Vander Plaats joins GOP race for gubernatorial nomination

DES MOINES - Republican Bob Vander Plaats returns to his roots in Sheldon today to begin his climb to Iowa's top elective executive post.

Vander Plaats, 46, a Sioux City executive, educator and author, plans a noon-hour announcement at his hometown's City Park to officially launch his third bid to win the Iowa Republican Party's gubernatorial nomination. He is the sixth Republican candidate to join the 2010 sweepstakes.

Vander Plaats said he decided to challenge first-term Gov. Chet Culver because he wants to chart a new direction for economic development, tax policy, education and government management that are stark contrasts to the incumbent Democrat's leadership style.

He said Iowa is in a “fragile situation” because of government overspending, a massive bonding commitment and “red flag” anti-business proposals that are part of the Culver-led Democratic agenda at the Statehouse. He said he wanted to bring his experience as a “turnaround CEO” to reverse those trends.

“Our goal is going to be to actively market Iowa as a right-to-work state and having a competitive tax and regulatory structure that is hospitable for business to develop, grow and thrive in Iowa,” Vander Plaats said.

The former president and CEO of Opportunities Unlimited, a Sioux City health and human services organization, said he would aggressively reduce the state debt load by accelerating the payback of Culver's I-JOBS bond program.

Vander Plaats, who was GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle's running mate in 2006 and served as Iowa chairman of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's 2008 presidential campaign, said he believes his pro-life, pro-marriage views will inspire the Republican base, but his vision also will attract independents and even Democrats.

Vander Plaats noted that he already has come under fire from GOP opponents, which he said “indicates we're a clear front-runner.”