Column - Speed Dating

MANCHESTER - It was gubernatorial speed-dating night at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.

Five Republican candidates for governor showed up to woo about 100 members of the county GOP in a whirlwind courtship.

We've been hearing an awful lot lately about how the GOP is now a screaming mob, but this was the same small-town Republican crowd I've been seeing for years at events like this. Older couples and younger ones with children. Shorts, jeans and khakis. Cowboy boots, loafers and flipflops.

It was the sort of group that used to turn out for Gov. Terry Branstad back in the day. Alas, Branstad, who is mulling a comeback, was one big elephant not in the room.

Anger was also absent. Nobody yelled “You lie!” More likely “Great pie!”

Before pie there were pork chops. And frankly, these folks spent more time with the chops than the candidates, who each got just three minutes to say their piece.

“Help them to be inspired,” said Delaware County GOP chair Terry Griffith during the prayer. Also be quick. Go. “I really like looking out at Republicans,” said state Sen. Jerry Behn of Boone. “They don't have to ask the government for permission to be happy.” Good one. Next.

Cedar Rapids business executive Christian Fong told about his family's immigrant roots and made a strong case for becoming his Facebook friend. State Rep. Christopher Rants of Sioux City displayed a passion for fixing state pensions.

Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats said he's got an executive order to end same-sex marriage and he's not afraid to use it. But if you date the order, do you marry a constitutional crisis?

And how about this guy from Carroll, state Rep. Rod Roberts, who looks like a governor from central casting? Tall, distinguished, infinitely calm and reasonable. But could Mr. Reasonable ever become the right's Mr. Right?

Anything's possible.

Wrestling icon Dan Gable, the night's main speaker, told a great story about a time he was dabbling in politics on a trip to Washington years ago.

He dragged state GOP chair Chuck Larson Jr. into the office of Democratic U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone. The staunchly conservative Larson resisted entering the liberal's lair. But Wellstone was a wrestler, and Gable wanted to meet him. They were told the senator was busy, but moments after they left, Wellstone came running down the hall yelling Gable's name.

“We've got two sides. We can be hostile. But it doesn't have to be that way,” Gable said.

I nearly yelled “No lie?” But I kept my pie hole shut.

¦ Todd Dorman's column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Contact him at (319) 398-8452 or todd.dorman@gazcomm.com