Linux Monday

Your Weekly Geekly: Linux Monday

Some non-gratuitous Windows bashing: Now that Windows 7 is out, you know Microsoft is going to pull the plug on XP soon. And here's another thing that may force XP users to move: New hard drives won't work with XP soon.

All hard drive makers have committed to adopting the 4K advanced format by the end of January 2011.

Hard drive makers have begun an education and awareness campaign to let people know about the advanced format and to warn about the problems it could inflict on users of older operating systems such as Windows XP.

This is because Windows XP was released before the 4K format was decided upon.

"The 512 byte sector assumption is ensconced into a lot of the aspects of computer architecture," said Mr Burks from Seagate.

By contrast, Windows 7, Vista, OS X Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard and versions of the Linux kernel released after September 2009 are all 4K aware.

We're less than two months away from the next Ubuntu release, and what most people will notice is a color shift from a long-derided brown (you can change defaults, ya know) to purple. More substantively, again one goal is faster boot time. But some embedded Linux applications (example: car dashboards) can boot as fast as one second.

Yet another guide to distributions, and here's away around the 21 bars in Iowa City: a Linux beer cooler.

Johnson County Democratic Convention 2010

Live from the Johnson County Democratic Convention

10:34 and hello from West High in Iowa City where the JCDems have been underway for a couple hours. The blog is behind the curve; I'm co-chair of credentials again and had to do that work first. But the delegates are all seated (95) and after a mid-morning donut break we're listening to the legislative delegation. Bolkcom, Jacoby and Lensing are speaking now. Bob Dvorsky spoke early and Mary Mascher is co-chairing the show.

Congressman Dave Loebsack spoke earlier before heading to the Lee and Muscatine conventions. He hopes to make more conventions next weekend but his priority is the health care vote. "Don't sniff at this bill," he said to a lefty crowd that, like Loebsack himself, would have liked a stronger bill. "This is going to do real good for millions of Americans." He specifically cited an end to pre-existing conditions and coverage for 31 million people.

Loebsack was also optimistic about the electoral outlook: "I have no doubt we Democrats will do awfully well in the fall."

Action, if you can call it that, is moving toward the platform. Near as I know, the only platform fight is, as usual, Palestine/Israel. There was another petition floating about safe (sic) nuclear power, not sure if it met the signature threshold.

69 people running for the district and state convention; we have 87 seats so we'll fill the vacancies from the floor. No preference groups this year; back in 2006 we split along gubernatorial lines.


Supervisor Janelle Rettig

The courthouse crowd also spoke earlier: all five supervisors, Lyness, Slockett and Pulkrabek. I was busy with credentials and missed what they said. Also on hand: Regenia Bailey of the city council. Not seen: any primary challengers to the five courthouse incumbents.

Jim Larew spoke on behalf of Chet Culver and focused on rail and project labor agreements. (James Lynch of the Gazette was paying more attention than I was at this point, since I was still on Credentials patrol.)

Petitions have been floating around; Ed Flaherty is getting signatures for Bob Krause. The other two Senate candidates, Tom Fiegen and Roxanne Conlin, are scheduled to be here. (I have yet to see a Fiegen petition.) Dan Tallon has two petitions: one on Don't Ask Don't Tell and the other on the 21 bar issue. Tallon says the bar issue has gotten 3500 signatures in 48 hours. Some of the locals are already padding their already sufficient lists of names.

For your reference, here's the platform as written.

It appears as of 11:07 that Yes Nukes did indeed get the signatures. Anessa Olson is the person advocating it; for her it's about research money. A few extra bodies trickle in as the buzz spreads that we're actually doing something. The lights go down, then up; Tom Carsner suggests "it must be the nuclear glow." More speakers line up against than for, as Anessa speaks a second time (the protocol is, everyone on a side speaks once before you get a second turn). And that's how it shakes out as we vote no.

Iowa City Federation of Labor president Pat Hughes wants to delete "We support the employees‟ right to change unions without affecting their contract." Dave Tingwald (co-chair with Mascher) is in parliamentary procedure heaven as we first discuss suspension of the rules before we get to talk about the issue itself. "Several of the great minds of labor in Johnson County couldn't figure out what this meant," says Hughes. "It doesn't have enough clarity to go further in the platform." "This just allows you to change your union and keep your contract," says the advocate.

"The AFL-CIO has a no-raid clause," says Hughes. "This would make unions free to raid one another and weaken the labor movement."

Debate stops as Larry Marek and Becky Schmitz arrive after attending the Washington County convention. Marek must have caught the platform discussion: "I'd rather have wind power than any sort of nuclear power."

Schmitz gets louder applause than Marek; she's trying to make four conventions today. Calls the GOP "the party of has-beens," referring to all the comeback kids."They're trying to bring back Branstad, and now they're trying to bring back Sandy Greiner," she said of her likely opponent. Telegraphing some of the campaign to some, Schmitz said, "She gave all sorts of reasons to leave two years ago, I don't know what's changed." Schmitz says under Greiner's tenure as chair, people referred to "the environmental degradation committee."

"She's very tight with big business and she has deep pockets," Schmitz said of Greiner.

The labor debate resumes No one lines up for the plank as labor speakers line up on the no side (Yes keeps the plank, No deletes it.) And we vote it out. The plank's advocate continues in discussion with some of the labor guys at 11:45.

May be a gap here; we need to fill the remaining 18 seats and my credentials duties may resume.

12:48 and indeed there was a gap but not for the reasons I expected. Almost simultaneously, we broke for lunch and Roxanne Conlin showed up. So she spoke in the lunch hall and I was separated from the computer and had to resort to taking notes old-school style.

We'll catch up to that soon but right now Francis Thicke is speaking to half the delegates (the other half are still eating or shaking hands with Conlin.) Thick has a new look; since I last saw him at my caucus, he's shaved. With Thicke is campaign manager Rob Hubler, who gets big applause for running against Steve King.

"What's going to happen to agriculture when oil climbs to $300 a barrel?" asks Thicke, who's looking at ag in the big global sense. Local control over CAFOs gets applause.

"Northey has support from the PACs of Monsanto and Walmart, but we have support from the grass roots." And it's pronounced TICK-ee.

Jumping back in time, Conlin seems to be settling into the biographical section of the stump speech. "I have been hungry because there was no food in the house... I have been cold because the utility bill didn't get paid," she says of her childhood.



I have to jump away from Conlin again because the biggest platform fight is about to start. James Eaves-Johnson wants to strike the entire plank and replace it with his own substitute. "The platform committee discussed this amendment and voted it down unanimously," notes platform chair Robin Roseman.

I don't have the Eaves-Johnson language in electronic, but here's the platform committee version:

Israeli/Palestinian Conflict
We support:
306. Two-state solution based on the Geneva Initiative of 2003.
307. A direct, active, and even-handed US role to facilitate a peaceful final resolution.
We oppose:
308. Israeli settlement activity on territory captured in the six-day war of 1967.
309. Moving the US embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem prior to final resolution.
310. The Separation Wall.
311. Use of human shields, collective punishment and violations of international laws.

"The platform does not criticize the actions of any specific country in the world, with one exception, Israel," says Eaves-Johnson. And with his usual rhetorical flourish of defining other people's views for them: "If you believe that Israel is the one black spot in the world that deserves our condemnation, then you should vote against this amendment."

The crowd seems to have thinned significantly post-lunch (1:28 PM)

At this point Maria Conzemius throws the phrase "anti-Semitic" out there. Someone has to loudly object so I do. There's a confab of parliamentarians on stage; they rule that because Conzemius called the entire Democratic Party anti-Semitic, rather than singling out any one person, she was just barely within the rules.


