Conlin narrates the video herself, and it's mostly a biographical piece. Her parents lived paycheck to paycheck. She worked her way through college and law school.
Conlin was U.S. Attorney for Iowa's southern district from 1977 to 1981. In this video, she says that as a prosecutor, she "took on drug dealers, corrupt politicians, and corporations who violated the public trust." She then started a small law firm "to give a voice to everyday people who had none, like taking on the big banks to help family farms at risk of foreclosure."
Conlin tells viewers, "Taking on the special interests has been the cause of my life," and she is running for U.S. Senate "to take this fight to Washington." She promises to help small business and promote renewable energy and other strategies for creating jobs in Iowa.
She doesn't mention Senator Chuck Grassley directly, but she hints at the case she will make against him. Career politicians in Washington have lost their independence. Iowans were left behind when banks got bailed out and their top executives got huge bonuses. Grassley voted for the Wall Street bailout, which Conlin mentions twice in this video. No doubt we'll hear more in the coming months about Grassley's ties to various special interests and his votes for tax breaks companies use when they ship jobs overseas.
Conlin looks at the camera as she delivers her closing line: "Join me in taking on this fight, because the special interests have had their turn. Now, it's our turn."
Her campaign logo reads, "Roxanne for Iowa." I would like to hear from campaign professionals on the merits of branding women candidates with their first names, like the Hillary for president signs and bumper stickers.
Commiting to a campaign for the US Senate next year requires more than the confidence that I have the right experience, the necessary support and the resources to be successful. It must come with an understanding that it is the best way for me serve our State and my fellow Iowans in the most effective way possible at this time. I have decided not to run for the United States Senate in 2010. I will continue my work with the Iowa Initiative to Prevent Unintended Pregnancy and will be active in our Party and across the state in issues that affect the quality of life for all Iowans. [...]
While I will not be a candidate for office in 2010, never doubt I am committed to a life of service and to Iowa.
So, the mystery challenger Iowa Democratic Party chair Michael Kiernan promised for Grassley is almost certainly Roxanne Conlin, who has said she's leaning toward running.
I wouldn't be surprised to see former Governor Tom Vilsack run for the U.S. Senate in the future. I expect Christie Vilsack to run for Congress when Leonard Boswell's seat (IA-03) becomes open.
According to Bleeding Heartland user mirage, State Senator Brad Zaun is planning to run against Boswell next year. (I am trying to confirm that rumor.) Zaun was mayor of Urbandale, a heavily Republican suburb of Des Moines, before getting elected to represent Iowa Senate district 32 in 2004. He was re-elected to a four-year term in 2008, so he wouldn't risk losing his seat in the upper chamber by running against Boswell.
by desmoinesdem, Mon Oct 05, 2009 at 12:02:28 PM EDT
Via the Senate Guru blog I saw that Survey USA released results from its late September poll of 600 adults in Iowa (margin of error 4.1 percent). The survey measured Senator Chuck Grassley's approval rating at 50 percent. That's the lowest figure ever for Grassley by this pollster, and you can see from this graph that Grassley's trendlines are ugly. A full 40 percent of respondents disapprove of Grassley's performance. His high-profile role in the health care reform debate seems to have hurt his image. Senate Guru notes, "Grassley is also below 50% approval among independents (48%) and self-described moderates (47%)."
The Des Moines Register published a new article Monday on rumors that a well-known and well-funded Democrat will give Grassley "the race of his life." Speculation seems to be centering on former First Lady Christie Vilsack, who is now executive director of the Iowa Initiative, and prominent attorney Roxanne Conlin, a onetime U.S. Attorney who was the Democratic nominee for governor in 1982.
If a well-known woman makes a serious run at Grassley, that should help boost turnout among women Democrats and leaners, with benefits all the way down the ticket. Vilsack is less of a lightning rod than Conlin and could energize the network of Iowans who backed Hillary Clinton for president.
