Draft Branstad group declares 'mission accomplished'

Des Moines Bureau

Any doubt former Gov. Terry Branstad will get into the race for governor seems to be disappearing as a top GOP official jumped from a party post to the 2010 Terry Branstad Committee Tuesday.

 A few hours later, Draft Branstad PAC declared “mission accomplished” and folded its tents. The political action committee was formed to encourage the four-term governor to challenge Democrat Gov. Chet Culver.

The formation of a Branstad exploratory committee last week and Republican Party of Iowa Executive Director Jeff Boeyink leaving to lead the Branstad committee was enough to convince former Rep. Sandy Griener, a Keota Republican, that Draft Branstad PAC's work was done.

“We believe that Gov. Branstad will not only be an official candidate for governor, but will also be the next governor of the state of Iowa,” she said. “With today's news about Mr. Boeyink, Draft Branstad is officially announcing our draft efforts are complete -- a real grassroots mission accomplished.”

However, Lake Milles attorney and close Branstad friend Richard Schwarm said it's not certain the former governor will seek a fifth term.

“This appointment does not signal any change in Terry Branstad's status as a potential gubernatorial candidate,” Schwarm said in a statement. “He continues in his role at Des Moines University and will make his plans known at a future date.”

Schwarm called Boeyink's hire as “the next natural step in our exploratory process” in moving from a volunteer effort to acquiring a professional staff and financial resources that would be need to “take Terry Branstad 2010 to the next level of effectiveness.”

Boeyink had served as executive director of the Republican Party of Iowa since last February before resigning the post on Monday to accept the new assignment. Before joining the state GOP leadership team, Boeyink served as president of Iowans for Tax Relief – a Muscatine-based organization where he worked for more than two decades.

Early this month, Schwarm filed papers to establish a 2010 Branstad exploratory committee. The former governor has indicated he expects to decide this month whether to formally seek the elected position he held for four terms from January 1983 to January 1999.

Currently, six Republicans have expressed interest in challenging first-term incumbent Democratic Gov. Chet Culver in 2010. Culver has indicated he intends to seek re-election but has not made a formal announcement.

Several Republicans have entered the race for the party's nomination, including Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats; Cedar Rapids businessman Christian Fong; state Reps. Christopher Rants of Sioux City and Rod Roberts of Carroll, and state Sens. Jerry Behn of Boone and Paul McKinley of Chariton. So far, none have indicated they will drop out if Branstad does enter the campaign. The nominee is likely to be selected in a June 2010 primary.

Culver hasn't formally announced his re-election campaign, but has hired staff and has been raising money for a bid for a second term.