Roxanne Conlin signs Dan Tallon's petition to end Don't Ask Don't Tell.

The substitute language gets voted down (overwhelmingly) so the platform stays as it is. And with that the whole platform gets voted through with no changes only the one labor line changed.

So things are winding down at an unbelievably early 1:45.

Back to Conlin, she's got a "fed up" cadence worked into the speech: "I'm fed up with the endless wars, I'm fed up with the bailouts to Wall Street," etc. As for the general mood in DC: "I have four children and five grandchildren so I'm qualified to provide adult supervision."

As for the incumbent, Conlin says, "He sends an occasional letter. Does he follow up? Not so much," calling Grassley a "rubber stamp" for things like the Bush-era upper class tax cuts. ""Whatever he SAYS when he gets back here, that's what he DOES."


Mary Mascher, Roxanne Conlin

Conlin's a fan of public campaign finance, and jokes that she's even more in favor of it now that she's having to dial for dollars. "We could public finance every election from dogcatcher to president with what the drug companies make."

As for her well-publicized legal career: "One of the things I can take to Washington for you is the ability to negotiate. If I had been there for the health care debate, we would have started with single payer." Then it was off to Jones, Jackson and Scott counties for Team Roxanne ("We're going to make her one of those people you know just by their first name like Madonna or Cher," jokes Mascher.)

Oh, darn, we were ALMOST done and we get a contested vote. That just cost us... an hour maybe. I was wrong; it was only 15 minutes.

Nothing left but giving everyone a chance to make announcements. We're officially done at an amazing 2:06 p.m. So what happens if Fiegen and Krause show up at 4:00? They were scheduled but no sightings. I'm not waiting to find out.

Friday Filing

Gibbons, Gettemy Top Friday's Filing

Jim Gibbons, former Iowa State wrestling coach, made his congressional bid official and filed Friday in the 3rd District Republican primary. Half a dozen candidates have announced; will they all follow through and file?

On my side of the state, Rob Gettemy of Marion, the latecomer to the 2nd Congressional District race, is the second to file, joining Steve Rathje on the June 8 GOP primary ballot. 2008 nominee Mariannette Miller-Meeks and `08 Senate nominee Christopher Reed have yet to file. The winner faces incumbent Dem Dave Loebsack and Libertarian Gary Sicard.

Secretary of State Mike Mauro makes the bid for a second term official. Three Republicans are announced but none has yet filed: three-time loser George Eichhorn, Council Bluffs Council (almost as bad as Iowa City City Council) member Matt Schultz, and 2008 legislative loser Chris Sanger.

And that's it for today. No one at all filed for the legislature in another slow Friday.

Recent Developments on 21 Bars

The 21 Bar Steamroller is Rolling

Today's P-C has lots of scary quotes from unelected city staffers Eleanor Dilkes (city attorney) and Marian Karr (city clerk). The gist seems to be putting any bar issue that gets petitioned on the ballot NOT in this fall's general election, like people anticipated. Instead, they're pointing toward November 2011.

It seems that from the city's perspective, November 2011 is the next "regular" election and November 2010 is a "special" election. But that contradicts the city's precedent in 2000, when they placed the infamous First Avenue 2 initiative (Yes to not build the road and No to build the road) on the presidential ballot. When they want to, they move faster, and they wanted that road bad.

Implementing the 21 ordinance in the summer and pushing a vote back to the fall of 2011 means two whole incoming classes who've never known anything BUT 21. It also means that much more time with that much less business; the council's probably hoping that by the time it finally comes around the bar owners who are active in city politics will go broke.

(Here's something for the council to think about: November 2011 would also put the issue on the same ballot as four council members: 21 supporters Matt Hayek, Mike Wright and Ross Wilburn, and the lone 21 opponent, Regenia Bailey.)

The No on 21 forces have settled early on a counter-move: petitioning to lower the admission age to 18. The Press-Citizen, already beating the 21 drum, openly mocks this: "Are they daft, Machiavellian or just naïve?" I see it as strategic: can the council move to 21 while the 18 petition is on the table? (I see that one going to court...)

UI President Sally Mason offers plenty of patronizing opinions in this DI interview:

"It is about looking for better alternatives to promote a healthy and safe environment in our community. And for our students and also for community members." To make you healthier, we'll take away your rights. Sally' I've been here longer than you have and every "better alternative" anyone's ever tried has flopped. Young adults want adult activities, not the same stuff they were doing in high school.

"Clearly, a lot of our students are not obeying the law. They are drinking. They are underage (sic), and they are drinking." Define "underage," Sally. Last time I read my 25th Amendment, 18 year olds are ADULTS.

"I’ve gotten a lot of e-mails and notes from community members about their disappointment and displeasure with student behavior." Ah, yes, the Love The Hawkeyes and Hancher, Hate The Students crowd.

Former City Council member Bob Elliott also comes out for 21 in his Press-Citizen piece, changing his mind from his term. He must have remembered my rants, because he acknowledges:

Philosophically, I favor identifying a standard legal age for being an adult. If you're old enough to join the military and defend our country in wartime, you should be old enough to have a beer.

Some believe -- perhaps correctly -- that failure to lower the legal age to 18 makes booze a "forbidden fruit," and thus, even more attractive to those younger than 21.

But there are differences between philosophy and reality.

However, Bob never says what that age should be, 18 or 21.

Another office holder, off the record, expresses agreement with me as well, but points the finger back at the state, the feds and the highway money, and says if (s)he has five minutes with a federal or state official, the drinking age issue isn't enough of a priority to take the limited time.

So what has to happen to get this issue on the radar? Let's look back at the 2000 foot sex offender law. It took years of concerted effort to get the Legislature to acknowledge the unintended consequences (inability to track people and the creation of sex offender ghettoes) and change the law. If they wanted to do the same with the drinking age, they could. They clearly don't want to.

I'm not expecting to persuade the six Yes votes, so we'll have to settle this in an election. But here's some small asks:

First: Tell us, in public and on the record, what you really think of the 21 year old drinking age. And if you think it should be lower, lobby on the issue. Put the issue on your annual meeting with the legislators. If the state insists on this unfair and unworkable drinking age law, get them to cough up the extra money it takes to enforce it (I suggest using that all-important, strings-attached federal highway money.)

Next, word whatever you pass in such a way that it addresses the discrepancy in the age of adulthood. Rick Dobyns' failed 2007 effort referenced "the legal age." I found that offensive, because to me, "legal age" means the age at which you are an adult for everything except alcohol, 18.

Schedule a vote as soon as is fair and practical (by "fair" I mean "not in the summer".) This fall's general election would be good.

Finally, delay implementation until after the people have voted. Settle this once and for all and don't make businesses go back and forth.

I'm willing to accept the public will on this, even if the council is forcing a do-over. But the small steps I suggest will make the pill a little easier to swallow.

Two Grassleys File on Thursday

Both Grassleys File Thursday

The Grandpa and Grandson will be on the ballot together for the first time this June, as U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley and state Rep. Pat Grassley both filed Thursday. Grandpa last ran in 2004, and Grandson was first elected in 2006.

If both Grassleys win, Grandpa will extend his 52 consecutive years in office streak to 58 years by the time the term ends in 2016... at which point Grandson will be over the constitutional age limit of 30 to run. I'm just sayin'.

Also filing today for the Republicans was state auditor Dave Vaudt, who ran totally unopposed in 2006.

