Art Small's chances against Grassley?

[Wickerman]

http://www.artsmallforsenate.com/

I think he declared on or near the dealine in late march.


--snip
In announcing his candidacy, Art Small pointed out that he and Senator Chuck Grassley have vastly different backgrounds and ideas about the role of government. "Senator Grassley is a career politician who has been in public office continually for 46 years, since 1958," Small said in April 2004. "He and I are as different as night and day, not only in background and experience, but in how we would represent the people of Iowa. I will give the voters a clear choice."

Small reminds Iowans that Senator Grassley calls himself "the chief tax mechanic of the U.S. Senate" and led the charge to give large tax breaks to the nation's most wealthy. Small points out that billionaire investor Warren Buffett himself protested against the tax cuts the wealthy received because, as he wrote in a widely published article, while the tax cuts not only meant that his considerable investment income was taxed at a lower rate than his secretary's income that she had to work for, he also received a $310 million tax windfall last year while his secretary received little benefit.

"I never would have supported such an unfair tax cut," Small said. "Obviously no one is fond of taxes and when I served in the Iowa General Assembly I successfully fought to remove the sales tax on food and drugs and provide property tax relief for low income elderly. Also, as chair of the Iowa Senate appropriations committee I successfully passed, with large bipartisan support, a budget that spent significantly less than the budget proposed by Governor Branstad. If you cut taxes, you must also be willing to cut budgets. It is pleasant to cut taxes and voters like you when you do; it is very difficult to cut budgets and voters tend not to like it when you do."

"But I also recognize that taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society. In particular, I have always supported funding for education. Unless we educate the next generation, our nation has no future. Unlike Senator Grassley, I would have voted in favor of funding the No Child Left Behind Act. His vote has left Iowa's educational system strapped for funds."

These are but some of the many differences in policy stands between Small and Grassley. Voters will have a clear choice in November.
snip--

[mr_hat]

1. Well, he's raised, oh, zero dollars and >

doesn't exactly dash off dynamic sound bites. Grassley's going out with his boots on, I reckon.

[DU9598]

2. Disappointed

I am very disappointed in the Iowa Democratic party for failing to run a legitimate candidate against Grassely. While he is popular in Iowa, Senator Grassley is not nearly as popular as he has been in past elections and he could have been challenged by Governor Vilsack or Secretary of State Chet Culver. Even Leonard Boswell could have opened up his congressional seat to another Democrat to challenge Grassley. It is unexcusable for a party that is as strong as the Iowa Democratic Party to not find a candidate to run. All of the big names are clammering to run for Governor in two years. I will remember their inability to lead our party against Grassley this year.

This is very very sad performance by our state party.

[Wickerman]

3. Small seems to have a decent background

why is he considered such a lousy effort? I agree that Grassley is more vulnerable this year than in past - its a shame they ddin't get anything together...

[Bluzmann57]

4. I agree to an extent

I think Culver would have been a better candidate than Gov. Vilsack though. It is somewhat personal, because I do not want Vilsack to go. Boswell would have been a fine choice too. There were a lot of rumors about Culver running, what happened?

[Wapsie B]

5. Maybe they want Culver

to run for the governorship when Vilsack leaves.

[9119495]

6. Petersen should have ran against Grassley

It would be a test to see how she would do statewide on her own. If it was bad, let us all get behind Culver for Governor.

Boswell needs to be in the house. There is no guarantee we could hold his seat without him. Besides, he's old and there is no telling how long he'll stay in politics.

[Ficus]

9. Petersen will be Gov soon

Vilsack won't be VP, but he'll get something. They (the IDP) have already started asking people to start helping Petersen get up to speed on the issues she's not real familiar with.

[cothomps]

7. Culver Will Run for Governor...

It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that Chet will be running for governor in 2006.

I, too, really wish one of the "big names" (Petersen, Vilsack?) would have taken the Senate run - Grassley is likely at his most vulnerable this year. His pet issue of Medicare is not sitting well with the electorate at the moment, it seems.

At any rate, Art Small needs money! Art Small For Senate

[Ficus]

10. Culver is smart...

he is kinda full of himself, and he doesn't want to go down in flames running for a higher office. Why not wait to run for Gov. in a few years? Remember a few other Iowa SoS who ran for higher office when it wasn't their time, and lost?

[Ficus]

8. Art is a hell of a guy

and he is legitimate...extremely intelligent...he's just a little old. BUT still younger than grassley.

[ISUGRADIA]

11. It would have to be slightly younger...they were both born in 33

Art's a great guy. I can remember when he ran for Lt. Gov in 1986. But Grassley having $5 million and Art having basically nothing, I'll be glad if he keeps Grassley under 65%.