……………. is something that one would think a journalist would prize, so here it goes. One of my very favorite local writers, with whom I frequently agree, perpetuated a rumor today that we really need put to bed. David Yepsen published the following this morning:
“So, for example, when a little-known candidate is chosen at the last minute to run for secretary of state based on her religious views and not her electability, well, it just cedes the job to a Democrat.”
David, you really got this one wrong. Mary Ann Hanusa was not nominated because of her religious views but precisely because we unanimously felt that she was the most electable candidate.
Mary Ann was a very likeable younger woman, and there really weren’t any women near the top of our ticket. Mary Ann was a fresh new face. Mary Ann certainly seemed the most eager for the nomination so I think it was a fair conclusion that she’d prove to be the best campaigner.
Mary Ann had a good political pedigree, worked in two White Houses, most recently in the Oval Office, and was an upper level staffer for Sen. Grassley.
Mary Ann immediately had several of the members ready to vote for her and, between Friday and Monday quickly locked up a majority before the other candidates had even called through the seventeen voting members.
Mary Ann Hanusa was a fine candidate in an incredibly tough situation. Mary Ann received 465,871 votes, 45, 000 more than our 2002 nominee, and only 1000 less than the top of our ticket, so I don’t think one could say our choice was crazy, or based on an inappropriate criterion.
I for one never discussed her ideology with her and I’m pretty sure that several other members didn’t either. We gambled where Chuck’s withdrawal made victory kind of a long shot, at best, and we came up a little short.
This issue is important because we can’t view our defeat as cause for ideological cannibalism. The “conservatives” didn’t cost us the SoS race this year, any more than the “moderates” cost us Terrace Hill in 98. How can we beat the Democrats if Balkanize our own party?
“So, for example, when a little-known candidate is chosen at the last minute to run for secretary of state based on her religious views and not her electability, well, it just cedes the job to a Democrat.”
David, you really got this one wrong. Mary Ann Hanusa was not nominated because of her religious views but precisely because we unanimously felt that she was the most electable candidate.
Mary Ann was a very likeable younger woman, and there really weren’t any women near the top of our ticket. Mary Ann was a fresh new face. Mary Ann certainly seemed the most eager for the nomination so I think it was a fair conclusion that she’d prove to be the best campaigner.
Mary Ann had a good political pedigree, worked in two White Houses, most recently in the Oval Office, and was an upper level staffer for Sen. Grassley.
Mary Ann immediately had several of the members ready to vote for her and, between Friday and Monday quickly locked up a majority before the other candidates had even called through the seventeen voting members.
Mary Ann Hanusa was a fine candidate in an incredibly tough situation. Mary Ann received 465,871 votes, 45, 000 more than our 2002 nominee, and only 1000 less than the top of our ticket, so I don’t think one could say our choice was crazy, or based on an inappropriate criterion.
I for one never discussed her ideology with her and I’m pretty sure that several other members didn’t either. We gambled where Chuck’s withdrawal made victory kind of a long shot, at best, and we came up a little short.
This issue is important because we can’t view our defeat as cause for ideological cannibalism. The “conservatives” didn’t cost us the SoS race this year, any more than the “moderates” cost us Terrace Hill in 98. How can we beat the Democrats if Balkanize our own party?
54 comments:
sporer, you sounded good on WHO today. what the hell is a Republican Steering Committee?
seriously, get your DsM city council speach running on here non stop...
Sporer, please stop talking for the Party. I'm begging you.
Sporer has earned the right to talk for the party. He was elected! 2x. Give us your ideas if, you have any!! And we can discuss them too.
Anonymous-who would you prefer. Maheffy or Gross? Maybe some other "Insider" like the one's who came up with the last three statewide campaigns (not involving George Bush).
I've been in a lot of meetings with Sporer and its high time that he was the spokesman since the Democrats fear him and our base loves him.
Hey Teddy - Yepsense comments were so off the mark about Hanusa that I can only think someone planted that thought in his brain. He clearly didn't talk to anyone who was involved in choosing her. He certainly doesn't know whether she is a religious nut job (what Yepsen really meant).
Now, which faction of our big tent would try to throw Mary Ann Hanusa under the bus by planting a lie with Yepsen?
I have my guesses.
So which is it Ted? You say that the state cc's only mistake was allowing 26 year olds from D.C. to make the decisions. It's pretty surprising from what I know of you that you could be so easily cuckolded by kids half your age.
Were you confused? Blackmailed? Mislead? Outfoxed? Bought off? How could the SCC let this happen? Because according to you, they made no other mistakes. Seems odd that 15 adults who were otherwise perfect could allow a bunch of kids to trick them into making such a grievous error.
Were the 26 year olds from DC here in 2002 (and why Gross, Ganske, Askew, Whitaker, Millage, Thompson, and Hartwig lost) but not in 2004 when Bush won? What did the SCC do different in 2004?
