Vander Plaats Thanksgiving Message

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats released the following Thanksgiving holiday message:

Thanksgiving is always a time of reflection and togetherness. Whether we travel all the way across the state or just down the street to a family member’s house, tomorrow is a holiday where we pause to remember the brave spirit and countless sacrifices of the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock and endured the brutal New England conditions to create a land of freedom.

Our thanksgiving shouldn’t and doesn’t end there. There are many others who came before us that did their part to make America the greatest land on the face of the planet.

As we look back with gratefulness and focus on what makes Iowa such a wonderful place to live, it is important that we do something about the very real challenges so many of our fellow Iowans are facing this very minute.

While Thanksgiving is a time when most of us will gather for fellowship and delicious food in a warm, safe home, not everyone is so fortunate. I know from traveling our state that many people lack what we consider the basics of a holiday we’ve celebrated for so long that we might even take it a little for granted. It doesn’t have to be that way.

There’s still enough time today to help someone less fortunate than us. Contribute to your local food bank, pull together with your neighbors to help a struggling family or invite someone into your home to share the fruits of your own hard work. Doing so would honor the greatest tradition of the holiday – just as the Native Americans shared their bounty with the Pilgrims.

Remember our military personnel who are serving in faraway places to defend our country and protect our freedoms. I encourage you to take a moment to reach out to one of our servicemen or women through organizations such as Adopt-A-Soldier to let them know someone back home is thinking of them and appreciates their sacrifices. Or, give generously of your time, talent and energy in some other meaningful way.

I ask you to carry this true spirit of Thanksgiving forward through the holidays. Together, through the actions we take, we can make a real and lasting impact on the lives of others and change the course of our future.

I wish all Iowans a blessed, safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

Photo by Dave Davidson

Posted via web from Team Vander Plaats

Republican candidate for governor Bob Vander Plaats said today former Gov. Terry Branstad’s support of a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate helped pave the way for health care legislation that advanced in Congress Saturday.

Vander Plaats faulted Branstad, a Republican also running for governor, for endorsing and helping raise money for Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson’s 2000 Senate campaign. Nelson, a former governor, served around the same time as Branstad, who was Iowa governor from 1983 to 1999.

Nelson, who was elected, was among three moderate Democrats who agreed to vote Saturday for a procedural measure that would block minority Republicans from holding a filibuster to kill the health care bill.

“He’s the one that allowed this to go forward,” Vander Plaats said of Nelson in an interview. “Terry Branstad needs to bear some of the weight of that responsibility. He not only went across the river and endorsed his Democratic ally Ben Nelson, but also contributed money to him.”

Branstad has said Nelson is a longtime friend and hunting partner and that the support was out of personal loyalty.

Branstad’s campaign declined to comment on the Nelson endorsement, but said the former governor opposes the Senate health care bill.

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Sioux City businessman Vander Plaats began the night’s list of speakers by bringing up actor/fitness guru Chuck Norris’ endorsement of his campaign. In particular, Vander Plaats talked about Norris’ five “Fs” including faith, family, freedom, fight and fitness.

Norris’ idea of freedom quickly turned Vander Plaats to the issue of same-sex marriage and the April 3 decision to legalize these unions in Iowa, saying marriage between one man and one woman is the “foundation for our society.”

“What the Supreme Court did on April 3, they can’t do,” said Vander Plaats. “The Supreme Court drove a car without a license. They legislated from the bench. On Day One, I’m going to issue an executive order that places a stay on the April 3 decision on same-sex marriages until the people of Iowa have a right to vote on that issue.”

Vander Plaats next turned to education, saying that if he is elected he will appoint representatives for home schooling and private schools to the state board of education.

When it came to competing with current Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, Vander Plaats said Culver is “very vulnerable” before bringing up the fact that the last time an incumbent Iowa governor was defeated was in 1962.

“I believe Chet Culver’s biggest chance at reelection is if we nominate a candidate with a lengthy political record,” said Vander Plaats. “That record becomes the focus, not Culver’s record. The beauty of my candidacy is I don’t have a record.”

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Terry Branstad Goes on the Attack Goes After Bob Vander Plaats and Flip Flops on Attacking other Republican Candidates

DES MOINES, IA – On November 7, former Governor Terry Branstad announced that he would refrain from attacking fellow Republicans, saying “In fact, I am going to take the pledge to abide by President Reagan’s 11th Commandment, which is, and I quote, ‘speak no ill of another Republican.’ I will not attack any of the other candidates. They all have my respect.”

Candidate Branstad kept his word for precisely 12 days.

Last night at the Sac County Republican Central Committee meeting, Branstad reneged, attacking rival candidate Bob Vander Plaats’ position on marriage equality. “And now I know there is one candidate that says that I will just sign an executive order the first day that I am governor. Do you know any state that has restored one-man, one-woman marriage through executive order?”

Vander Plaats’ has said previously that he intends to sign an executive order banning marriage equality on his first day as governor. He’s also called Branstad’s position against issuing an executive order as “lukewarm” and “politically cautious.”(1)

This isn't the first exchange between the Republican candidates over important issues to their primary voters. Earlier in the week, Chris Rants criticized Branstad's record increasing the gas tax.(2) Candidate Branstad faces increasing attacks from his Republican rivals because of his record of raising taxes, keeping two sets of books, and running up massive deficits as Governor.

Branstad reneging on his promise ‘to speak no ill of another Republican’ shows how far Terry Branstad may have to go to win this increasingly divisive primary- even denying his own record on issues like the gas tax and the federal deductibility.

Posted via web from Team Vander Plaats

Bob Vander Plaats Event in Iowa

by Randy Davis - Iowa Coordinator

Bob Vander Plaats spoke at an event in Ottumwa, Iowa at the Bridge View Center. We had a great turnout....even many more than expected. Since there was not enough room in the 2 conference rooms I had reserved, a third room was opened up for additional seating.

Bob gave another great speech followed by a standing ovation and then he took several questions. He did an interview with KTVO Television just before the event started. He had to fly out early this morning to Texas where Chuck Norris is holding a fundraiser for his campaign in which about 40 Iowans are attending.

Permalink: http://www.huckpac.com/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=2902

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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.

Posted via web from Team Vander Plaats

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."

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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.”

Posted via web from Team Vander Plaats

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.

Posted via web from Team Vander Plaats

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.”

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