “Dubuque,” and Trump replied: “Correct!”

Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate to win Dubuque County since 1956. Trump spoke for about 45 minutes, promising to pursue a “buy American, hire American” agenda as president, with tax reform and the repeal of ObamaCare as top agenda items.

trump-banner“I think you’ll be liking some of the things we’ll be putting forward in the not-too-distant future,” Trump said. “Do you know what I mean? Yes? Do you know what I mean?”

Trump also got cheers from the crowd when he asked if they liked his cabinet choices so far — including his decision to send Iowa Governor Terry Branstad to China as U.S. Ambassador.

“I can’t tell you how many people wanted that position. You know, it’s not bad. You go over there. You live like a king,” Trump said. “But he’s not looking to live like a king. He and his beautiful wife came to my office the other day. They’re willing to work on that relationship.”

Trump cited Branstad’s long-term relationship with the president of China. And Trump offered a litany of thorny issues Branstad will be charged with tackling with the Chinese. Trump complained that China is manipulating the value of its currency. Trump accused China of the “massive theft of intellectual property” from U.S. companies. And Trump blasted China for “not helping with the menace of North Korea.”

“They haven’t played by the rules and I know it’s time that they’re going to start. They’ve going to start. They’ve got to,” Trump said, to cheers. “…We’ve got to play by the rules, folks.”

Trump introduced Branstad to the crowd.

“He’s going to do so great. With Terry on our side, I know we will succeed in bringing our jobs back and I also know the China that’s been so tough and so competitive and frankly, dealing with people that didn’t get it, but I’ll tell you we will have mutual respect and China’s going to benefit and America’s going to benefit,” Trump said, “and Terry’s going to lead the way.”

Branstad offered very brief remarks.

“It has been a great honor and privilege to serve the people of this state and thanks to our great new president who’s going to make America great again, I am very proud to serve America in this very important role,” Branstad said. “Thank you very much.”

Vice President-elect Mike Pence introduced Trump, noting tonight’s rally on December 8 marked the one-month anniversary of Trump’s victory on November 8.

Judy Gray of Titonka drove down for tonight’s rally with five other friends. It’s the first time she’s seen Trump in person.

“I think he’s going to shake some things up and maybe for the better, like even the Air Force One. Why do we have to spend so much?” Gray asked. “Those kind of things — and he’s going to find the cheapest way to get these things that we need.”

Earlier this week, Trump tweeted his displeasure over the price tag for the next Air Force One. Joy Marsh lives in Winnebago, Minnesota, about 20 miles north of the Iowa border. She voted for Trump and although he lost the state of Minnesota, the contest was closer than expected.

“I just wanted to come and see him,” Marsh said. “We had seen George Bush when he was running and we just thought we’d like to see Trump as well. He’s going to be our next president. We can always tell the grandkids.”

Joy Ellis of West Des Moines attended three or four Trump rallies before the Election as well as tonight’s. She voted for Trump on Election Day and watched the election returns into the wee hours of the morning.

“I went to sleep at 1:30, then turned on the TV at 4:30 and went back to sleep feeling very, very safe,” Ellis said.

Ellis is thrilled with the choices Trump is making for his cabinet.

“I think he’s picking good people for the spots he has available,” Ellis said. “I couldn’t have picked better myself.”

Joseph Worrell drove down to Des Moines from Cedar Falls. Worrell said he trusts Trump’s choices.

“He’s a man of discrimination and knowing. He has a lot of experience,” Worrell said. “He can read people pretty well.”

Worrell’s hoping Trump doesn’t pick Mitt Romney as his secretary of state, because Romney campaigning against Trump.

“I’d be very cautious to let somebody in that I don’t fully trust,” Worrell said.

Worrell, who is semi-retired after a career in Silicon Valley, wore the red “Make America Great Again” hat he was sent in the mail after donating to Trump’s campaign.

“Honestly, from the day he announced in Trump Tower, I knew he was going to win,” Worrell said. “I knew he’d have rough times, but he made it and he’ll be a great president — I can tell you that, too.”

 

Five days out, Mike Pence gets campaign assist from Ted Cruz (AUDIO)

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Ted Cruz campaigning with Mike Pence.

Ted Cruz campaigning with Mike Pence.

Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence has a campaign partner today who is familiar to Republican activists in the state.

“God bless the great state of Iowa!” Texas Senator Ted Cruz, the victor in Iowa’s Caucuses 10 months ago, said as he took the stage near Prole, Iowa, early this afternoon.

