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In Iowa, Another Democratic Gov In Trouble
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Iowa Gov. Chet Culver (D) is the latest Democratic governor to find himself in trouble in the polls ahead of the 2010 elections. As the Hotline's Steve Shepard reports, the latest Des Moines Register poll shows Culver, first elected as Governor in 2006, trailing his most prominent potential GOP opponent, former Gov. Terry Barnstad, by more than 20 points.
Culver isn't the only sitting Democratic governor in poll trouble. Gov. Ted Strickland (D-OH) is locked in a tight race with Rep. John Kasich (R), the likely GOP gubernatorial nominee in the state. In Massachusetts, incumbent Gov. Deval Patrick (D) is locked in a tight reelection contest many observers say it will be tough for him to win.
The reasons behind Culver's declining numbers are found in other questions from the latest Register poll. Less than 40% of respondents to the poll said they approved of the job Culver is doing as governor, and as Shepard reported, the approval ratings slide includes his base -- just 57% of Democrats said the approved of the job Culver is doing.
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chaircrusher
February 15, 2010 10:30 AM
As an Iowa resident, I think Culver's problems stem not from job performance, but rather from the dismal fiscal climate due to the recession. Of course perception is reality in politics, and a more effective politician would control his own image. The conventional wisdom around Iowa is that he's likable, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Culver grew up in my hometown, and he was a frequent guest at my mother-in-law's house when he was growing up, so I feel some familial loyalty towards the man, but I think he is being unfairly scapegoated for the last few years of hideous economic problems. Like I said, if he can't control perception he has no one esle to blame, but it boggles my mind that a nebbish like Terry Branstad is running so far ahead of him.
It is early days, so maybe Culver will find his mojo.
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IowaKid
February 15, 2010 1:10 PM in reply to chaircrusher
I agree with you and I can't even imagine another term with Brandstadt in there. As someone said to me it's pretty ironic you have a conservative Governor and you going to vote for a liberal Republican. It doesn't make sense.
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Metzengerstein
February 15, 2010 10:33 AM
There have been rumors of the Administration appointing Chubby Chet to some Federal job to get him out of the Governor's race. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on the part of Iowa Democrats. I wish they would, but they would need to do it quickly. I'm not sure who could replace him, but it would be hard to find somebody worse.
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zhoyt
February 15, 2010 10:43 AM
Culver would be no big loss, although another four years of Branstad would be hard to stomach. Not surprised Branstad is running high though - people have short memories and don't remember all the bad things when he was serving, only nostalgia for the "simpler times" of the '80s. Branstad gets the benefit of rose colored glasses on the past while Culver gets the opposite having served during the recent economic downturn.
I don't think this is Iowa trending Red, just people being sick of Culver.
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jcgrim
February 15, 2010 10:44 AM
Why can't the Dems force republicans to own this recession? Unregulated finance nearly destroyed our economy. Free-market religion has been a conservative position since Roosevelt.Yet the Dems sit idly by as Republicans position themselves as our new found economic saviors.
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reach4astar
February 15, 2010 3:14 PM in reply to jcgrim
And don't forget the tax cuts from the Republican years! The Iowa budget would not be in its nearly its current troubles had Republicans shown some fiscal restraint during the boom years and socked more money into the rainy day funds. But no one wants to talk about tax cuts as fiscal irresponsibility, because who doesn't like a tax cut (and who wants to think about consequences), and it's not easy to distill that argument into a snappy sound bite....
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GTFOOH
February 15, 2010 10:55 AM
I knew this guy was in trouble, when my girlfiend said he looks like Corkey, from Life Goes On!
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JEP07
February 15, 2010 11:22 AM
It is so ironic, Culver is actually getting blamed for fiscal problems that really started under Branstad, and blossomed during the Bush years.
But somehow, Branstad is seen as the anti-Culver.
And it is the centrists who are creating this falsehood.
"The middle" is about as fickle as a lone teenage girl in a toen full of boys, or vice versa.
Anyone who wants to see the REAL numbers that matter only need to look up how many small farms went under during Branstad's tenure.
It never ceases to amaze how effectively the most important of truth has been kept from the public by the media that should be exposing these facts.
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ETSpoon
February 15, 2010 3:45 PM in reply to JEP07
Yeah, you're right. Brainsdead "balanced" Iowa's budget by having two sets of books.
I wish we had elected Governor Ed Fallon. But since WHO Radio is an official Republican mouthpiece Ed would be politically dead by now too.
I say centrists, "independents" and tea bagger voters are like a guy who buys a clunker from a sleazy used car salesman (all Republican politicians). He's so pissed he drives right back to down to the used car lot to give that sonuvabitch a piece of his mind. But ten minutes later the guy's driving another clunker off the lot thinking the sleazy used car salesman is now the greatest guy in the world!
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Langston_Hughes
February 15, 2010 12:09 PM
The media are to blame in part, but the timidity of the Democrats and of left-leaning public figures is also a problem. Is Culver making a case for the situation he inherited and how he's addressed it? Are most Democrats? Or are they running scared, as they always do, the minute after they've won the election? The right-wing noise machine never ceases, so the Democrats and those even further left are always at a disadvantage. Perhaps one day they'll wake up and realize this, and be proactive as opposed to reactive.
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