Iowa state senator Hatch begins consideration of 2014 gubernatorial bid

Accusing the long-time incumbent of limited vision and a limited agenda, Sen. Jack Hatch is visiting with Iowans about the possibility of running for governor in 2014.

With Republican Gov. Terry Branstad serving a fifth term – and expected to seek a sixth, the Des Moines Democrat believes the incumbent has “driven us into a limited vision of what Iowa can be.”

“I want to talk to Iowans who want to make Iowa great,” he said Wednesday.

However, Branstad “not only believes in limited government, but a limited agenda,” Hatch said at a Cedar Rapids news conference May 29. Although Iowa is enjoying a slow, sustained economic growth, Hatch said the governor “has done little to excite and develop a growth formula that reaches out to all corners of the state.”

Hatch, 63, has been involved in politics since 1985 when he was elected to the Iowa House. He left to work for Sen. Tom Harkin, but returned to the House in 2000. He was elected to the Senate in 2002 and his current term ends in 2014.

The Connecticut native chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee and has been actively engaged in recent years in the mental health redesign and, this year, in expanding health care access to low-income Iowans.

Hatch called every day in the Legislature a blessing, “but I've run my course, I've accomplished what I wanted to.”

So along with his wife, Sonja, he's kicking off a series of conversations with Iowans to determine whether he can attract supporters and raise the money needed to challenge Branstad.

“It's not an easy task by any means,” Hatch said, predicting a “long and expensive campaign that will start earlier than most.” He expects it will cost between $6 million and $8 million.

In those conversations, Hatch will talk about the need to create an economy that benefits more than a few people, the need to empower communities to make decisions about how they grow and the need for a smarter government.

“I believe Iowa can do better,” he said.

In terms of job creation his goal is not to try to attract Iowans back to Iowa, “but to bring 21st Century jobs that will keep our children here.”

“You do that,” he said, “by having an aggressive job creation strategy, not a corporate expansion strategy.”

Hatch, who described himself as a progressive Democrat who is “pretty passionate guy on health care and mental health and education,” said he is best-positioned to challenge Branstad.

“No other Democrat who chooses to run for governor will have the depth of experience in challenging Branstad than I do,” he said.

So far, only Hatch and former state lawmaker Bob Krause, now of Des Moines, are the only Democrats to form exploratory committees.

“For more than two decades, I have been involved in creating the ideas he's embraced or expanding the ideas he's proposed,” Hatch said about Branstad. “I've take him on and had success.”

He takes encouragement from recent polls showing Branstad's favorability rating is below 50 percent – a danger sign for an incumbent.

He and his wife are principal partners in Hatch Development Groups and Perennial Properties Management Services, which has developed, constructed and managed more than $90 million in housing projects – many providing affordable housing. The company was the first to build apartments in Cedar Rapids' Oak Hill Jackson neighborhood after the 2008 flood.

They have two adult children.

For more, visit www.jackhatch.com.