Nothing. If the SCC ever handed over complete control to DC it was in '04. Oh, and Gentry was only 28/29 at the time...but those couple years make a lot of difference.
I think Sporer was wrong to shift the blame off of RPI. The Party did jack for lower ticket campaigns. They were more interested in getting their picture taken with Bush than helping to win an election.
Team Nussle blew it with the county leadership and the former BVP people. Some of the blame has to fall on Team Nussle as well. The guy can talk a hell of a game but his rhetoric did not macth his voting record.
8:38 - you sound very defensive and you aren't listening. Quit worrying about your own personal hurt feelings. He's not blaming any particular person, but a system wide outage.
Be a part of growth, or just go away and pretend nothing bad happened.
I got a call from a buddy that rumor has it that Gross wants to be party chair. Is that true?
It could well be worse in 2008. Willtax is running for President. He should talk with President Harkin about his chances. Willtax will not listen.
Any inter-family fued is unsettleing. The Democrat party of Iowa will be spared the money sucking, volunteer burnout, etc. as wannabe Presidents avoid the land of favorite son Willtax. Not so the Repulicans.
Will members of the Republican State Central Committee take jobs with Presidential wannabes again? This practice is devisive as hell. Two decades ago, it would have gotten you booted off the Committe.
Gross as party chair? Didn't we go down the road with Gross as the head of the party in 2002?
How'd that work out for us?
Not doing jack for lower ticket campaigns was the product of the RNC strategy. Nussle was supposed to bring them all home all by himself in the top down theory. SOunds good on paper, but....
That's what Ted is talking about changing.
MoPed
You and Ted agree.
MoPed
The only people who get their picture taken with Bush are those than pony up the $10,000 ticket. Being on the SCC doesn't get you any perks, like pictures with Bush.
MoPed
Come on. Don't be hateful.
RPI actually DID try to do jack for the other statewides. They wanted to arrange to give Hanusa and Northey money for their races, but Nussle said NO - give us any money you would give them. They kiboshed getting resources to both Hanusa and Northey. Threw a fit is how I've heard it described.
Rants wouldn't allow any support for any legislative race that wasn't a for sure winner. No money, no phone banking, no support of any kind. It might rile up the democrats and make them vote.
More of that top down theory. We have to grow bottom up.
I helped some of the small races. I know that Polk tried to include our candidate on the 72 hour turnout effort, by including their name in those districts where they were also calling for Nussle.
Nope...no can do. It doesn't help Nussle, so they wouldn't do it.
RPI and Polk tried to do jack for their candidates, but Jim said no. All of the efforts of Polk volunteers building databanks for use in this cycle, were wasted. Gone. We have to start over from scratch rather than build upon what we already had. Nussles team wouldn't let Polk use their own lists built by their own volunteers.
That's what Ted wants to change.
So is RPI a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nussle campaign?
RPI and the SCC should have told the Nussle campaign to get fucked and given money to Hanusa and Northey. I think Northey's win without the funds is the biggest middle finger of this cycle.
You also illistrated what a completely useless twit Rants is.
All of the efforts of Polk volunteers building databanks for use in this cycle, were wasted.
Not really. If you have a database, keep it. If other campaigns are not going to use it or are going to charge campaigns huge money to buy it, just give it out, with a backup copy for yourself of course. Spike the cannons.
No, DG isn't running for chair. And just to head it off at the pass, neither is BVP.
I think MoPed should run for state chair.
So is RPI a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nussle campaign?
Yes, it was, and so was everything else in Iowa this year. I don't think Ted will allow that mistake to ever be made again.
With all the crap that the Nussle campaign pulled on local candidates and the grassroots. BVP the so called grassroots person stood by watching it happen. Here is a turn coat and a traitor to the grassroots. Give us leadership and a voice not pandering to big money. The only thing BVP gave to his supporters were concrete shoes!
WAR: Nuking the Middle east!
Sporer - I agree with your post...sounds like Yepsen was just having a bad day. I find him usually very good.
12:32,
I won't be running for state chair. I recognize the reality that I am completely unelectable.
Ted, have I mentioned how much I admire the fear you engender in the Party of the Jackass, even in defeat?
Speaks well of your effectiveness in your job, bro.
Sporer, you are the ONLY county chair without a victory that spouts off that we should do this and that. Win one then start flapping you jaws. Your CIETC plan worked great, way to take down the Mauros etc etc etc. All talk and no cattle.
7:44
Another whining former Team Nussle member.
More reasons that I will not be running for state chair:
1. I'm not even a registered Republican;
2. My visceral hatred of John McCain.
I think Polk did quite well given the challenges that have been described in detail by the other posters. Don't forget that Polk was the best urban county for the Republicans, doing better than expected, and Polk County won two open seats in the legislature.
