Branstad, Hatch set to debate at State Fair Thursday

CEDAR RAPIDS - A live, statewide television debate between major party candidates for Iowa governor Thursday is expected to be a big moment, especially for Democratic challenger, Sen. Jack Hatch.

'This is the first opportunity that Iowans are going to have to see Sen. Hatch and Gov. Terry Branstad sitting side-by-side and they're going to see a stark contrast,” said Grant Woodard, campaign manager for Hatch, a Des Moines Democrat.

Tommy Schultz, spokesman for Branstad, a Lake Panorama Republican, agrees. The debate will be Hatch's 'first real opportunity in a statewide television setting to make an impact.”

'We know that Sen. Hatch hasn't been able to afford any television ads (recently) … so we expect him to come out swinging,” Schultz said.

The debate will take place in the Penningroth Media Center at the Iowa State Fair at 4 p.m. with a live stream online and a live broadcast on IPTV WORLD. The debate also will air on IPTV's primary channel at 7 p.m. Aug. 14.

It will be a 'big moment in the campaign,” Woodard said. 'It is Iowans first opportunity to see them side-by-side and see the true differences, unfiltered, not though a television ad or a campaign mailer.”

It's a unique situation, Woodard said, because if Branstad is re-elected he will become the nation's longest-serving governor.

'In this case, it's someone we feel doesn't have much to show for it,” he said.

The governor has plenty to show for nearly 24 years in office, Schultz said, and will talk about his record 'and his positive vision of the future of Iowa.”

Woodard also noted that while Hatch has never been in a televised debate, by his count Branstad has done at least 16 televised debates in getting elected to five terms as governor.

The debate may present a bigger opportunity for the Hatch campaign, which has not had the resources to match the governor's aggressive television ad campaign, Schultz said.

'So we expect him to use this first appearance on statewide television as an opportunity to attack Gov. Branstad, to try to land a body blow because he hasn't had an opportunity to do so,” Schultz said. 'We will be ready.”

The debate won't be about who has more campaign resources, Woodard said.

'We're going to be able to run the campaign we need to run to be successful,” he said.

Still, the Hatch campaign would like to have more debates. The State Fair debate is one of three planned between the two major party candidates. Others are planned Sept. 20 in Burlington and Oct. 14 in Sioux City.

A full 80 percent of Iowans will not be able to see either of those debates, Woodard said.

Branstad, he said, 'is shunning some very important locations such as Cedar Rapids and Davenport. Those people deserve to see the same thing as folks in Burlington and Sioux City will get to see.”

Schultz has dismissed Hatch's call for more debates, pointing out Branstad and Democratic Gov. Chet Culver had three debates four years ago. Hatch, he added, is 'desperate and struggling.”