DMR: Family PAC endorses BVP, shuns Branstad
January 12, 2010
From the Des Moines Register political blog
by Kathie Obradovich
January 12, 2010
It was a surprise when Danny Carroll turned the rally for supporters of a constitutional ban on gay marriage into a campaign endorsement for gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats.
But the real surprise was when Carroll said the Iowa Family PAC wouldn’t support the Republican Party nominee if it’s former Gov. Terry Branstad. He said Branstad “… has failed to boldly address the values that we embrace. And even if he were to win the nomination, the Iowa Family PAC would not support him.”
Vander Plaats has been the darling of social conservatives for saying he would use a governor’s executive order to put a stay on the Iowa Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing same-sex marriage until Iowans have a chance to vote on a constitutional amendment. He’s been roundly criticized for that stand by other candidates and legal experts, and Branstad has said such an action wouldn’t work.
Carroll’s rhetoric was clearly not aimed at unifying the Republican Party. In fact, it seemed to be directed toward the tea-party contingent of disaffected voters.
“Now is the time to put principle, biblical principle, before political parties,” he said. “I’ve been a part of that Republican machine for too many years, and where has it gotten us?”
The move by the Iowa Family PAC gives hope to candidates like Rep. Chris Rants, who says Branstad is polarizing the party. “For some people, this is a holy war within the party,” Rants said. And the biggest beneficiary of that, if Branstad is the nominee, will be Chet Culver, he said.
The Branstad campaign comment was minimal. Here’s the comment from campaign spokesman Tim Albrecht:
Governor Branstad signed the Defense of Marriage Act into law. He has been clear in his support to define marriage as between one man and one woman, and will work to give Iowans the opportunity to vote on this issue.
The only endorsement that matters is from the voters on election day, and the governor looks forward to visiting all 99 counties to continue growing his broad base of support.