Survey USA's Iowa sample in September consisted of 35 percent Democrats, 29 percent Republicans, and 31 percent independents. The sample for their August Iowa poll was quite different: 28 percent Democrats, 34 percent Republicans, and 35 percent independents. That alone could explain why Grassley's approval rating fell from August to September. The September sample is much closer to the current proportion of Ds, Rs, and Is among Iowa registered voters, although it's far too soon to know which voters will be motivated to turn out next November.
by desmoinesdem, Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 01:52:42 PM EDT
Senator Chuck Grassley is seeking a sixth term in 2010, and Iowa Democrats have never managed to give him a tough re-election race before. However, today Iowa Democratic Party chair Michael Kiernan spoke confidently about a "first-round draft pick" who is ready to run against Grassley, Kay Henderson reported for Radio Iowa.
"I'm going to tell you here today that Chuck Grassley is going to be in for the race of his life." [...]
"You're just going to have to wait to find out," Kiernan said this morning during taping of this weekend's "Iowa Press" program. "We want to wait 'til, obviously, after Terry Branstad announced his candidacy for governor."
Kiernan isn't revealing the characteristics this phantom candidate may have either. "I'll just wait for the announcement," Kiernan said. "You will be impressed." [...]
"I'm here to tell you today that it will be the toughest race that Chuck Grassley has faced since John Culver," Kiernan said.
Grassley defeated Senator John Culver (Governor Chet Culver's father) in the 1980 Reagan landslide.
Speaking to reporters after today's taping, Kiernan said the big-name challenger is "100 percent committed" to this race.
Your guess is as good as mine. A retired politician? Former first lady Christie Vilsack? A celebrity in a non-political field? Someone from the business world? (Retired Principal Financial Group CEO Barry Griswell has ruled out running, as has Fred Hubbell, the incoming interim director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development.)
Grassley's approval rating has fallen this year, but it'll take a lot to convince me that we can defeat him. He's still got a strong brand name and 30 years of constituent service behind him.
by desmoinesdem, Sun Aug 23, 2009 at 12:28:45 PM EDT
Senator Chuck Grassley already has two likely Democratic opponents (Bob Krause and Tom Fiegen), but rumors persist that a better-known Iowa Democrat is thinking seriously about this race.
Whether or not Braley intends to run for Senate next year, he could raise his profile and support by promising to work as hard to keep a strong public option in the health care reform bill as Grassley is working to keep one out. (Progressive activists have now raised nearly $400,000 for House Democrats who promise not to vote for any health care bill lacking a strong public option.) A joint statement on behalf of Braley's Populist Caucus would do even more to bolster Braley's reputation as a fighter for a strong health care reform bill.
Other names being floated on various blogs include former first lady Christie Vilsack, Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie, Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge, Attorney General Tom Miller, and Mike Blouin, a former member of Congress who headed the state Department of Economic Development when Tom Vilsack was governor. Blouin narrowly lost the 2006 gubernatorial primary to Chet Culver, so he has recent experience campaigning statewide. On several issues Blouin and I are as far apart as any two Democrats could be, but I thought displacedyankdem made a strong case for him:
Even if he's not in the very highest tier of candidates (Vilsack, Miller, and Braley), he is:
a)several tiers higher than Grassley's past 3 opponents
b)likely to automatically get at least 35% and likely 40% of the vote (somewhere between 7 and 12 points higher than the last 3)
c)a strong enough candidate to take advantage if there is a Macaca moment a la Jim Webb 2006
d)likely to tie down millions of dollars in GOP money
e)risk free in that he's not giving up an office
f)just young enough to be on the edge of viability (maybe I'm making too much out of the seniority thing)
Since running against Grassley will be an uphill battle, I would like Democrats to nominate someone who doesn't have to give up a current elected position.
On a related note, Grassley is still playing rope-a-dope with the White House, this morning backing down on his ridiculous comments about pulling the plug on grandma. I hope key people in the Obama administration finally understand that nothing is to be gained by seeking a compromise with Grassley. The Senate Finance Committee "gang of six"is taking two weeks off from negotiating, probably because delays help Republican efforts to defeat health care reform.
Share any thoughts about Grassley or the 2010 Senate race in this thread.
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