Culver’s Low Approval Rating the Product of Trends, Other Factors | KNIA / KRLS | The One to Count on

A recent poll showed Iowa Governor Chet Culver’s approval rating dipping to just 40 percent; a number that does not appear to bode well for an incumbent governor planning to seek re-election. Dr. Andrew Green, a Political Science professor at Central College says while it is typical for a governor’s approval rating to decrease as their term is carried out, other factors have contributed to Culver’s low approval numbers.

“In this particular climate when you couple in the economic problems, unemployment, [and] massive budget deficits, that’s only going to serve to exacerbate the approval ratings for governors, not only here in Iowa – as we’ve seen Governor Culver’s approval ratings drop by about 20 percentage points over the last year – but across the country.”

The poll showed leading Republicans Bob Vander Plaats and Terry Branstad both ahead of Culver in a head-to-head race if elections were held today. Green adds that the race for Iowa’s governor in 2010 could be very interesting, particularly if former governor Branstad earns the Republican nomination.

via kniakrls.com

Posted via web from Team Vander Plaats

Gubernatorial candidate visits Ottumwa : News : KTVO3

OTTUMWA -- One gubernatorial candidate made a stop in Ottumwa Thursday.  Bob Vander Plaats visited with about 100 people at the Bridge View Center. 

Vander Plaats is a Republican trying to win his party’s primary in June.  The event was an informal meet and greet with southern Iowa voters.  Vander Plaats made it clear he would still overturn the supreme courts decision to overturn the ban on gay marriage.

“We always need to be clear,” said Vander Plaats.  “The legislature makes law not the judicial branch.  The governor executes law not the judicial branch.  The people amend the constitution not the judicial branch.  We need to make sure our roles are clearly defined."

via heartlandconnection.com

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Vander Plaats: Chuck Norris Event Shows Campaign’s Broader Appeal in Drive to Win 2010 Primary, General Elections « THE CONCEPT WORKS

Vander Plaats: Chuck Norris Event Shows Campaign’s Broader Appeal in Drive to Win 2010 Primary, General Elections

NAVASOTA, Texas – Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats said today that the support of actor Chuck Norris and his wife Gena provide his campaign with a potent weapon that will help propel him to the 2010 Iowa Republican gubernatorial nomination over former Gov. Terry Branstad.

More than 40 Iowans are among the people who joined the Norrises and Vander Plaats for a Texas-style barbeque at the Norris ranch about 20 miles southeast of College Station.

Noting that the latest Iowa Poll shows him leading Gov. Chet Culver by eight points, Vander Plaats said Iowans are ready to turn out the first-term Democratic governor because “his failure to lead has run our state budget into a $1 billion hole, provided little but empty words for the 100,000-plus Iowans who are unemployed and led to one fiasco after another, including the mismanagement of the Iowa Film Office.”

“Having the support of Chuck and Gena Norris is obviously helping us raise a significant amount of money today, but it does much more than that,” Vander Plaats said. “In his syndicated column earlier this year, Chuck endorsed three candidates across the country as his ‘three amigos.’ I was honored to be one of those candidates and the campaign has received a number of contributions from across the country as a result.”

He continued, “There’s a lot of media attention on Governor Branstad’s likely return to the politics and the fact he’s leading Chet Culver in the polls. Well, he’s not the only one and before the pundits and the party establishment declare him as the victor over Chet Culver, he’s going to have to go through us,” Vander Plaats said. “Today’s Republican Party isn’t the same as it was in 1982 when he first ran for governor. And with the help of great friends like Chuck and Gena Norris, our supporters who attended today’s event and, many, many others, this campaign will have the resources to get our message out to Iowans and win this primary on June 8.”

via theconceptworks.wordpress.com

Posted via web from Team Vander Plaats

Action star hosts Texas fundraiser for Vander Plaats - KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KTIV) - More than three dozen Iowans are heading to Texas to rub elbows with Chuck Norris.

The action star will host a fundraiser for Iowa gubernatorial candidate, Bob Vander Plaats... at $5,000 a plate!

Norris, who has endorsed Vander Plaats for governor, offered to host an event for the Sioux City businessman at his ranch.

Vander Plaats spokesman Eric Woolson said about 40 people are expected to attend.

via ktiv.com

Posted via web from Team Vander Plaats

IOWA POLL: VANDER PLAATS BEATS CULVER BY 8 PERCENT : O.KayHenderson.com

IOWA POLL: VANDER PLAATS BEATS CULVER BY 8 PERCENT
SURVEY SHOWS CULVER’S PUBLIC CONFIDENCE CRISIS, PUNCTURES BRANSTAD CAMPAIGN CLAIM

 
DES MOINES – Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats said the Iowa Poll results in The Sunday Des Moines Register showing him with an 8-percent lead over Democratic Gov. Chet Culver underscores the public’s “complete lack of confidence” in the incumbent’s policies and leadership skills.

  Vander Plaats, who is seeking the 2010 Republican gubernatorial nomination also said the poll dispels claims by Terry Branstad’s campaign that the former governor is the only candidate who can defeat Culver. Branstad also leads Culver in the poll.

“I know Republicans have been hearing that we needed Governor Branstad to ride to the rescue because no one in this current generation of leaders can defeat Chet Culver. This poll is a snapshot in time but it’s a picture that is giving Republicans and conservatives a tremendous amount of confidence and momentum,” Vander Plaats said. “The Iowa Poll is the second survey of Iowans this fall that shows me defeating Chet Culver in a head-to-head match-up. The jury is in and the verdict is that Iowans want new leadership.”

  In late September, a poll of general election voters by the Rasmussen Reports showed Vander Plaats leading Culver by a 43-to-39 percent margin.

“The Iowa Poll reflects our growing momentum and Iowans’ complete lack of complete in Chet Culver because of the way he has mismanaged the state budget, the Iowa Film Office, economic development, the response to the floods in Cedar Rapids and other eastern Iowa communities last year and his ineffective leadership skills,” Vander Plaats said. “Iowans know we’re much better than that and they’re ready for a governor who will open our state for business once again, reestablish Iowa as an education leader and run a state government that performs exceptionally well. That’s why more people are joining our campaign every day.”

via okhenderson.com

Posted via web from Team Vander Plaats