Failure in the Heartland

Disappointment was a common mood across the country for Republicans. This emotion was not foreign to me on election night. As a resident of Iowa I was particularly disappointed about the results. Republicans ended up losing both state houses and now control both chambers and the governorship for the first time in years. Iowans also voted to give Democrats a three to two advantage in the House of Representatives. Iowa had maintained a four to one advantage with Leonard Boswell the lone Democratic congressman. The race that most disappointed me was the governor race. I thought the choice was clear between Jim Nussle, a principled and experienced politician, and Chet Culver the Democratic nominee. Iowa could have elected a dynamic duo of Jim Nussle and his running mate Bob Vanderplaats but instead elected in the words of Culver's wife, a big lug. I really thought Iowa would change direction after eight years of Tom Vilsack. We loyal Conservative faithful in the Hawkeye state will now have to endure the Culver administration at least for four long years.