Tag: iowa politics

The Fall of the Kingmaker

Bob vander Plaats has been making bad endorsements for the past decade. The latest in this long line of losses was the endorsement for Adam Steen for Iowa Governor in this week’s primary election. And the first was picking Senator Cruz over the people’s choice of Donald Trump in 2016.

Donald Trump was a guest of The Family Leader a year or two before he decided to run for President. And Bob himself made a couple of trips out to NYC and Trump Tower. He spent time with the future President. But throw it all away.

He could have been a great voice for Christ and supported Trump’s bid for President in 2016. But he didn’t. The question has always been “why didn’t Bob vander Plaats do this?”

There have been several possibilities floating around for years. They had a falling out was one. The companionship formed with Steve Deace is thought to be another. And on the surface these are all valid reasons. But they too are just more symptoms of the Kingmaker’s fall.

No the real reason is due to the loss of the one person that kept Bob vander Plaats from being his own worst enemy. That one person, in Bob’s own words, “knew where they bodies were buried,” at The Family Leader.

The same person who was wrote the very letter that was given to then governor candidate for the 3rd time, Bob vander Plaats, on the night he lost that primary race. The letter that offered him the presidency and CEO position at the Iowa Family Policy Center that would later be renamed as The Family Leader.

That person was Kristen Rheinherren, nee Major. The Director of Development at the Iowa Family Policy Center. She is 100% responsible for text of that offer that Bob took. She wrote that recruitment letter.

And in June 2015, Kristen resigned from The Family Leader to pursue other opportunities. The date is strikingly haunting considering it’s when Bob started down that path of bad endorsements just after that departure.

Since 2015 Kristen hasn’t been around to give her voice to the staff meetings and private meetings with the leadership of The Family Leader. Kristen you see was a prayer warrior the likes of which are rarely seen. And without her, The Family Leader has suffered.

Bad choices in endorsing candidates and causes, one after the other. None of which Kristen would have supported and could have possibly talked Bob out of endorsing them publicly.

Kristen passed from this world and into Christ’s loving arms in 2020. So there is no way for her to ever return to The Family Leader to offer her thoughts and speaker her mind. And they will likely to continue to be more and more irrelevant in Iowa and national politics in the future.

Iowa Gubernatorial Debate

After the first gubernatorial debate in Iowa I have a new favorite. But I will give a rundown of my opinions of all the candidates running. Even if they didn’t take part in the debate.

Representative Eddie Andrews is now my current favorite for the nomination. He has done well in the Iowa House representing his district. And continues to do so even while campaigning across the state for governor. Visiting all 99 counties.

He lacks funding, but doesn’t see that as a hindrance. He also seemed a bit unsure of himself on the stage and fumbled a bit. But not too badly.

Brad Sherman was my original choice, back when Governor Kim Reynolds hadn’t decided if she was seeking another term or not. However, after seeing and hearing him on the debate stage I have doubts. His age shows, it really does.

I was at Zach Lahn’s announcement party in West Des Moines. My opinion of him hasn’t changed and has only been reinforced. He’s a farmer and businessman, although an outsider is always good to have it’s not one of his faults. What drives me away from Mr. Lahn is his effeminate and soft spoken nature. It gives the appearance of lacking a leadership. He would easily fit into the crowd at The Garden in downtown Des Moines. But not in the Governor’s office.

Adam Steen was professional and polished. He could have easily taken the lead in this debate and contest. But, he was endorsed by The Family Leader, who in the last decade has had a number of bad picks for their endorsements. The nail in the coffin however is that Adam Steen supports the Convention of States. I cannot in good conscious support that at all. It is a dangerous form of Pandora’s box.

Lastly we have Randy Feenstra. Another Family Leader pick I might add and the current Congressman from Iowa’s 4th District. He was invited to the debate. Came to Iowa on the Air Force One with the President. But declined to attend. He is the establishment pick for Governor. He has more funds than the other 4 combined and has great name recognition.

He is not truly a deep conservative. His record shows that with easy. And the Left knows this as well. This is why Rob Sands, the Democratic candidate is hoping that the November election is between himself and Feenstra. Many know that if Feenstra is the Republican nominee, then Sands will will that November election and become Iowa’s next Governor.

Tweedledee and Tweedledum

Iowa’s two Senators need to go. Just because they have R’s after their names doesn’t excuse them or mandate our support. It’s time for new leadership for Iowa in the Senate.

Chuck Grassley was an effective force back in the day. He was first elected to the Senate in 1980. He has spent the last 44 years in the Senate. Now he is 91 years old. And it shows in many ways.

He looks frail. His speech is slow and comes out as if every word is difficult to say and that he has to think about the word before saying it.

He is out of touch. At 91 years old he doesn’t understand modern technology and innovations, yet votes or writes laws that govern our use of these things through the lens of the early 20th century mindset.

And yes, I question his mental competence and have for some time now. Although his mind is not as far gone as President Biden’s, it’s also not far behind.

Chuck Grassley needs to retire before he crosses that line, if he hasn’t already.

Then there is Joni Ernst. Many conservatives agreed that she wasn’t their choice when first nominated. Other candidates were better options but she got the nomination. And between her and any Democrat running. It was a hold your nose and vote for Ernst. The lesser of two evils.

DC has changed her or possibly made her show her true colors. She is a RINO and votes against the conservative Republican agenda time after time. She has been censured by multiple county Republican Central Committees in Iowa for her actions. Yet she is still there and isn’t taken those seriously.

And even now she is against President-Elect Trump’s agenda and appointees that need Senate approval. Rumor has it that she actually wants a Cabinet position herself. Fat chance of getting one when you are working against the next President of the United States.

Ernst is pro-war while Trump wants to see an end to the wars that were started under the Biden Administration. Ernst is pro-Transgenger in the military. A bad social experiment that Trump is going to end. Ernst is not one of us. She needs to go before she can cause more harm to the incoming Trump Administration.

These two Senators should not seek re-election when their current terms are over. It may even be better if they both resigned immediately instead of waiting for their term to be over.

Chuck Grassely is old and frail both physically and mentally. He should resign before he loses any of those factors completely.

Joni Ernst on the other hand should resign because she is not doing her job. She is a RINO and like all RINOs she needs to go. Be voted out of office or removed from office.