Gov. Branstad trying to limit debate exposure

DES MOINES – Democratic gubernatorial challenger Jack Hatch continues to press five-term GOP incumbent Terry Branstad to meet him in more face-to-face debates around Iowa, but to little avail.

Hatch also said Monday he has cleared the $1 million threshold for fundraising but has been hurt by the fact that few big-name 2016 presidential hopefuls on the Democratic side have been able to come to Iowa to generate contributions and interest because they're waiting to see what Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden decide.

In the meantime, Branstad has been aided by the GOP candidates who have been willing to generate donations on his behalf and the national Republican groups willing to invest time and energy in an incumbent seeking re-election.

'Let's be fair, the Republicans have money to burn and they're doing it,” said Hatch, who told reporters he's encouraged that Branstad has spent $1.5 million promoting himself and the Republican Governors Association has spent $1.2 million attacking him but recent polls show Branstad with a single-digit lead and below 50 percent support.

On the debate over the debate, Hatch accused Branstad of adopting 'a bunker mentality” in announcing he will participate in three debates that the GOP incumbent hopes will take place in small media markets and at times when Iowans are focusing on the choices in the 2014 governor's race.

Hatch, a three-term state senator from Des Moines, said he has been working with television stations across the state to expand Iowans opportunities to see the candidates for governor in live debates.

'Gov. Branstad unilaterally dictated the locations of debates without giving us the courtesy of consultation on debates, contrary to past Iowa traditions, which is another example of him living by his own rules and expecting others to do the same,” Hatch told a Statehouse news conference.

'As things stand, more than two-thirds of Iowa voters won't have a chance to see the candidates for governor in a live televised debate,” Hatch said. 'I'm determined that all Iowa voters will have that chance.”

So far, the candidates have scheduled three debates -- Aug. 14 in Des Moines carried on statewide Iowa Public Television; Sept. 20 in Burlington televised by KWQC-TV, an NBC network affiliate in the Quad Cities; and Oct. 14 in Sioux City sponsored by KTIV-TV, also an NBC affiliate.

Hatch said he is continuing to work on arranging debates in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids; working with Iowa TV stations to set up debates on their networks, including proposed debates sponsored by KCRG-TV and The Gazette in Cedar Rapids and by KWQC and the Quad City Times in Davenport; and working to expand the coverage of the two NBC affiliate debates to other affiliates across the state.

Ultimately, Hatch would like to add up to six additional debates, but Branstad's camp said three is enough.

'Gov. Branstad has made it a priority to debate in every general election, and welcomes the opportunity to contrast his record of job creation and fiscal stability against Jack Hatch's return to Culver-era tax hikes and deficit spending,” said Tommy Schultz, spokesman for the Branstad-Reynolds campaign.

'Our campaign is excited to participate in these three debates -- the same number of debates as in 2010 -- and we will not respond to tacky, desperate campaign gimmicks from our opponent's struggling campaign,” he added.

Also Monday, Hatch called on Branstad to immediately reopen the Workforce Development office in Cherokee that was one of 36 closed in 2011 to better assist workers adversely affected by last week's announcement by Tyson Foods that it would close its plant and end about 450 jobs.

During his weekly news conference, Branstad said Iowa Workforce Development would send a team to help the city of Cherokee and laid-off employees look for new employment opportunities and provide retraining resources.

'It's a significant employer in Cherokee, Iowa, and we want to do all we can to try to help the workers that are going to be displaced and to try to help the community to try find new employment opportunities for them,” Branstad told reporters.

However, Hatch and Cedar Rapids running mate Monica Vernon said their administration would take a proactive effort to address such concerns rather than rely on reactive measures after a plant closure has been announced.