Filing Deadline Roundup

Filing Deadline Roundup

With the filing deadline JUST past, a statewide list (pdf) is posted at the Johnson County Auditor for your convenience.

Here’s a quick overview. See previous posts for names, I think I covered everyone earlier in the week. Kick my butt if I missed something.

Congressional: multi-way fields in CDs 1 (independent libertarian, Pirate), 3 (Soc. Workers), and 5 (two independents); two way contests in 2 and 4

Governor: Five candidates, which is about typical. (2002=4, 1998=5, 1994=6) Green, Libertarian, Soc. Workers. Because of the strict party status law this is the must-run race for third parties – the only way to get that G or L or SW on your voter card is to win 2 percent in this race. In other states, vote totals for other offices can qualify a party, which may explain why…

Statewides: The third parties take a complete pass for the first time in modern memory. The Libertarian looking at Treasurer seems not to have happened. Two way contests in the open seats for State and Agriculture. Amazingly, Tom Miller, Mike Fitzgerald and David Vaudt go completely unopposed – first time that’s happened since four-year terms started in 1974.

(Also the year Miller first ran – he lost that time but knocked off the incumbent in ’78 and has held the job ever since except for the four year Bonnie Campbell interregnum when Miller lost the governor’s primary to Don Avenson.)

Last time a major party left a statewide race uncontested was in 1998 when GOP Auditor Richard Johnson was opposed only by Reform and Natural Law (may they both rest in peace). He was also opposed only by a Socialist in the 1980 special election.

Legislative races: Two independents in state senate races, one in Ottumwa (Krieman, three way race) and one in Iowa City (Bolkcom) where there’s no Republican but the independent seems to have tacit GOP support. A handful on the House side, most notably Republican incumbent Joe Hutter in Bettendorf who lost the primary to a challenger from the right as part of the Maggie Tinsman Massacre and is running Lieberman style. Two Libertarians: one in Ames, the other in Ako’s race.

In Johnson County, it’s free rides for Dvorsky, Jacoby, Mascher and Lensing. Statewide four Senate donkeys (Dvorsky, Horn, Hatch, Seng) and two elephants (Weick, Houser) get passes. Too many on the House side to list them all - leaders Rants and Pat Murphy are both opposed only by Mickey Mouse on the write in line.

Aside: You have the absolute legal right to do that but please don't. The little old ladies and gentlemen who work at the polls have to count those by hand and they don't find it funny at the very end of an 18 hour work day. And don't even get me started on Fred Hoiberg.

Here's a few legislative contests that leap out to me, with a slight eastern Iowa bias:

Senate

5: Kurtenbach-Olive for Stu Iverson's seat.

9: Open race - Bill Heckroth (D) and Tom Hoogestraat (R) in GOP Brunkhorst's district

13: Dem incumbent Roger Stewart looks good but has a credible GOP challenger in Clinton Mayor Lametta Wynn.

19: Rep. Rob Hogg can pick one up from Chuck Larson (who's stepping down but I'm afraid won't stay out of the ball game forever)

37: Call her Senator Staci Appel, she scared the GOP incumbent into a House race instead.

41: Can latecomer Democrat Phyllis Thede win over moderate Republicans unhappy with David Hartsuch's defeat of Maggie Tinsman?

45: Becky Schmitz of Fairfield is a strong challenger to GOP incumbent Dave Miller.

House

17: Scion Pat "Grandson" Grassley should get loads of attention and cash.

21: Dem Don Shoultz should be OK but has an unusually well known GOP challender in former KWWL-TV anchor Tami Wiencek.

66: Ed Fallon's old seat will get lots of attention; the Register is trying to tie Ako Abdul-Samad to CITEC and the GOP, Libertarians, and an independent are running late-starting campaigns.

80: In one of 2004's big upsets, Democrat Nathan Reichert foiled the comeback attempt of my one time rival Barry Brauns, which if I remember my lines right means David Stanley himself is in a Democratic House district! The apoplectic Muscatine County GOP has recruited incumbent sheriff Greg Orr for the race.

82: Rematch from the primary as Joementum Hutter takes on his primary foe Linda Miller.

89: Close to home for me, Dem Mark Nolte taking on Sandra Greiner.

Feel free to comment and add your favorite races - white-hot or sleeper.