Hatch expects to announce his running mate next week

CEDAR RAPIDS - The conventional wisdom is that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Hatch should pick an Eastern Iowa woman as his running mate.

Hatch, a 22-year Iowa lawmaker from Des Moines who was unopposed in the June 3 primary for the Democratic nomination, doesn't reject that idea. However, he's looking for more than a running mate who simply fits the 'default position.”

He wants a lieutenant governor who ideally could bring people together to 'try to reach a middle ground that moves us forward,” Hatch said.

Hatch, who is challenging five-term Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, would not confirm who's under consideration, but said he hopes to make a decision next week.

'There are names being floated that are real, and these are real substantive individuals. I like where my choices are leading,” Hatch said.

He's looking for someone 'who could actually become governor, someone who does not need to be trained, who has had accomplishments in public life and or business, and who brings a level of depth to a campaign that we would want.”

Among those who fit the bill is State Sen. Liz Mathis, a Cedar Rapids Democrat who is not on the ballot this year.

'I have been approached and encouraged, (but) it is not the right time for me to do that,” Mathis said.

However, Mathis said, the opportunity to be 'the voice of children and child welfare …

was one thing that made me kind of think about it a little bit deeper.”

In the end, however, Mathis said, she likes being a legislator and working as a children's welfare advocate at Four Oaks. Running for lieutenant governor 'would change everything for me personally, and I'm not ready to do that.”

Sue Dvorsky of Coralville, former Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman, also has talked to Hatch about the lieutenant governor position, 'but I know several other people have, too.”

'I can absolutely tell you that I haven't gotten the call,” the retired teacher said, adding she has not talked to Hatch in the past two weeks.

Other Eastern Iowa women whose names have been floated as Hatch running mates are Cedar Rapids City Councilwoman Monica Vernon and Rep. Anesa Kajtazovic of Waterloo - both unsuccessful candidates for the Democratic nomination in Iowa U.S. House 1st District.

Hatch said they ran good campaigns in a 'hard-fought Democratic primary that was done civilly.”

But his running mate doesn't have to be a woman.

'One of my obligations as governor is to make women, young women in particular, believe they don't have to accept the default position in politics,” he said. 'I have a much higher regard than just accepting women as a lieutenant governor candidate.”

Women have held the lieutenant governor post since 1987. Jo Ann Zimmerman was the last woman to be independently elected to the post, which at that time included presiding over the Iowa Senate.

Since then, the governor and lieutenant governor candidates have run as a team:

'Joy Corning was elected with Branstad in 1990 and 1994.

'Sally Pederson served two terms with Gov. Tom Vilsack.

'Iowa Ag Secretary Patty Judge was lieutenant governor for four years with Gov. Chet Culver.

'In 2010, Branstad picked Sen. Kim Reynolds as a running mate.

Hatch anticipates announcing his selection next week and campaigning with his running mate around the state in the week leading up to the Iowa Democratic Party state convention, June 21 in Des Moines.