Clean-shaven Sen. Jack Hatch offering Iowans ‘fresh start’

CEDAR RAPIDS - Democrat Sen. Jack Hatch is putting a fresh face on his campaign for governor.

Hatch, a 22-year legislator and real estate developer, has launched his first television ad of the general election campaign showing him getting rid of his one similarity to the governor - his mustache.

The 30-second spot that will begin running statewide Wednesday ends with Hatch rubbing his clean-shaven face and telling voters that 'like you, I'm ready for a fresh start.”

Hatch and the governor still have one similarity - they've agreed to three debates. The campaigns announced Tuesday they have agreed to debate Aug. 14 at the Iowa State Fair. That debate will be televised statewide on Iowa Public Television.

They also agreed to a Sept. 20 debate sponsored by the Greater Burlington Partnership with the Burlington Hawk Eye and KWQC TV-6 of the Quad Cities in Burlington and an Oct. 14 debate sponsored by the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce with the Sioux City Journal, KITV TV-4 and KSCJ Radio in Sioux City.

'Televised debates are the best way for voters across Iowa to have a chance to assess their choice in November, and the choice couldn't be more clear in this election,” said Branstad-Reynolds campaign manager Jake Ketzner.

Hatch campaign manager Grant Woodard called the agreement on three debates 'a great moment for Iowans interested in transparency and accountability.”

However, he went on to say the Hatch campaign will agree to six more media-sponsored debates.

'The two major party candidates will move across the state together in a series of nine public debates in settings reflecting the state's different regions and in different formats based on the ways Iowans receive information,” Woodard said.

'We welcome the governor's acceptance of nine gubernatorial debates and are eager to give Iowans the chance to learn more about the candidates,” he said.

That's unlikely.

'Our campaign is excited to participate in these three debates - the same number of debates as in 2010 - and we will not respond to tacky, desperate campaign gimmicks from our opponent's struggling campaign,” spokesman Tommy Schultz said.