Locally, Republican Jarad Klein is making a second try in House District 89. Klein fell just short of Riverside Democrat Larry Marek in 2008. After the GOP lost that seat, the only Republican House member representing any of Johnson County was Assistant Minority Leader Jeff Kaufmann (R-Wilton), who also filed today. Kaufmann is seeking a fourth term in House District 79. Kaufmann had an opponent in name only in 2008 (she quit the race even before the primary but never bothered to withdraw).

(Also locally, at the courthouse level, Supervisor Janelle Rettig files for her first full term.)

Former Senate leader and RPI chair Stu Iverson is officially on the comeback trail, filing today in House District 9 against Rep. McKinley Bailey (D-Webster City).

Dave Thede makes the Democratic primary official in the race I seem to mention every day, Senate District 41. Richard Clewell filed yesterday. GOP incumbent Dave Hartsuch is the only one who hasn't, yet.

Six-packer Brian Quirk (D-New Hampton) filed in House District 15. The Republicans didn't try in 2008, as Quirk easily beat an independent. This time he'll face Michael Klimseth.

It may be a three-way GOP primary for the right to take on Rep. Andrew Wenthe in House District 18. Sandy Salmon filed yesterday, and farmer Roger Arthur is now in. Policeman Darin Rulapaugh of Oelwein has also announced.

Madison County Supervisor Joan Acela filed in House 73, where Jodi Tymeson is stepping down. Acela will face Roger Billings, and possibly farmer/attorney Julian Garrett, in the Republican primary.

Two-term Rep. Eric Palmer (D-Oskaloosa) wants to make it three in House District 75. Two Republicans have already filed: Grinnell city council member Larry Wilson and retired Marine Gen. Guy Vander Linden.

Insurance agent Paul Kern (R-Dubuque) will challenge Speaker Pat Murphy in House District 28. Murphy won with 69% in 2008.

Des Moines Democrat Ako Abdul-Samad won a four-way House 66 primary in 2008 with a clear majority and brushed aside a Green opponent in November. He has a primary again, from social conservative Clair Rudison.

Other incumbents filing were Richard Anderson (R-Clarinda), who ran unopposed in 2008 in House District 97, and Clel Baudler (R-Greenfield), who won with 58 in 58 last cycle.

Wednesday 3/10 Iowa Candidate Filing

Latham leads Wednesday Filing

Tom Latham leads the list Wednesday and the 4th Congressional District Republican files for a ninth term. Just a reminder for anyone looking ahead to redistricting: Latham's listed with an Ames address.

Also high on the ballot is Republican James Heavens, challenging longtime state treasurer Mike Fitzgerald (who was completely unopposed in 2006).

No one filed for any of the Greater Johnson County area legislative seats Wednesday, so around the state:

Both candidates filed in the sure to be hot Senate District 9. Sen. Bill Heckroth (D-Shell Rock) won a hard-fought open seat race in 2006 by 356 votes for a Dem gain. He's facing another comeback kid: former House member Bill Dix (R-Waverly), who gave up his seat that same year in an unsuccessful primary bid in the 1st Congressional District.

Also hot: Senate District 5, where Republican Rob Bacon, a funeral director and former city official, filed late Tuesday to challenge first term Sen. Rich Olive.

Tangent: This was a wild one in 2006. After incumbent Stu Iverson was overthrown as Senate GOP leader by the late Mary Lundby, he quit his re-election race. A hard-fought convention chose one of the Senate district's House members, James Kurtenbach, over the other, George Eichhorn. Olive then beat Kurtenbach by all of 62 votes, while Eichhorn lost to young Democratic vet McKinley Bailey.

Both candidates also filed in Ft. Dodge-centered Senate District 25. Republican Chris McGonegle is challenging two-term incumbent Daryl Beall, who won more than two to one in 2006.

Democrat Richard Clewell of Davenport filed in wild and wacky Senate District 41 in Davenport and Bettendorf. He's expected to face David Thede in a primary. That winner takes on the winner of the hard-fought district's latest GOP primary (between hard-right incumbent Dave Hartsuch and challenger Roby Smith).

2008 4th Congressional District candidate Kurt Meyer (who finished second in the Democratic primary) is on the ballot in open House District 14, where incumbent Mark Kuhn is leaving. Republicans Josh Byrnes and Craig Clark filed earlier.

A couple Republican primaries emerge. In House District 48, as attorney Chip Baltimore (a lawyer named Chip?) files. He'll face pilot Bill Yewell in June; winner sees incumbent Donovan Olson (D-Boone, unopposed 2008) in the fall.

And in the southern tier's House District 94, James Johnson of Bloomfield joins Larry Sheets on the GOP ballot. The winner draws Rep. Kurt Swaim (D-Bloomfield).

There may also be a GOP primary for the right to take on Rep. Andrew Wenthe in House District 18. Sandy Salmon filed Wednesday, and policeman Darin Rulapaugh of Oelwein has also announced.

A couple of expected filings that I noted yesterday: Republican Jane Jech (43% in 2008) is again challenging Rep. Mark Smith (D-Marshalltown) who filed yesterday in House District 43. And Clinton Democratic attorney Mary Wolfe, the endorsed successor of retiring Rep. Polly Bukta, filed in House District 26.

Republican Joel Pawletzki filed in open House District 51, where of course Carroll Republican Rod Roberts is running for governor. Pawletzki says he's staying in the race even if Roberts gets out of the governor's race, which doesn't look likely.

The same day conservaDem Dolores Mertz announced her departure, Tom Shaw officially joined the GOP fray in House District 8 and will battle 2008 nominee Stephen Richards, who fell 43 votes short. Shaw, a former Pocahontas County Republican chair, originally announced as an independent, and is the tea party favorite. Bleeding Heartland has a good look at this race.

Osceola Republican Joel Fry is challenging incumbent Mike Reasoner (D-Creston) who won comfortably in 2008.

In Dallas County's House District 47, Democratic minister Roger Huston is challenging Rep. Ralph Watts (R-Adel), a 60% winner in 2008.

Democrat Andrew McDowell of West Des Moines filed to challenge Rep. Chris Hagenow (R-Windsor Heights) in House District 59, which saw a close open-seat race in 2008.

Urbandale Democrat John Sachs is challenging GOP incumbent Scott Raecker (a 61% winner in 2008).

Some incumbents to note, including a few from late yesterday:

Bob Kressig (D-Cedar Falls) in House District 19

Charles Isenhart (D-Dubuque) in House District 27

Tyler Olson (D-Cedar Rapids), House 38

Lance Horbach (R-Tama) in House District 40

Paul Bell (D-Newton) in House 41, and

Cindy Winckler (D-Davenport) in District 86.

Tuesday Week 2 Iowa Candidates

Lensing, Willems File Tuesday

Two greater Johnson County area legislators filed for re-election Tuesday.

Freshman Nate Willems (D-Lisbon) was a solid winner in 2008 when Ro Foege stepped down in House District 29 (half Linn, half Johnson). Republican Shawn Graham of Springville has announced but not yet filed.

My rep, Vicki Lensing (D-Iowa City, basically the east side) is seeking a sixth term in House District 78. Lensing last had an opponent of any sort in the 2000 general election.

Elsewhere around the state:

Last September, Fairfield was the center of Iowa's political universe with the House District 90 special. Democrat Curt Hanson won, but with less than 50 percent. He's now filed for his first full term; between this race and Senate 45 (Becky Schmitz vs. probably Sandy Greiner), Jefferson County will once again be hot this fall.

Staci Appel (D-Ackworth) makes the re-election bid official in Senate District 37. She's high on the GOP target list as first term GOP Rep. Kent Sorenson is challenging.

One of 2008's narrowest winners, Chris Hagenow (R-Windsor Heights) filed Tuesday. Hagenow beat top-priority Dem Jerry Sullivan by 93 votes in an open seat race.

