Voters here could make history

Iowa voters likely will make some history today. The question is how much?

For starters, if a string of lopsided polls are accurate, Republican Gov. Terry Branstad will win a sixth term in office, setting the stage for him to become the longest-serving governor in American history.

Now, there are some sticklers, including the University of Minnesota's Eric Ostermeier, who contend that Branstad already is the longest-serving governor since the U.S. Constitution was ratified.

By that measure, Branstad's tenure bested former South Dakota Gov. Bill Janklow, who is No. 2, back in January 2011.

But for Branstad to become the undisputed champion, he has to clear the 21-year record set by New York state's first and third governor, George Clinton. The Revolutionary War general and eventual vice president served from 1777-1795 and again from 1801-1804. They called him 'The Old Incumbent.”

We'll see if Branstad is 'Mr. Coattails.” During his nearly 20 years in office, Branstad has had a Republican Legislature to work with during just two years, 1997 and 1998. If the GOP fails to take the Iowa Senate tonight, Branstad will once again rule in a Statehouse where legislative power must be shared.

Still, he can't feel too bad. According to a list compiled by the Des Moines alternative weekly Cityview, Branstad is currently 19-0 over his career in primaries and general elections since he first ran for the Iowa House in 1972. Victory tonight would make him 20-0. He should join the SEC.

There's also the distinct possibility that Iowans will elect a woman to Congress for the first time in state history, perhaps two. As you may have heard many, many times, Iowa is one of only two states that has not elected a female governor, U.S. representative or U.S. senator. The other is Mississippi.

State Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Red Oak, is locked in a dead-heat race with Democratic U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat, a contest that has drawn outside attention and mountains of money due to its potential role in deciding Senate control.

In Iowa's 3rd Congressional District, Democrat Staci Appel, a former state senator, also is running in a close race with Republican David Young, who worked as chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley.

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Cumming, is retiring, sparking the bitter, expensive Ernst-Braley battle. His election victory over Republican Sen. Roger Jepsen in 1984 ushered in three decades of bipartisan Senate representation from Iowa.

Grassley, a Republican from New Hartford, won his Senate seat in 1980 and is likely to seek re-election in 2016.

So if Ernst wins, signs point to several years with two GOP senators. Since 1969, there have been only two stretches where either Republicans or Democrats held both seats at the same time.

One was 1973-1979 when Harold Hughes of Ida Grove, Dick Clark of Marion and John Culver of Cedar Rapids held Iowa's Senate seats. Then, between 1981 and 1985, Grassley and Jepsen of Davenport held the seats for Republicans. Since 1945, one party or the other has controlled both seats a total of 18 years.

Don't miss your chance to make some history today. If you haven't yet, vote.

l Comments: (319) 398-8452; todd.dorman@thegazette.com