Lunde hopes to win primary for Iowa seat in U.S. Senate as write-in

DES MOINES, Iowa - Paul Lunde's name won't be on the June 3 primary election ballot, but the Ames Republican believes he can still win the party's nomination for the U.S. Senate.

Lunde, whose nomination papers to be on the ballot were rejected by state elections officials and the courts, will run as a write-in candidate. He's counting on the support of other pro-choice Republicans to win the primary.

'The five anti-abortion candidates on the ballot will split the other 65 percent of the vote, and it's almost impossible for one of them to reach 35 percent,” Lunde said.

By Iowa law, a candidate must win at least 35 percent of the primary election vote to gain the nomination.

He's hedging his bets, however. If Lunde doesn't win the Republican nomination, he will continue to run as a write-in candidate in the Nov. 4 general lection, against likely Democratic nominee, U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley.

'As the only pro-choice Republican candidate, I have to stay in the race, in order to give women voters the opportunity of protecting their reproductive rights, while at the same time allowing them to vote for a Republican rather than a Democrat,” Lunde said.

For more information, visit www.lundeforsenate.com.