Culver: At 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, 'it's on.'

DES MOINES – Democratic Gov. Chet Culver says at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, “it's on.”

Culver emerged from voting in today's primary election saying he's ready for the campaign to begin leading up to the Nov. 2 general election.

“Let's let the race begin. I cannot wait,” the first-term Democrat told reporters outside his precinct polling area. “I've been anxiously awaiting the ninth of June for a long time. I want to get this race started.”

Culver, who was unopposed in today's Democratic primary in his re-election bid, said it does not matter which of the three Republican candidates vying for their party's nomination that he has to face because “they're all the same -- they all want to go backwards on women's rights, they want to go backwards on worker's rights, they want to put the ban back in place on stem-cell research, they want to cut the funding for preschool.”

Republicans are flocking to polling places today to make their choice among a three-member field seeking to challenge Culver in November. They included former four-term Gov. Terry Branstad of rural Boone, five-term state Rep. Rod Roberts of Carroll and Sioux City business consultant Bob Vander Plaats, the 2006 GOP lieutenant governor candidate who is making his third bid for governor.

“I welcome the Republican nominee, whoever that's going to be tonight, and Iowans will have a clear choice on Nov. 2,” Culver said at midday.

At the same time, the governor directed most of his remarks toward Branstad, who he contended has spread a lot of misinformation and made false charges and inaccurate statements about Culver and Iowa's current financial situation during the months of GOP campaigning.

“I've had enough of the Republican rhetoric, the misstatements, it's time to fight for Iowa,” Culver said.

“Once we get this primary over with, I hope Iowans pay very close attention to whether or not they want to build on progress that we've made during very difficult times or go back, perhaps all the way back to the last century in the early ‘80s with Terry Branstad.”

Culver said he planned to run a very well-organized and efficient campaign that will be a winner.

Asked if he expected the fall campaign to be a bare-knuckles political brawl, Culver said: “Yes, and I can't wait. I love a good fight. We have a lot to fight for.”

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