At this point at least it looks like the Vilsack run isn't keeping anyone away, with Evan Bayh passing through yesterday. The Underrated One writes:
White House hopeful Sen. Evan Bayh warned on Monday that Democrats could lose their newfound grip on Congress if the party pursues an ideological course.
The Indiana senator, who announced Sunday he was taking the first step in a presidential bid, has cultivated a centrist image as one of his party's moderates, a Democrat who can win in a Republican-leaning state.
At a stop in the early voting state of Iowa, Bayh told business leaders that Democrats' hold on power, secured with Election Day wins last month, could be brief if the party isn't careful.
Kos is not, not, not pleased with Bayh's tone:
"Ideological"? You mean, like governing based on core Democratic principles?
I know Bayh doesn't have any of those. But perhaps he could wait until Democrats propose something "extreme" before he says idiotic shit like this?
Bayh refused to send some of his big warchest to the DSCC when we pushed the "Use it or lose it" strategy, denying the national party money when locked in its fierce battle for control of the Senate. Now, after betraying the party pre-election, he wants to lecture it post-election?
Although Bayh had staffers on the ground in a lot of places including here in Iowa, and I'm sure we'll be seeing those familiar faces again soon. Anyway, it's clear that the Bayh strategy is summed up in that Indiana map: all the counties that were red for Bush and blue for Bayh in 2004.
Hillary Clinton dips a toe in the water; the big story seems to be that she called Bonnie Campbell.
Add to this list the other people who've stopped by even after it was clear Vilsack was in, and it's not looking like 1992. But stay tuned. In 1991, there were early forays into the state by Paul Tsongas, Jerry Brown and Bob Kerrey, and they all bailed before caucus night once it became clear Harkin had the thing nailed down.
1992 was a wild and wooly ride all around. A year out the Democrqatic nomination looked like a no-prize for the right to lose 47 states to Bush Sr.; Bob Kerrey impulsively got in late after the botched Soviet coup - there was a country called the Soviet Union back then - and six months out it looked like our next president was Ross Perot. The cutting edge technology was Jerry Brown's 1-800 number and Paul Tsongas' paperback book, and only ubergeeks had email.
Local legislative clout
A pair of Iowa City-area Democrats will lead two of the Senate’s most powerful committees when the 2007 session of the Iowa Legislature gets under way next month.
Sen. Bob Dvorsky of Coralville will head the Appropriations Committee, which oversees spending by state agencies. Sen. Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City will lead the Ways and Means Committee, which works on tax policy legislation.
The tax and spend liberals indeed. Heh heh heh.
Big shakeup in Linn County:
Longtime Linn County Auditor Linda Langenberg is resigning to become Iowa's deputy secretary of state in charge of elections.
She was chosen for the appointive post by incoming Secretary of State Michael Mauro...
And, since there were so many it was hard to keep track, CQ Politics has a handy-dandy rundown of defeated House Republicans. The actual headline is "Defeated House Incumbents" but oh, yeah, there were no defeated Democrats.
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