Culver, Branstad each predict victory

Gov. Chet Culver predicted a come-from-behind victory in the Nov. 2 election, invoking the spirit of Silky Sullivan, a thoroughbred racehorse legendary for winning a race despite trailing by 41 lengths at one point.

“We can just nick them at the finish line,” the first-term Democrat predicted as he traveled by train on a whistle-stop tour of Eastern Iowa Monday, a day ahead of the Nov. 2 general election.

Republican challenger, former Gov. Terry Branstad, who flew around the state to make his final arguments for being returned to the governor's office, told supporters the Nov. 2 general election signals “a new day coming.”

Unlike Silky Sullivan, Culver “can't make up in couple of days what he's not done in four years,” Branstad said.

Voters will determine which governor – the incumbent Democrat or the Republican who served four terms – will lead the state for the next four years when they go to the polls Nov. 2. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, including where to vote, visit www.IowaVotes.gov.

Culver, who rallied voters from the back of an Iowa Interstate passenger rail car in the Quad Cities, West Liberty, Iowa City, Marengo, Grinnell and Newton, was taking encouragement from the enthusiasm level of the crowds at each of those stops.

“We're going for one vote at a time,” Culver, 44, a first-term Democrat, said his 82-stop final campaign swing is demonstrating to undecided voters that he's working harder and running a more “vigorous” campaign than his 63-year-old challenger.

“I'm proving who's working harder, who's trying to earn the vote,” Culver said.

Branstad laughed off the claim he's getting outworked by the incumbent. Culver counted pass-through cities as campaign appearances on Monday's whistle-stop passenger train ride, Branstad said.

Besides, voters are looking for more than a whirlwind campaign finale designed to attract media attention.

“He can't make up for the fact he hasn't gone to every county every year, that he hasn't met with people, that he hasn't listened,” Branstad said at Cedar Rapids. “I know he likes to campaign, but he hasn't governed. People want a governor that is going to be hands-on, going to meet with people, going to listen to people and put together an agenda that is going to work for Iowa.

“There's a lot more to it than just running a campaign,” said Branstad, adding, “I'm no slouch when it comes to campaigning.” He's 11-0 in contested campaigns and plans to make it 12-0 Nov. 2.

Culver's not campaigning for the fun of it, he said as his train rolled through small towns and past recently harvested cornfields between West Liberty and Iowa City.

“We're going to win because of what we're doing,” he said. “I'm talking to the swing voters, the undecideds, the independent voters. That's why we're barnstorming the state.”

In Iowa City, Culver said he found inspiration in a letter his great-great grandfather, Capt. John Culver of the Illinois Militia, wrote to his wife, Mary, May 20, 1864, in which he described a recent battled. Looking ahead, Capt. Culver promised: “We will end this campaign with brilliance and permanent success.”

“Yes we will,” the governor added. “Yes we will.”