Chetchase 2010 -- Primary Winners and Losers

LOSERS

Culture Warriors – The Iowa Family Policy Center bet all its chips on runner-up Bob Vander Plaats and overplayed its hand by angrily vowing to sit on the sidelines if Terry Branstad grabbed the nomination. The group's leaders were were confused at best or blatantly clueless at worst.

SuperGovernor -- It wasn't a bird...it wasn't a plane...it wasn't a winner. Put away the cape and that blank executive order. Anchoring a gubernatorial campaign to the astounding  notion that governors can nullify Iowa Supreme Court rulings with a pen stroke was a landmark misread.

Pizza Ranch -- Won't be the site of Inaugural 2011 after all.

Chet Culver -- Polls have consistently shown Branstad handing the Big Lug his lunch. Culver can point to Branstad's past stumbles, but hard times and the Democrat's faith-based approach to government oversight looms over the present. At least he'll have a load of bucks to make his case.

Righty Bloggers -- Intriguing posts spawned by feisty primary family feuds were great. But as online subsidiaries of the GOP general election campaign, they'll be less compelling.

TV Viewers -- Culver and Branstad will throw piles of money at each other. Much of it will land in your living room.

Change -- Yeah, yeah, I know everyone is still saying it. But Branstad, Culver, Grassley, Conlin, Miller and Fitzgerald are names you'll see on the November ballot. Hey, anyone notice how spry Bob Ray's been looking lately?

Fiegenomics Majors -- Turns out it won't take the U.S. Senate by storm. See your advisor.

Political Junkies -- Two anticipated congressional convention fights fizzled as clear winners grabbed GOP nominations in eastern and central Iowa. All that parliamentary procedure cramming for nothing.

Can-Do Cliches – “If at first you don't succeed, try, try again,” “Third time's a charm,” “You can't teach an old dog new tricks,” “You can't cut ribbons with a rusty pair of ceremonial scissors,” etc. took a real beating.

WINNERS

Civics Teachers -- Remember that stuff they told you about the Judicial Branch  having the basic power to review the constitutionality of laws approved by the Executive and Legislative branches? Still true.

Women -- Democratic U.S. Senate primary winner Roxanne Conlin and GOP 2nd District congressional nominee Mariannette Miller-Meeks each give Iowa yet another shot at finally sending a woman to Capitol Hill.  Both face uphill fights against incumbents.

Iowa Republicans – Branstad gives them a good chance to retake Terrace hill after 12 years of Democrats. Turns out a big segment of the Grand Old Party still wants to win elections and govern.

The Pocketbook -- Branstad's decision to focus mostly on economic issues and government spending was on the money. Doug Gross told you so.

Iowans for Tax Relief – Predictable but rare endorsement of TB 5.0 turns out to be a good call.

Rod Roberts -- The nice guy may have finished last, but he's got a future if he stays in the game.

Competence -- For all the talk of outrage at incumbents, Iowa Republicans picked the most experienced incumbent in the party's history to top the ballot. They're betting that Iowa voters are willing to reach backward for comforting memories of competence. Frankly, I just want to fit comfortably into the clothes I wore in the Branstad years.

Republican Pollsters -- If they were hoping to shape the GOP primary narrative by doing poll after poll showing Branstad beating Culver handily, they succeeded. His ability to beat Culver was clearly the deal-maker for many Republicans.

Lefty Bloggers -- All that sifting through the 80s and 90s archives will keep them busy and out of the Chai houses.

Please, add to the list.