Let me add my voice to those who were in the room last May when Ted Sporer predicted everything that happened and just how it happened. Maybe that means he knows how to stop it.
yes, I head teddy predict it as well.
Sporer,
Just to give my two cents, not that you asked, but...
Mary Ann Hanusa was the only Republican I didn't vote for in this last election. It was my opinion that not only was she a carpetbagger, but she was a weak candidate as well.
I didn't believe she represented Iowans just the GOP and as such did not get me vote.
Ted, Did I see you driving Nussle to the airport Wednesday morning? He headed back to DC pretty fast didn't he? And why wasn't Karen with him? Has she already filed for divorce? Mrs. King better watch her husband, Karen the Klimber is on the prowl.
So ted, how much did you have to pay Shefler to endorse you for state chair? Did he at least give you a reacharound?
Ted:
If it's true that you have Scheffler behind you, then you lost my vote for state chair.
If Sporer becomes Chair and Scheffler is controlling Ted, then the conservatism is in real trouble.
It is crazy to allow these types of personal attacks on a blog and I ask Ted to remove sexual references and innappropriate attacks from it immediately.
On my favorite blog, www.iowafathers.com we had radical feminists leaving atrocious information and we discovered we needed to block and ban such bloggers or become irrelevant. Things are a lot better without such rude people so we can maintain a dignified conversation.
For the record, I would never believe Sheffler controls ted since only his wife has that role and rightfully so. Anyone that would attack his wife in such a manner better remain anonymous as nobody respects a man resorting to such behavior. In fact, I have more respect for John Kerry! And John Kerry will not be visiting the troops in Iraq anytime soon given his popularity on that front.
Bottom line, Ted it is time to exercise some control and keep out those that would shout "fire" in a crowded theater.
Kevbo:
I agree to a point. If you have a problem with Sporer, go after Sporer, not his family. A guy's family is off limits.
That being said:
Scheffler is out for Scheffler. He has screwed over too many conservative campaigns in this state to allow anyone he supports to become Republican state chair.
Scheffler does not care one iota about advancing conservatism (I doubt the guy has even read Bastiat or Hayek) and instead is more concerned about solidifying his own stature in the Republican Party.
Ted is making a HUGE mistake in associating with him.
Ted must talk to many that are influential in the party and I am sure any conversations wtih Steve Sheffler (and he is a high ranking member of the party) would be appropriate. Steve's support would carry weight and not be a bad thing for someone to have. There are many that don't like Steve. I am still neutral on this issue but he has been in many fights for Republicans and show me the man that does not have a personal agenda? Everyone does so we build coalitions to get things done right?
I don't know what is going on here but since Steve is not under indictment (look at the scandals of the Democrats) I think I would talk to him before Archie for an endorsement if I needed one. I am sure Ted is his own man as one does not become a highly successful attorney without a few brains. The only person that has any real influence is Jo Ellen and the low life that posted such negative filth should be glad honor dueling is from a bygone age. I can't believe anyone intelligent enough to post on this website resorted to such an attack. Then again, the Dems are the kings of such tactics. Such a coward will never come to Iraq so I will never encounter him.
Scheffler is a professional christian. He uses that to get ahead and dupe the Republicans into paying him off for their support. I don't think the guy even has a real job.
Let me make one thing clear though. I'm not anti-ICA. The rank-and-file of the ICA tend to volunteer on campaigns from time to time so in that sense it is a better organization than RPI. What I have a problem with is guys like Scheffler who, if you talk to some ICA people, has become akin to a messiah. He's not. The most "Christian" campaign is the one that can pay him the most.
Don't trust him.
Honestly, I don't have anything to do with him and a few people I know talk bad about him but they are flawed too so I balance the whole thing in my head.
As to Teddy teaming up with Steve I don't know anything about that and it would come as a surprise but if Steve could give Ted the push to be our state leader I would consider that a good thing. It would not be a reciprocal arrangement as I know Ted wants only to win and stop the liberal steamroller we just saw take the state last week.
Ted and Steve King are the only real leaders I've seen lately and one of them must step up or Iowa will remain Blue for 20 years.
The Dems are out to get Ted and the absurd and comical accusations and personal attacks reveal they know his is their strongest enemy to their future plans. I still say the anonymous fellow mocking his wife is beyond politics. Certain things, like mohammed wrote, are completely off the table and the Dems went there.
I reiterate, Ted needs to put someone in charge of clearing off absolute trash statements that don't consitute debate or discussion in civilized society.
I would even go one step further and make everyone identify themselves a user and ban users unable to conduct themselves in a decent manner.
I agree. If they have legitimate disagreements, fine. Going after Ted's wife (or Karen Nussle, for that matter) is crossing the line.
I see Uncle Teddy getting accused of being controlled by Sheffler and is beholden to the christian solders and being a mod who isn't conservative enough to be chair.
