Back to the Future Branstad

A week has gone by since former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad resigned from his job at Des Moines University to “explore” the possibility of running for a 5th term.  I know that some out there thought the other Republican candidates would buckle in fear and bow out of the race in order to make way for King Branstad but I haven’t noticed that happening.  In fact, I haven’t noticed much at all.

In the week leading up to Branstad’s announcement it was his opponent, Bob Vander Plaats, who was capturing the news.  First with a historic endorsement from the President of the Iowa/Nebraska chapter of the NAACP, Rev. Keith Ratliff, and then landing a cover spot on Citizen Magazine.  The main hype leading up to Branstad’s announcement that I saw was on the news where poster child for GOP destruction/Branstad’s former Lieutenant Governor, Joy Corning, was interviewed for her insight.  Her only advice to her former running mate was to “pick a pro-choice female” to share the ticket with him in order to get those voters back that the party has lost.  Boy, she really knows how to kick-off a campaign.  Nothing like pissing off the grassroots immediately.

Since then Vander Plaats siezed the opportunity to remind Iowans that maybe Terry Branstad isn’t quite as conservative as they remember.  To be honest,  Terry Branstad become Governor before I was old enough to vote and left office when I wasn’t old enough to care.  I now care and I am now paying attention.  I predict as this primary process moves on there will be many voters out there like me; ones who remember Branstad’s legacy and either forgot the not so proud moments or never realized there were any.  Some things are better left in the past.