Democratic freshman Phyllis Thede, after narrowly losing a 2006 Senate race to Dave Hartsuch, came back to knock off incumbent Jamie (the younger) Van Fossen with 56% in `08; she's filed for term two in House District 81. Her husband David Thede has announced a run against Hartsuch this time; maybe they can print last-name-only yard signs and split the bill. Someone check with Charlie Smithson at IECDB for the ruling on that one.

Clinton businessman and former school board member David Rose filed as a Republican in House District 26, where Democrat Polly Bukta is retiring. He's expected to face attorney Mary Wolfe, who's running with Bukta's support.

Republican Tom Sands had a closer than usual race in 2008 as Frank Best held him to 53% in Louisa-centered House District 87. Sands filed again and has apparently moved from Columbus Junction to Wapello. He's held the seat since redistricting in 2002.

Rep. Mark Smith (D-Marshalltown) filed again in House District 43. Republican Jane Jech (43% in 2008) is again challenging but not yet filed.

Nancy Boettger (R-Harlan) is running again in sprawling five-plus county Senate District 29; she was unopposed in 2006 and an easy winner in 2002. One thing to remember about senators, just as an aside: redistricting means that the senators elected to "four" year terms this year could be on the ballot again in 2012, depending on how the deck gets shuffled.

House incumbents filing include, as I resort to a bulleted list:

Chuck Soderberg (R-LeMars, a three to one 2008 winner) in very very red House District 3;

Tom Schueller (D-Maquoketa, unopposed in 2008 and an easy winner in 2006) in House 25;

Erik Helland (R-Grimes, 61% in an 2008 open seat race) in House 69;

Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D-Ames; 58% 2008) in House 45;

Jack Drake (R-Griswold, 59% last cycle) in District 57 and

Matt Windschitl (R-Missouri Valley), who hasn't seen a tough race since knocking off incumbent Paul Wilderdyke in the 2006 House 56 primary.

Other notes: Charlotte Eby tweets and the Reg elaborates that conservaDem Dolores Mertz is retiring. A GOP primary had already emerged: former Pocahontas County Republican chair and tea party favorite Tom Shaw (who originally announced as an independent) vs. 2008 nominee Stephen Richards, who lost to Mertz by just 43 votes. The primary winner probably takes it, so the Dems lose a vote for control... and not much else.

And of course everyone in the state is all over the shuffling in Sioux City, as the entire legislative delegation simultaneously decides not to run again.

A correction from yesterday: At some point, somehow, with no good reason, I got it in my brain that Kevin McCarthy wasn't running again, and unfortunately that idea left my brain via my keyboard. My bad. Kevin did draw an opponent yesterday, but considering his 64% win over a former legislator last time, it's a pretty safe bet he'll still be around next January.

Meanwhile, if these daily updates run a bit later in the evening, or even show up in the morning, just picture me quadruple-checking stuff.

Monday Iowa candidate filing

Northey Leads Monday's Filing

The most recognizable names to file today are a pair of Republicans: Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and House Minority leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) in House District 35. Northey listed an Urbandale address on the papers; when first elected in 2006 he listed Spirit Lake as home. How can you keep `em down on the farm after they've seen Des Moines?

My local readers will also note that Rep. Mary Mascher (D-Iowa City) filed in House District 77 (downtown and west side).

I was off the grid Friday afternoon, but I didn't miss much. Plenty of other people noticed that despite my best efforts, Leonard Boswell filed for another term. State treasurer Mike Fitzgerald also filed. The first two Fridays of filing season are quiet, as the legislators leave town late Thursday. Deadline Friday (March 19 this year), in contrast, is always always always the single busiest day. (I remember my legislative politics professor back in my undergrad days saying legislators and college students had a lot in common: they do the assignment at the last minute. He must have seen a couple of our end of session all-nighters.)

That said, on with the updates.

Keosauqua businessman Randy Besick is the first to file in Senate District 45's expected Republican primary, but that seems like a mere footnote as former legislator Sandy Greiner announces. Bleeding Heartland has a must-read overview of the race. KCII Radio in Washington notes that two others are announced: Rick Marlar of Wayland and perennial candidate Dan Cesar.

The primary winner takes on first term Sen. Becky Schmitz (D-Fairfield), who also filed Monday. Schmitz knocked off Republican Dave Miller in 2006 in a district that runs from the Iowa City limits to the Missouri border. Schmitz's 184 vote margin puts her high on the target list.

Greiner's not alone on the comeback trail. Remember back in 2006 how much all the Iowa lefty bloggers thought congressional candidate Selden Spencer had a real shot in the 4th CD against Tom Latham? (While everyone except me ignored Dave Loebsack?) And how Spencer started, then abandoned, a 2008 run? Well now the doctor (D-Huxley) has his sights set on the legislature instead, filing today in House District 10, now held by Dave Deyoe.

He hasn't filed yet, but former Senate leader and RPI chair Stu Iverson is getting ready to challenge two term District 9 Rep. McKinley Bailey (D-Webster City) one of the "six pack" of more conservative Dems who blocked labor's bills last year. Bailey filed Monday.

Over at Iowa Republican, Krusty Konservative calls Stu an "idiot" today:

"Is there really nobody else that we could run in that seat? Is Stu the best we can do?

I’ll predict McKinley Bailey will win re-election this November. I think that the six-pack of pro-business Democrats are probably the toughest to run against for any Republican, let a lone a guy who was kicked to the curb in the State Senate.

Iverson is going to look like an idiot when he loses to Bailey in November."

That hasn't stopped George Eichhorn, who Bailey knocked off in 2006, from running for US Senate in 2008 and Secretary of State this cycle... [/tangent]

Two other six-packers drew Republican opponents (none of those primary challengers we heard about yet...) Brian Quirk (D-New Hampton) will face Spillville mayor Michael Klimesh, who filed as a Republican in House District 15, mostly in Howard and Chickasaw counties.

And up in House District 8 (Pocahontas, Humboldt, part of Kossuth), Republican Stephen Richards will try again. Richards lost to the most conservative Dem in the House, Dolores Mertz, by only 43 votes in 2008.

Here's another familiar name: Democrat Kurt Hubler, who lost by less than 400 votes to turncoat ex-Dem Doug Struyk (R-Council Bluffs) in 2008, will try again in House 99. Kurt's dad Rob Hubler, who lost the 5th Congressional race to Steve King last cycle, just signed on with Francis Thicke's Secretary of Agriculture campaign.

We'll see a GOP primary in House District 75 for the right to challenge two-term Democrat Eric Palmer. Grinnell city council member Larry Wilson filed last week. Today retired Marine Gen. Guy Vander Linden of Oskaloosa joined the race. Vander Linden's duties included piloting presidential helicopter Marine One in the Reagan and Bush 41 era.

Another Republican pilot on the ballot is Bill Yewell of Ogden, who was Friday's lone down-ballot candidate to file. He's challenging Rep. Donovan Olson (D-Boone, here's the obligatory Minutemen reference).

Ed O'Neill, chosen successor to retiring Clinton Democrat Roger Stewart, makes it official and turns in the papers in Senate District 13.

Republican Larry Sheets will challenge Democrat Kurt Swaim (D-Bloomfield) in House District 94 (David, Appanoose and Wayne Counties). Sheets is on the Moulton-Udell school board.

Pella adoption activist Marc Held will try again in House District 71. He primaried Republican incumbent Jim Van Engelenhoven in 2008 but polled only 28 percent.

Republican Jeremy Walters filed in Des Moines' House District 67. Democratic Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy won big over former one-term legislator Larry Disney two years ago. (Note: At some point somehow I got it in my brain that Kevin wasn't running again, and unfortunately that idea got posted. My bad...)