So which is it? Are you a mod or a god? I don't think anyone knows for sure. I came to know you with the SoCo's, but then I saw you sitting with Polk County Mods (Brownell, Giovanetti and Clute) at Bushs thing.
I guess only your hairdresser knows for sure.
Ted understands that we can't win without all republicans turning out to elect republicans. (proof in the pudding) We have to be on the same team instead of being a circular firing squad. He's been working on unifying the various factions to work together to get republicans elected. He has purposefully been reluctant to share his personal views because he believes the personal views are the arena for the candidate. The Party is the nuts and bolts of getting shit done.
He wants to get shit done.
I guess he's a shit stirrer. There's a lot of shit to stir up over there.
All of the problems facing Republicans in the state of Iowa, and we're debating the seating chart at the Bush event.
Sad.
I don't know if I can take much more. I can't speak to every race in the nation, but here in Iowa, 'the GOP base' turned out at equal or superior levels in nearly every race.
Guess where the biggest disparity was? Steve King garnered 19,000 fewer votes in '06 than in '02.
02 vs. 06
-Nussle beat Gross
-Latham was only down 5k
-Leach was down 7k, and if you say its because those Iowa City conservatives didn't show, you need to be hit with a sock of pennies. Dems stopped voting for Leach this year, NOT R's.
-the 1st CD numbers look like they should given the party ID of the district (and factoring that Whalen sucked).
-Hanusa beat Hartwig...wrap you brain around that one
-Northey beat Askew.
Keep selling your "how does it feel without us" brand snakeoil. I'm confident you'll have MY party ruined within 2 cycles.
Oh, and don't think I'm leaving out Lamberti on purpose. He was only down to Thompson 02 by about 500 votes.
Did the SoCo's not show up in '02 either? Hmmm...Bush hadn't quite spent my great-great-great granchildren's money yet and the WOT had yet to become a punchline.
It's too early to be this pissed off. As an apparent RINO, I think I'll go remove my undergarments, take a shower where I will be having homosexual thoughts about Jim Leach and 'spread my seed on the ground'.
You are missing one key point, Anon. What was the Republican message this year?
I'm waiting...
Still waiting....
*yawn*
Still waiting to find out what the Republican message was this year...
They didn't have one. Lack of message and Iraq being a complete clusterfuck beat the Republicans on the national level and no message and excessive spending/pandering on the part of the Republicans in the Iowa Legislature doomed the candidates at the state level.
Hell, Northey got more votes than Nussle. That makes me wonder how many people withheld their vote for Nussle out of disgust.
The past is the past. Lets start thinking about what we're going to do to the Democrats next cycle!!!
Hey, I'm a harmless little fuzzball.
I've known Ted Sporer for 30 years. Even though I'm a Democrat Ted has always made more sense about politics than anyone I know.
By the way, he's pretty conservative in his personal views.
I've known Ted Sporer for 30 years. Even though I'm a Democrat Ted has always made more sense about politics than anyone I know.
By the way, he's pretty conservative in his personal views.
I've known Ted Sporer for 30 years. Even though I'm a Democrat Ted has always made more sense about politics than anyone I know. Ted really is the smartest person.
By the way, he's pretty conservative in his personal views, although I notice he never talks about them in public.
thanks for the lie ted. you know what happened with mary ann. she whipped the central committee votes painting herself as the only religious right candidate. with sheffler and his gang running the SC thats all she had to do. once it appeared (not certain) she had the votes whipped on that reason alone, hoffman didnt want her. but he did want a unanimous central committee vote so he would look like the savior of the party just like "his self proclaimed" unanimous pick with nussle/bvp. so he ran everyone out so there wouldn't even be a vote. his "unanimous" picks were never unanimous and that's why we got it handed to us on a platter on Nov 7th. this selection process of the SOS candidate is exactly what is wrong with the party here in iowa. no one ever even looks at qualifications for the job which equal electability. ted, don't lie to us, you don't get away with it.
btw, i heard you on WHO too, and your respect towards the caller in the military was about as classy as John Kerry. you make me sick.
right on, if the central committee wasn't a bunch of lemmings we would have gotten a much better candidate, but as i hear it, all candidates never even had their say. thank you lemmings and thank you hoffman for being the duo of destruction of the 2006 elections!
The last two anons demonstrate a problem that Republicans have. They are so filled with mindless anger they produce only discord among Republicans.
Rather than respond with anything like a "fact" (other than Mary Ann lost) you two just pour out mindless venom.
btw-there was no caller from the military on the night Ted was on Deace. Anon 9:38 are you talking about the guy that was making up the story about attending a Polk "Steering Committee" meeting and being asked to support Democrat Frank Chiodo?
You two are precisely the kinds of douche bags that Sporer says we can do without.
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