King, Grassley Expect Republican Primary to be a Fight
Terry Branstad isn't inspiring confidence among prominent GOP elected officials in Iowa. Rep. Steve King declined an opportunity to endorse him on Iowa Press Tuesday, saying that he wil:
Let them fight it out
King's neutrality declaration comes after Sen. Chuck Grassley mused that he did not know whether Branstad would win the Republican nomination for governor. Grassley said:
He's going to have a primary. I don't know if he wins or not.
Iowa Democratic Party Executive Director Norm Sterzenbach had a sharp anlaysis:
Republicans haven’t forgotten that Branstad raised the sales tax, increased the gas tax and kept two sets of budget books to hide his accounting failures. He's been on a 2 month tour rejecting key policies of his gubernatorial tenure, but Grassley and King remember the true Terry Branstad and don’t like his record.
Terry Branstad expected a coronation when he resigned from Des Moines University to run for governor, but he clearly miscalculated.