House 82 incumbent Linda Miller (R-Bettendorf) also filed Monday. Miller beat incumbent Joe Hutter twice in 2006: once in the primary and again in the general when Hutter ran as an independent. After that drama, Miller was unopposed in both June and November 2008.

Three other incumbents who won easily in 2008 filed again: David Tjepkes (R-Gowrie) in House District 50, Rick Olson (D-Des Moines) in House 68 and Mike Reasoner (D-Creston) in House 95.

Today was also day one of the filing window for county offices; that deadline is March 31. No action here in Johnson County.

Late Linux Monday

Late Linux Monday

Your open source clips for the week focus on Linux in government:

Vermont is looking to expand its use of open source software:

Tucker said his department will put the policy into practice when it comes time to update the state's e-mail system, which is currently running on Microsoft Exchange 2007. The state will consider proprietary software, cloud e-mail and open source solutions...

"Quite frankly, we sometimes get criticized for the money we spend on proprietary software and there are certainly people in the IT community who work for the state of Vermont who have a viewpoint that there should be more use of open source."

And while I hate to open the voting equipment can of worms (I've always felt registration law and voter file management are a bigger issue, though I've mellowed some since Iowa passed election day registration), I will note that Victoria state, Australia is moving to a Linux-based system.

Linux really IS communism: North Korea has its own distribution. "The install disc even gives a quote from Kim Jong-il about how important for DPRK is to have its own Linux-based operating system compatible with Korean traditions." Linux is all about free choices, so this isn't really in the spirit, though it is technically Linux in government. Best comnments: 1) "Computers to run it on would be nice. 2) "Food would be better."

Finally, deviating from the theme of the week, here's a good beginner's guide to the three main families of Linux distributions.

Special Reshapes Primary

Johnson County Special Reshapes June Primary

Johnson County Democratic primaries are essentially local elections. The classic case in point was 1998, when 1000 more votes were case for county recorder than for governor.

But our local battles ripple through state Democratic nomination politics. We've had years where Johnson County has had the highest Democratic primary turnout in the state. Not just percentage--I mean more Democratic primary voters by raw number than much larger Polk County.

2006 was a record-setter in Johnson County. For most Iowa Democrats it was about Blouin vs. Culver vs. Fallon, but Johnson County was all about an open-seat county attorney's race and the hard fought supervisor race where Larry Meyers knocked off incumbent Mike Lehman.

Meyers' death last September started the chain of events that led to Janelle Rettig's January special election win. Rettig's earlier than expected incumbency reshapes the June Johnson County primary and sends a ripple through the whole state.

A year ago, the Johnson County supervisor primary looked like a wide-open contest for two open seats. Meyers was telling supporters he planned to seek a second term, his health problems left the question open. Meanwhile, retirement rumors were buzzing around four term incumbent Sally Stutsman. Rettig's campaign was up and flying even before Meyers' death.

But now, Rettig is an incumbent coming off three wins: the appointment, the Democratic convention, and the special election itself. And Stutsman has decided to seek re-election.

There still may be a primary challenge, of course; there's plenty of precedent for that in Johnson County. Historically, our supervisor fights have been duked out in Democratic primaries, not in general elections. But this time it seems like the local conservatives have decided to run under the GOP label, with self-funder Lori Cardella (again) and self-starter Chad Murphy.

Meanwhile, a few conservaDems who sat on the fence in the special, waiting to see the margin, have to contend with the reality that Rettig pulled Obama-like percentages in the Democratic strongholds. They probably didn't want see Cardella actually in government, but quite a few would have liked a weak Rettig win to set her up for primary vulnerability.

It's not a done deal; the special election returns showed a huuuge urban vs. rural gap, at least on county issues. (Those percentages roughly corresponded to the split on the 2008 conservation bond, and that didn't seem to ripple into Obama, Harkin, or Loebsack's numbers.)

But the dynamic has shifted from two open seats to two incumbents seeking re-nomination, either as favorites or without opposition. When you've been the nominee once, it's that much easier to get primary voters to choose you again.

This ripples through the state, and likewise the state dynamic ripples through the county.

Iowa is what I call closed primary lite: you have to be registered with a party to vote in a primary, but you can change party at the polls. But the one way in which the primary is truly closed is that you only get one party's ballot. Sometimes that means voters have to make a strategic choice. What's more important: a "tantamount to election" Democratic county race, or the white-hot Republican governor primary? The gubernatorial primary is a big draw, which disadvantages a conservaDem primary candidate who might draw "Democrat for a day" crossover votes from Republicans.

So anyone looking at the local race needs to factor that in. Let's say no one does. A Johnson County primary with no contested courthouse races lowers turnout and shifts some people into the Republican governor's race and out of the Democratic U.S. Senate race.

Terry Branstad never did well in Johnson County primaries, but it's, um, been a while. He only took 38% in his 1978 (!) lieutenant governor primary, and lost to Fred Grandy in the epic Gopher Primary of 1994. As for BVP, he was third in 2002, and his 28% was a touch below his statewide percentage.

Over on the Democratic side, Tom Fiegen represented a tiny sliver of the county for a couple years, but faced some bumps in the road back then from party activists over choice issues. Choice was an epic issue in the 1990 Democratic governor primary, but times have changed enough that anyone for whom right to life (sic) and the other cluseter of social issues are the top priority will to be over in that Republican governor primary.

The Senate primary is still taking shape, so it's hard to say who's helped or hurt by lower Democratic Johnson County turnout. Roxanne Conlin took 65% here in her three-way 1982 primary, back when the Human League ruled the planet. An exodus of conservaDems to the GOP primary may help her percentage, but reduces the overall numbers.

Anyway, as a general All Politics Is Local principle, the three contenders would be well advised to watch local races at filing time and ration the April and May campaign stops accordingly. The lack of a hot, turnout-boosting local race may mean we see less of the Senate contenders.

As for the big picture in the Senate race, Chuck Grassley looks less vulnerable than he did a few months ago, but there's still a lot of time for the national climate to turn around. Not to mention, 52 years of incumbency is a lot of baggage to carry this particular year. What did Greg Ganske ever do with that `58 Studebaker?

March Johnson County Democrats

March Johnson County Democrats

No liveblog from Democratic Central Committee as the Coralville Library's wifi didn't connect. Highlights:

Couple dozen folks on hand, Only electeds: supervisors Rod Sullivan and Janelle Rettig.

County convention prep for March 13.

I announce a county filing deadline day fundraiser at the Mill. March 31, 4:30 to 6:30.

We're also planning a pre-primary event for the evening of June 5.

Dan Tallon talks about Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Rod Sullivan and Chris Forbes give spirited pep talks.

A hat (not the beret) gets passed.

Rathje, Batcher lead Thursday Filing

Rathje first to file in 2nd CD

Steve Rathje is the first of four likely candidates to file for the June 8 2nd Congressional District primary, topping Thursday's filing list.

Rathje, a Cedar Rapids businessman, came in third in the 2008 U.S. Senate primary. That primary's winner, Christopher Reed, is also running in the 2nd District, along with 2008 congressional nominee Mariannette Miller-Meeks and first-time candidate Rob Gettemy. Winner takes on Dave Loebsack.

In the 3rd District, Scott Batcher is the first to file in a crowded GOP primary for the right to oppose Leonard Boswell.

First term Rep. Kent Sorensen (R-Indianola) makes his challenge to Sen. Stacy Appel official. The no-holds-barred conservative won some attention last year complaining that Chuck Grassley wasn't conservative enough. Sorensen is also likely to tie Sen. Appel to her husband, Supreme Court justice Brent Appel, and the marriage equality issue.