Cruz introduced Pence at a campaign rally staged inside a massive machine shed on a farm about a half hour’s drive south of Des Moines.

“This election has been a wild ride,” Cruz said. “It has been something else and we are coming down to the closing stretch and I’ll tell you, the stakes have never been higher for our country.”

Mike Pence

Mike Pence

Cruz urged the crowd of about 325 to “throw the bums out” who pushed “ObamaCare” through congress. He drew lengthy cheers and chants of “Lock her up” for joining Donald Trump’s call for a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary Clinton.

“There are a lot of politicians that have problems with the truth and even among those Hillary Clinton stands out,” Cruz said, to laughter.

Cruz stressed the importance of electing a Republican president, but Cruz never said Donald Trump’s name. Cruz called Pence a friend and Pence returned the favor when he took the stage. Pence delivered the same upbeat message he’s been stressing at campaign events in Iowa over the past few months.

Chuck Grassley, Mike Pence and Ted Cruz.

Chuck Grassley, Mike Pence and Ted Cruz.

“Go vote!” Pence said and the crowd started applauding. “Vote! And bring a friend, bring a couple of friends. Friends don’t let friends vote alone!”

But Pence also peppered his remarks by blasting the media as well as Bill and Hillary Clinton.

“I think the American people have had enough and they’ve especially had enough of the fast and loose ethics of the Clintons for the last 30 years,” Pence said and the crowd started chanting, “Lock her up!” again.

AUDIO of Cruz, then Pence speaking in Prole

Pence said Clinton had been over-confident in October and had been “measuring the curtains in the Oval Office.”

The Clinton campaign issued a written response to Pence from Clinton supporter Michael Fitzgerald, the state treasurer. Fitzgerald said Iowans “are overwhelmingly voting early” for Clinton because “working families simply don’t trust” Trump.

Clinton’s running mate Tim Kaine campaigned in Dubuque yesterday. Former President Bill Clinton campaigned in Sioux City, urging the crowd of about 300 to vote early.

“Since you’re here, I assume you’re interested,” Clinton said. “And if you have not voted, you can vote at the Long Lines Community Center, which I hope is well-named in this election.”

Clinton closed by expressing the hope that Iowa voters would give his wife the “keys to the truck” so she can move the country forward.

(Additional reporting in Sioux City by KSCJ’s Woody Gottburg)

‘I know it in my heart,’ Pence says, predicting victory

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Mike Pence in Newton.

Mike Pence in Newton.

GOP vice presidential nominee Mike Pence spoke to about 200 people in Newton this afternoon, repeatedly getting standing ovations as he praised his running mate Donald Trump.

“I know what the American people are going to choose,” Pence said. “I really do. I know it in my heart, but let’s all not take anything for granted.”

Toward the end of the event, during a brief question and answer session with the crowd, a man praised Pence, “for not jumping, bailing out on Donald Trump,” the man said and the crowd applauded. “That shows a person’s character.”

Iowa Congressman Steve King delivered the same message to the crowd as the warm-up speaker for Pence.

“I’m going to ask you: stand together, stand strong, bring Iowans to the polls, let’s get this done, let’s get it done right,” King said. “We’ve only got ’til November 8th. We can sprint that long, can’t we?”

King is “all in” for Trump and he declared Trump the winner of Sunday’s “prize fight” debate with Hillary Clinton. King criticized House Speaker Paul Ryan — the Wisconsin Republican — for saying on Monday that he will no longer defend Trump.

“That call didn’t need to be made…because I hadn’t seen him advocating for Donald Trump up to this point either,” King said. “So I think it hurts a lot and it changed the narrative and the bounce and the spring that would have come from a rousing victory from teh debate Sunday night was diminished.”

Pence did not mention his former House colleague during appearance in Newton. A woman named Rhonda told Pence she’s worried about voter fraud.

“If Hillary Clinton gets in, I myself, I’m ready for a revolution because we can’t have her in,” she said.

Pence replied: “Don’t say that.”

The woman named Rhonda continued: “I’m like Trump. Am I not saying the truth here?”

A few in the crowd clapped.

Pence continued: “There’s a revolution coming on November the 8th, I promise you.”

Pence left Newton and headed to Davenport where he was to speak at the Scott County Republican Party’s annual fundraiser. Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton is also headlining the event, which often has served as a proving ground for presidential candidates of the future.

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill campaigned into Iowa today on behalf of Hillary Clinton. McCaskill said she doesn’t think Americans “are going to elect someone who brags about groping women” as their president.