Culver launches his 2010 re-election bid

DES MOINES – Gov. Chet Culver, described by his wife as having the “heart of a lion,” roared into re-election mode Monday by promising a future-building focus in his second term that will favor all Iowans, not just benefit a few like his GOP opponents.

“I declare my candidacy on a record of action, tested by fire and committed to reform, research and development, innovation and a clear vision for the future,” Culver told about 200 supporters, labor union members and students gathered at Hoover High School, where he formerly taught and coached.

Culver kicked off a five-day, 41-county “Choosing a Better Iowa, Choosing a Brighter Future” announcement tour by touting the accomplishments of his first term and charting a course for future growth  that he hopes will carry him to victory in the Nov. 2 general election. The first-term Democrat does not have an opponent in the June 8 primary when Republicans will choose among three candidates – former Gov. Terry Branstad, state Rep. Rod Roberts of Carroll and Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats -- seeking to challenge him this fall.

Culver pointed to boosting the state minimum wage, raising teacher salaries to the national average, expanding preschool and health-care opportunities for children, and dealing with the response and recovery to the nation's fourth worst natural disaster in the midst of national recession as major benchmarks since he took office in January 2007.

"Tested by floods, tornadoes, pandemics and recession,” he said, “we are wiser because of the people with whom we have worked and the tragedies, pain and suffering we have witnessed together. The past four years have changed all of us Iowans, and have transformed our state, ultimately for the better.”

Culver acknowledged during his 20-minute speech that he hasn't “always gotten it right, but I've always given it 100 percent effort” which has helped him to grow as a person and as a leader.

"Every day I continue to be inspired by the Iowans I meet, and I have a better grasp of what's possible and the experience to know how to get things done,” Culver said. "A new day is dawning in Iowa, and our future is very bright. We are coming out of the darkness and the sunshine rays of a prosperous recovery are on the horizon.”

Culver said his priorities, if re-elected in November, will be to continue the post-disaster rebuilding effort, make quality pre-school available to every Iowa child whose parents want it, pursue stem cell and other medical research with the goal of finding breakthrough treatments, boost the amount of alternative energy being produced in Iowa, and further streamline state government while expanding efficiencies to local government and schools.

He contrasted his vision with the approaches of his Republican opponents -- particularly Branstad who served four terms from 1983 to 1999 that included the farm crisis era.

“They want to take us back to the failed policies of the Bush and Branstad era. We're not going to go back. We're going forward. I don't want to turn back the clock,” he said.

“They truly believe inaction is leadership. They advocate corporate income and property tax cuts as the solution to every problem.  They continue to preach the failed doctrine of trickle-down economics. Our approach is different,” Culver added. "This election is about big things and there will be an unmistakable choice on Nov. 2.  Will we continue to move forward or go backwards to policies that created this recession?”

However, Matt Strawn, chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, held a news conference outside Hoover High School immediately following Culver's announcement to decry what he called Culver's more than three years of failed leadership.

“Gov. Culver is traveling the state asking voters to choose a better Iowa,” Strawn said. “The first step in choosing a better Iowa is choosing a better governor. The reason we need a better Iowa than we have today is because of Culver's failures as a leader. Culver has taken Iowans $1.6 billion into generational debt without creating a single, long-term sustainable job. Meanwhile, in the year since his signature I-JOBS bill became law, an additional 18,000 Iowans are unemployed.”

Tim Hagle, a University of Iowa political science professor, said the Culver-Judge campaign theme of “choosing a better Iowa” was curious for an incumbent.

“That's not exactly a theme you would want an incumbent to adopt because it does give that implication that things haven't been all that great and we need to do better,” Hagle said.

Also Monday, the Republican-leaning Iowa Progress Project launched a 60-second paid radio commercial blasting Culver for squandering taxpayer dollars by spending too much and borrowing for infrastructure projects “while adding no new long-term jobs.”

During his speech, Culver said the state budget has been balanced every day that he has been governor and he steered the state through treacherous economic times without raising taxes.

The governor got his biggest applause when he vowed to fight for civil rights and human rights for every Iowans versus seeking to “amend our constitution in such a way that we all know would be discriminatory and wrong.” He also touched on another social difference with his GOP rivals by pledging to protect women's freedom to choose in making medical decisions.

Culver is slated to be joined by Vice President Joe Biden during a campaign stop in Cedar Rapids at noon Tuesday.

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