Grinnell city council member Larry Wilson filed as a Republican in House District 75. This has been a hot seat the last couple cycles. Democrat Eric Palmer knocked off Danny Carroll in 2006 and held off the comeback effort in 2008.

Looks like another hot primary in Scott County's 41st Senate District. Conservative Dave Hartsuch knocked off longtime moderate incumbent Maggie Tinsman in the 2006 primary, then ran for Congress in 2008, losing to Rep. Bruce Braley by a wide margin. Thursday, Roby Smith (who lost a state House race in the 2006 general) filed to primary Hartsuch. The Quad City Times has a nice background article on the wild and wooly 41st.

Also in Scott County, we'll see a second try by Republican Ross Paustian, who, in a top-tier race, tried and failed to knock off Elesha Gayman in House District 84 last time.

One I missed yesterday: Democrat Ron Fedler of West Point filed for a second run in Henry County dominated House District 91. This was supposed to be a sleeper race in 2008, but Fedler ran 2000 votes behind Republican Dave Heaton.

Jane Holody, an ag extension staffer and Tea Partier, is on the GOP ballot in Ottumwa's House District 93. Democrat Mary Gaskill (already filed) won with 75 percent against an independent candidate in 2008; before that her last opponent was in a close 2002 primary when the seat was open.

Incumbent Democrat Helen Miller (D-Ft. Dodge) filed in House District 49; she won with just under 60% in 2008. First-term Republican Peter Cownie of West Des Moines also filed in District 60.

Roxanne Conlin Iowa City Liveblog

Roxanne Conlin Iowa City Liveblog

Hola from Bob's Your Uncle on North Dodge Street in Iowa City, where Senate candidate Roxanne Conlin will be meeting and greeting and speaking soon.

5:14 and the candidate has just arrived. Some other honorables on hand: Senator Bob DVorsky, Regenia Bailey (the only city council member I'm not PO'd at) and Supervisor Sally Stutsman. The UDems are first in line for proprieter Randy Larson's finest pizza.


Conlin with Caitlin Ross of the UDems.

5:27 and Conlin is working the room; I've been worked and the medium of liveblogging is praised. She's been working the netroots herself, citing Daily Kos and Crooks and Liars. I get a laugh when I note that the laptop is Microsoft-free, but that ends our chat.

Conlin specifically seeks out the UDems and chats with them about best possible scheduling for an event before finals.

Other assorted knots of conversation are looking at legislative races (this event, and Johnson County Central Committee to follow, will delay my daily update).

Sue Dvorsky chats with a couple folks about the Iowa-Mississippi club; we drop some names of some of Iowa's almost coulda shoulda women winners. Sue was one of the earliest Obama backers and notes that he wasn't supposed to be able to win Iowa either.

5;45 and we're rolling. Sue handles the intros with her usual and looks forward to "the most exciting campaign in the last... two years."

Conlin's on and referencing herself as a "progressive, Democratic, feminist candidate."

"I want to go to Washington DC and represent the interest of the people of Iowa." Biographical stories about her impoverished youth. "There are people today in Iowa with no money and no insurance. That is immoral, it is not right to deny people health care because they don't have money."

"I will not be cold or hungry again, but as long as there are cold and hungry people in the US then I have a responsibility to speak up and do something about it. I have spent my life as an attorney speaking up for people who don't have a voice."

Microsoft suit "60 million dollars goes to K-12 to close the digital divide." ("Every now and then I hear that MS GAVE $60 million. Not really."

References the 1982 loss as "I was first runner up."

"Before I though about running, I tried to stop foreclosures in Iowa." Calls banks "tone deaf and arrogant" for the bonuses. "I got your money back from Microsoft, I'll get your money back from Wall Street."

Moves on to Grassley with a mock-gentle retirement nudge: "thank him for his 50 years of service and let him rest." Notes Chuck's approval under 50% for first time. "He's got corporations, but I've got all of you."

"Iowans need and deserve a US Senator who will put Main Street in front of Wall Street." (Tom Fiegen's populist rhetoric has been assimilated?) "If you help me, when I'm elected you will be proud."

That wraps the remarks, on to ???s at 6 straight up. Jobs are question one; she talks small investments and infrastructure. "Weatherization cannot be outsourced."

The 99 county tour has drawn "good and enthusiastic crowds, I have absolutely loved it." 2/3 done. "It has made me a better candidate and person."

Holly Hart asks nuke power: "I'm not too crazy about that" says Conlin to applause. Talks green energy: "we in Iowa are in such a great place for that."


Regenia Bailey, Roxanne Conlin, Sue Dvorsky

"Speaking of creation of energy," says Sue Dvorsky, who makes the volunteer pitch. Audience member references the date and says we will "March forth." Which reminds me of Jedi Day: May the 4th be with you.

Our crowd count is "in excess of 50" says Regenia Bailey. The little basket is full of envelopes, but this is only incidentally a fundraiser.

"Who are some of these new people?" wonders ex-chair Brian Flaherty, who goes to meet them. (Current Chair Dennis Roseman is also in the house.) 6:22 and Roxanne is still in the rolling conversation. Looks like she's getting ready to wrap, though; she says goodbye to her oldest grandson who's a UI senior. So I'll call it a wrap; tune in later tonight for central committee.

(And I didn't get any pizza till I got home.)

21 Bars Could Affect Whole State

Iowa City 21 Bar Vote Could Impact Whole State

Iowa City's latest effort to toss 19 to 21 year old adults out of the city's bars could have a statewide ripple effect in the November election, if the tentative timeline outlined in today's Press-Citizen article plays out:

"We'll probably have a line of people out the door talking to us," (Mayor Matt) Hayek said, stressing the entire process of adopting the ordinance will take place before the academic semester ends in mid-May.

That would start a 60 day clock ticking for anyone who wants to petition for an election to overturn the vote. So the bad news is 1) it makes it a fait accompli before the fall semester and 2) the petition window lands over the summer.

The good news is the number of signatures is at its minimum, 2,500, because turnout was so low in 2007 I mean 2009. (When the 21 Bar Yes people petitioned in 2007, the bar was higher, because it was based on 25% of the then-record 2005 turnout.)

If opponents collect the 2,500 necessary signatures, the city is left with three options -- reverse the council's decision, set the issue for a special election or put the issue on the next regular election.

Hayek said the third option is most likely for a number of reasons, including the cost of having a special election.

There's history for that; in 2000 they put the second "Yes Means No" First Avenue vote on the presidential ballot. (Since the vote was to remove a section of the city plan that the Council had approved, you had to counter-intuitively vote Yes to not build the road and No to build the road. I voted Yes to not build the road, but I drive on it anyway.)

At least they're not talking about cramming it through in August. So that would mean 21 bars going to a vote in this year's November 2 general election.

In 20 years as an Iowa Citian, I've only seen two things significantly boost student turnout: president on the ballot (general or caucus) and the 21 bar issue. Thousand of students showed up in the 2007 city election to vote it down (joined by some old folks like me). This effort would throw a turnout booster onto the November ballot. It'll also, less dramatically but still significantly, boost non-student turnout.

Who would that benefit? Well, in the 2006 gubernatorial general election, Chet Culver won 68 percent in Johnson County, and Dave Loebsack pulled 60 percent in his big upset win.

However, the 21 bar issue cuts across traditional party lines. Public health do-gooders and social conservatives want to crack down on underage drinking; conservative libertarians and lefty civil liberties types like me want to stand up for the rights of young adults. This would reshuffle the deck in a very unpredictable way.

