GOP delegates ratify Reynolds as Branstad's running mate

DES MOINES – Former Gov. Terry Branstad, fresh from surviving a convention challenge to his choice for running mate Saturday, said Republicans stand a good chance of sweeping the statewide offices up for grabs in Iowa this November if they stay united in their quest to oust Democrats.

“What a team we have,” Branstad told about 1,350 state convention delegates, pointing to the roster of GOP candidates for statewide elective positions. “At the end of the day, we're all Republicans, we need to come together to support this ticket.”

But, by Saturday's end, Republicans had witnessed a sharply divided battle on the convention floor over who should be Branstad's lieutenant governor candidate and were no closer to determining whether defeated gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats of Sioux City and his supporters would close ranks with Branstad forces to solidify the GOP base and turn their sights on attracting independents and disenchanted Democrats.

“Everybody had their say, everybody had their vote, and now I just strongly suggest we go out and work for our nominees because, if we don't, that's how Culver wins another term,” said U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, who exhorted Republicans to end the “family infighting” and pull together to keep the focus on victory in the Nov. 2 general election.

“We put on the same jersey today because we're pulling together as a team. We're lining up as Republicans together against Democrats,” King reminded the delegates before nominating state Sen. Kim Reynolds, R-Osceola, Branstad's chosen running mate, to be the party's candidate for lieutenant governor.

However, delegates also nominated June 8 primary rivals Vander Plaats and state Rep. Rod Roberts of Carroll to be considered for the No. 2 post – Roberts withdrew from contention and endorsed Branstad and Reynolds, but Vander Plaats did not. The issue went to a vote with 749 delegates supporting Reynolds and 579 delegates favoring Vander Plaats.

“We know how to win conventions as well as primaries, so we're going to be OK,” said Branstad.

Vander Plaats, who has not endorsed Branstad and has not ruled out an independent or third-party candidacy, said he was not invited to attend the convention but showed up wearing a “guest” credential, explaining that “for me not to show up would be kind of like -- in your face, I'm going home and I'm not going to do that.”

In accepting the delegate call for him to be nominated as the party's lieutenant governor candidate – a position he held in 2006 – before falling short in the vote count, Vander Plaats said he did so because “it would be disingenuous of me to go all around the state and champion what I believe are constitutional ideas of the people, by the people and for the people, and then to ignore the voice of the people.”

Branstad and Vander Plaats held a post-primary meeting, but failed to resolve their differences. On Saturday, Branstad said he was willing to conduct further talks with the goal of uniting the party but he expressed confidence he could win the general election even if Vander Plaats ran an insurgent independent or third-party candidacy.

Vander Plaats said he remained hopeful Republicans could unify around a consistent, constitutional long-term vision, but he added “I learned this a long time ago, you do not get rid of division by sweeping it under the rug. You get rid of division by authentically coming together and that hasn't happened yet. If that happens and when I endorse Branstad, everybody will know it's genuine, it's sincere, it means something and it will be to the long-term benefit of this party.”

During her floor speech, Reynolds tried to rally the GOP troops by turning the focus on Culver, saying “he's spent too much, he's taxed too much, he's borrowed too much and he has got to go – themes Vander Plaats and his troops had aimed at Branstad in the months preceding the June 8 primary balloting.

For their part, Democrats reveled in Saturday's GOP divisiveness, saying a three-way lieutenant governor's race was proof Branstad is far from unifying his party.

"We knew the Branstad/Reynolds ticket would never close the fissure in the Republican party but, after today's events, it's pretty clear that fissure is wider and deeper than we could ever have guessed," said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Sue Dvorsky. 

"This just shows how disorganized, dishonest and disturbed the Republican Party is in this state,” she added. “The thought of being part of such an unhappy and unhealthy organization is scary and it should be scary to them. This will be a very interesting race, indeed."

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