Davenport alderman considering bid for governor

DAVENPORT — Davenport Alderman Mike Matson turned a few heads a week ago when he told a Democratic fundraising dinner that he was thinking about running for governor.

Typically, state government is the jumping off point for Iowa's chief executives, not City Hall. But Matson, who was elected to the council in 2007, looks at it a bit differently.

'I think (it's) what does the person bring to the table,' he said last week.

Matson, who retired as a sergeant major after 20 years in the Army and now teachers Junior ROTC at Central High School in Davenport, said he has leadership skills that would serve him well as chief executive. And as an alderman, he said he's heard the public's concerns about government at the most basic level.

As for what's going on in Des Moines, he said, policies to curtail collective bargaining rights for state employees and limiting workers' compensation rights aren't friendly to the average Iowan.

'Our value system seems to be twisted,' he said in an interview last week.

Matson, 53, also would be the first major party candidate from Scott County to appear on a gubernatorial primary ballot in at least 50 years.

There's still more than a year to go before the 2018 primary, and Matson is part of a large pool of potential Democratic candidates. The others include state Rep. Todd Prichard, D-Charles City, state Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, former Iowa Democratic Party Chair Andy McGuire of Des Moines, Johnson County Supervisor Mike Carberry of Iowa City, Jon Neiderbach, a former Des Moines school board president, and former Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Rich Leopold, who is from Polk County.

The latter two already have said they are running.

In addition, Jack Hatch, the Democrats' 2014 nominee, didn't rule himself out in a recent conversation, although he said he's been encouraging others to consider it.

Davenport connection

So, yes, it's a crowded field of prospects. And Matson isn't the only one with Quad Cities ties.

Prichard is a Davenport native who graduated from West High School in 1993. He joined the Army after college, served in Iraq and now is a lawyer who said he brings an ability to fuse rural and urban interests.

'We need to bridge urban and rural voters, and we need to get back to realizing that urban problems and rural problems are actually Iowan problems,' he said at the Scott County Democratic Party's Red, White and Blue fundraising dinner March 25.

For his part, Matson said he thinks Republican policies are benefiting outside interests, instead of average Iowans.

'I want economic prosperity for all Iowans,' he said.

Email controversy

The alderman does acknowledge he'll likely get questions about a 2012 incident when police seized his classroom computer as part of an investigation into whether emails were sent to a television station in the name of another alderman with information about the city's attempt to buy the Rhythm City Casino.

Matson said at the time that he did not send the email. However, investigators were suspicious of the fact that the computer had been altered just days after the email was sent, according to police reports released at the time. The reports said district employees described Matson as anxious about the computer.

Matson said last week the computer was running slowly and it was the district that asked that it be brought in. He repeated that he had nothing to do with the email.

'I was in a meeting when this supposedly happened,' he said. Matson also said he welcomed the inquiry then and questions now.

'I expect people to ask those questions,' he said. 'I'm open to that.'

The incident doesn't appear to have had an effect on him at the polls. He hasn't had a challenger since then or even since he first was elected in 2007.

Bucking tradition

Scott County Democratic Chair Thom Hart said Matson's military background and city experience would be unique in the race. And, as for coming from a place that hasn't typically yielded candidates for governor, he added, 'If the last year and a half has shown us anything, you can't always go with traditional thinking.'

At this stage, potential candidates are testing viability and fundraising prospects. The race, according to some estimates, could cost $15 million.

Matson met last week with Democrats in the state Senate.

'He was pretty well received,' said Sen. Jim Lykam, D-Davenport.

Jeff Link, a longtime Democratic strategist, said Matson could be helped by coming from a county where the cost of buying television ads is higher than in other parts of the state.

Often, candidates will buy ads in other TV markets but not in the Quad Cities.

'If no one buys TV, that's a huge benefit to someone with a local base in the Quad Cities,' Link said.

Matson said a decision whether to run could come by the end of the summer.