Wednesday filing

4th CD Dem Maske tops Day 3 filing

The first federal candidate qualified for the June 8 primary ballot today, as 4th District Democrat Bill Maske turned in his nomination paperwork. Maske is expected to face GOP incumbent Tom Latham in November.

Other than Maske, all of the Day 3 action was in the Iowa House.

It's a rematch in Buchanan County's House 23. Democrat Gene Ficken knocked off GOP incumbent Dan Rasmussen by 759 votes in a high-profile 2008 race. Now Rasmussen's on the comeback trail.

Two Republicans filed in House District 6 (Spencer and greater metropolitan Okoboji), where GOP incumbent Mike May is stepping down. Okoboji banker Jeff Smith and Spirit Lake student Zach Whiting are the two names in the ring. Democrat Greg Stevens barely held onto this seat in 2002, winning by 64 votes and with less than 50% in a three way race. May finished him off in 2004 and was unopposed after that.

Rudd mayor Craig Clark, a Republican, filed in Mitchell-Floyd based House District 14, where Democrat Mark Kuhn is stepping down to run for his old job on the Floyd County Board of Supervisors.

Sioux City is open seat central with Democrats Wes Whitead and Roger Wendt stepping down, and GOP ex-speaker Chris Rants leaving for his now-over race for Governor. Former school board member Ron Jorgensen filed today in Rants' old House 54 seat.

Investor Mark Lofgren is the latest Republican challenger in Muscatine's House District 80, held by three-term Democrat Nathan Reichert. It was a big deal in 2004 when Reichert upset my old opponent Barry Brauns (who was attempting both a comeback and a district change). Reichert was a target in 2006 and 2008 but seems to be settling into a blue-trending district.

In House 11 (Worth Winnebago and part of Hancock), Democrat Anne Marie Fairchild is challenging incumbent Henry Rayhons again; she polled 43% two years ago.

Incumbents filing Wednesday were Sharon Steckman (D-Mason City) in House 13, Kevin Koester (R-Ankeny) in District 70, and Rich Arnold (R-Russell) in House 72.

Iowa's Ten Worst Campaigns

In the wake of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s landslide loss to incumbent Rick “the Platypus” Perry in this week’s Texas governor primary, the Houston Chronicle has gotten a lot of blogger attention for its top ten list of Worst. Texas. Campaigns. Ever.

I’m one of those record store list geeks like John Cusack and Jack Black in “High Fidelity,” so I see a top ten list as a challenge. Here’s my Iowa version. We aren’t nearly as colorful as Texas, but we have caucus season to make up for it.

I’ve steered away from sacrificial lambs, with one exception. And despite the horror stories I’ve heard of John Glenn’s 1984 campaign, I’ve limited myself to my own 20 years as an Iowan. And by coincidence, I produce an exactly bipartisan list, which leans a bit to my eastern side of the state. Please, add your own.

10. Eric Tabor (D), 1990, old 2nd Congressional District. This one was in the bag. Two earlier runs has gotten him the name recognition, and with incumbent Tom Tauke challenging Tom Harkin in the Senate race, the seat was open.

Then a staffer got caught ordering absentee ballots for his out of district parents, and the story broke the Sunday before the election. Just enough time for the charge, not enough time for the rebuttal. Thanks, staffer, for 16 years of Jim Nussle.

9. Peter Teahen (R), 2008, 2nd Congressional District. The early favorite of the DC crowd fizzled with the party base, as he narrowly lost the primary to Mariannette Miller-Meeks. Questions about the veracity of his disaster relief tales dogged the race. But the killer, for Republican activists, was a 2002 donation to…

8. Julie Thomas (D), 2002, 2nd Congressional District. Speaking of the DC crowd, Democratic beltway folks thought they needed nothing but the newly redistricted turf’s party ID and a self-funding candidate to beat Jim Leach. The national folks simply didn’t understand Leach’s still-viable above the partisan fray appeal. They just focused on getting out the Democratic vote; post-election polling showed Leach winning a quarter of that. Thomas fumbled the Iraq war vote, spending a day hedging while Leach was one of the only Republicans who voted no (even as Democrat Leonard Boswell voted yes).

So much for DC consultants; Leach eventually fell to a college professor with no money, no national help, and a beard.

7. Neal Smith (D), 1994, old 4th Congressional District. Smith had waited literally decades for his chance to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, until the guy ahead of him in seniority died in 1994. He had the job for a few weeks. Then, after the Iowa re-election filing deadline, Smith was voted out by the House Democrats in favor of Wisconsin’s David Obey.

Legislators who lose leadership fights often retire soon after. My guess is Smith would have done so in 1996, and his heart wasn’t in the re-election race anymore. Leach fell in 2006 in part because he refused to change his campaign approach, but Smith simply couldn’t change. He had never modernized his campaign skills. He never saw Greg Ganske coming in that 1958 Studebaker, representing the year Smith was first elected, and he got run over.

Speaking of:

6. Greg Ganske (R), 2002, U.S. Senate. Another DC-anointed one, Ganske almost blew his primary to upstart right-winger Bill Salier, and after that fiasco was dropped from the national Republican target lists while never unifying the party. Harkin’s easiest win until…

5. Christopher Reed (R), 2008, U.S. Senate. This one’s my comic relief. Where do I start? No campaign resource is more valuable than the candidate’s time, and he drives to Kansas City to personally pick up the yard signs? And brags about the money he saved going out of state? Then he spends the few bucks he saved on haircuts and clothes? Reed’s crowning achievement was calling Harkin “the Tokyo Rose of al-Qaida” in their one debate.

By late October Reed was reduced to complaining on talk radio that the state party had abandoned him, and at least one GOP county chair was urging write-in votes. Perennially vulnerable Harkin got his first walkover.

4. John Kerry (D), 2004 general election. All presidential years have some element of the folks from Boston or Little Rock or Chicago coming into Iowa and taking over the campaign. Chicago did it great, but Boston `04 did it lousy. Thousands of absentee ballots challenged for bad addresses–because they door-knocked the student apartments in June. Kerry was the only Democrat to lose Iowa in a presidential year since Walter Mondale, and Iowa was one of only two states to flip from blue to red in 2004.

3. Bonnie Campbell (D), governor, 1994. 19 points ahead after the primary. But instead of playing to her considerable strengths, she tried to compete on Terry Branstad’s turf. Campbell deliberately alienated the party activists by renouncing the platform (instead of just ignoring it like most candidates).

The summer headlines were dominated by an ugly child rape-murder, and Campbell’s message was, almost verbatim: “I’m tougher on crime than Branstad, that’s why I’m against the death penalty.” Why go there? All she needed to do was say “12 years is enough Terry Branstad” (take notes, Chet).

Campbell’s money went to bad ads like that, instead of to the field work that wins elections for Iowa Democrats. Maybe nothing could have won it for her in the best Republican year in decades… but it shouldn’t have been a landslide like it was.

2. Hillary Clinton (D), 2008 caucuses. Some of this was bigger than Iowa, and I’m still convinced she’d be president today if she’d voted no on the Iraq War.

But some of it was a bad Iowa campaign. We now know, on the record, that Clinton hated the Iowa caucuses, and it showed. The day before the erstwhile front-runner finished third, I elaborated:

Clinton ran a cautious general election campaign in the ultimate retail environment. But like a singer with perfect pitch who misses the meaning of the song, Clinton kept errors to a minimum but failed to capture the spontaneous spirit of the caucuses. She started out doing one on one meetings with undecided local activists, but as her national lead held, Clinton moved toward a “general election strategy,” as she said at a debate. By the time Obama was catching up in the fall, it was too late to go back and adapt.

Best single moment: Chelsea no-commenting the nine year old child reporter.
Bad as that was, my first thought reading the Chronicle piece and applying my Iowa lens was:

Three words: “Totally nude dancing?!?”

1. Jim Ross Lightfoot (R), governor, 1998. That bizarre last-minute “Totally nude dancing?!?” ad, targeting a minor procedural vote in the Legislature, was the last gasp of a campaign that had blown a double-digit lead to a guy whose name sounded like a pickle. Over-the top rhetoric, micromanagement, and a persona that wore thin (gruff and folksy degenerated to grouchy and mean). But “Totally nude dancing?!?” clinches Number One for ole Jim Ross.

Tuesday's filing

Tuesday's filing includes locals Jacoby, Marek

Two greater Johnson County area legislators joined the Day Two group of candidates turning their papers in to the Secretary of State.

Six-packer Larry Marek filed in Washington County based House 89. Marek won by 157 votes to gain Sandy Greiner's open seat for the Dems, but has ruffled labor feathers by opposing some of their top priority bills.

Rep. Dave Jacoby (D-Coralville) filed in House 30. Dave hasn't has a serious challenge since his three-to-one special election win in the summer of `03.

No statewide or congressional candidates threw their names in the hat on Tuesday. The only state Senate candidate to file was Landslide Rich Olive (D-Story City), one of 2006's big surprises, in Senate 5.

All other action was on the House side. Republican Roger Billings filed in House 73, and is up on the web. What's interesting is that this is fellow Republican Jodi Tymeson's seat, adding more fuel to the buzz that Tymeson is in the lieutenant governor mix for Bob Vander Plaats. (Pre-primary LG announcement?) Tymeson won with 61% last time. With neighboring House 74 open and Kent Sorensen's high profile challenge to Sen. Stacy Appel, Warren County and environs will be a hot spot this fall.

In House District 2 in Sioux City, Republican Rick Bertrand is running again. Sadly, the seriously ill incumbent Democrat, Roger Wendt, is not. Bertrand came up 280 votes short in 2008 (that one was also called as a GOP gain for a few hours on Election Night till the absentees got counted.)

Republican insurance agent Michael Breitbach of Strawberry Point filed against incumbent Dem Roger Thomas in House 24. Thomas was unopposed two years ago.

Finally, Ottumwa Democrat Mary Gaskill (House 93) filed for re-election.

School District Lines

Wrong Answer, Good Question

I saw my father in law, former Clear Creek Amana superintendent Bob Steele, last weekend, and he was... bemused by ICCSD school board member Tuyet Dorau's proposal suggestion whatever it was that ICCSD take over the bulk of the CCA district.

The way Dorau said it showed a basic misunderstanding of local politics: the tax implications, the reasons people build and buy houses in specific locations, the small town emotions about schools.

That said: isn't it silly that our school district lines are all based on where people wanted to send the kids to school 50 years ago, when schools shifted from townships to school districts? There are rural roads where district lines zig-zag literally every other house. Isn't it dumb that cities like Coralville and North Liberty are split?

It's a hard problem to solve; Bob was one of the architects of the Clear Creek and Amana merger and he has lots of tales from that challenge. But in a ham-handed, inept way, Dorau has stumbled onto a problem.

21 Bars Are Back

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Go Back In The Tavern

I'm only surprised it took the new city council two months: "Less than three years after Iowa City voters, backed by a strong student turnout, soundly defeated turning bars to 21-only, the Iowa City Council will put the controversial topic back on the table before the end of the month..."

Six of seven members solidly in support (including a flip-flop from Connie Champrion) and only two hints of opposition:

"Regenia Bailey said she has concerns that a 21-only law would encourage more house parties in neighborhoods, which is a common argument of those against changing the current law."

That's the soft argument, as opposed to the challenge to the law that I prefer, but in this context it's the best so I'll take it.

More to my point, though it doesn't count:

Jeff Shipley, a non-voting UI student liaison on the council, opposes 21-only bars.

"I think prohibition has a lot of unintended consequences," Shipley said.

And people gave me shit for voting for Jeff. Right now I feel real good about that vote and real bad about those votes for Hayek, Wright, Wilburn and Champion.

Can't wait to see the full minutes to see if ANYone even MENTIONED the unworkability and injustice of the 21 year old drinking age.

I don't see anyone being persuadable here, let alone flipping three votes especially when Champion just flipped the wrong way. Time to get the petitions going to overturn the inevitable passage, and let's start on 2011 candidate recruitment.

Vander Plaats, Miller on Day One

Vander Plaats, Miller top Day One filing

Only two big names in the first day of filing for the June 8 primary. Republican Bob Vander Plaats is the first name on the ballot in the governor's race. Democrat Tom Miller filed for his eighth (non-consecutive) term as attorney general.

Filing first gets you bragging rights only. Some states put you on the ballot in the order you file; in Iowa you rotate. I have trouble believing it makes a difference, but studies say it does.

I'm hoping to update these each evening through the filing period (deadline March 19), though I may skip a day or two. The way this tends to go is: there's a small flurry on day one, a long lull for the next two weeks, and then a big rush on the last couple days. Or you can skip the middleman and go straight to Mike Mauro's site. Any errors made in haste will be corrected just as swiftly.

On the legislative level:

GOP operative Wes Enos files in Senate District 21 (Newton, Altoona) against Dem incumbent Dennis Black. Enos was Iowa political director for Mike Huckabee at caucus time (which went well) and campaign manager for 2008 2nd CD candidate Peter Teahan (not so well). He's on the state central committee and ran for Polk County Supervisior in 2006.

In House District 1 in Sioux City, Republican Jeremy Taylor is making another run. Taylor narrowly lost to incumbent Dem Wes Whitead in 2008 (indeed, for a few hours on election night he looked like a winner until the absentees got counted). Whitead's retiring.

No word from Waterloo Democrat Kerry Burt in House 21, but he draws a Republican opponent in Lyn Tackett. Two other Waterloo Dems filed: Doris Kelley in House 20 and Deborah Berry in 22. (Berry was primaried in 2008 over the coal plant issue but won three to one.)

Ako Abdul-Samad's primary challenger in Des Moines' House District 66, social conservative Clair Rudison, filed on Day One. Ako was in a four-way primary last time but won with a clear majority.

Albia Democrat Deb Ballalatak, who pulled 37% against Paul McKinley for state senate in 2008, will challenge Republican Richard Arnold in House 72 this time.

Campaign For Liberty (i.e. Ron Paul) activist Glen Massie is running for the GOP nod in open House District 74 in Polk County. One-term incumbent Kent Sorensen is challinging Sen. Stacy Appel; Sorensen knocked off Democrat Mark Davitt in 2008.

Speaker Pat Murphy (Dubuque's HD 28) got his homework turned in early. Other Democratic incumbent early birds: Roger Thomas (D-Elkader) in House 24, Ray Zirkelbach (D-Monticello) in House 31, Jim Lykam (D-Davenport) in House 85, Kurt Swaim (D-Bloomfield) House 94, and Freshman Jerry Kearns (D-Keokuk) House 92.

Freshmen Democrats John Beard (D-Decorah) in House 16 and Gene Ficken (D-Independence) both filed; both seats were Dem gains in 2008.

Dwayne “We shouldn’t be as concerned, actually, about [global] warming, especially now that we have modern refrigeration and air conditioning” Alons filed for another term in House District 4. Other Republican incumbents who filed on Monday: Henry Rayhons (R-Garner) in House 11, Scott Raecker (R-Urbandale) in House 60, Steve Olson (R-DeWitt) House 83, and Greg Forristall (R-Macedonia) in House 98.