A Democrat wins Iowa special election, marriage equality preserved

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

As a native Minnesotan I can tell you, only half jokingly, that IOWA is an acronym for "idiots out wandering around."

Iowa once had a proud farmer-labor progressive tradition, but in recent decades Iowa has faltered upon the influence of the Christian Right that only cares about making abortion and gays illegal, and outlawing sex.

Like I said, "idiots out wandering around." It gets damn cold in Iowa in the winter. Outlaw sex and the only things they've got left are drinking and drugs. It's I-O-W-A. 'Nuf said.

The Iowa Supreme Court, which is elected in Iowa, lived up to Iowa's rich progressive tradition a couple of years ago when it ruled in favor of same-sex marriage based upon the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The Christian Right went ape shit and tried to recall the Supreme Court (which is why judges should not be elected and have to run for office). That attempt failed.

So they turned their focus to the state legislature. The Tea-Publican Governor Terry Branstad recently appointed a Democratic state senator to the Iowa Utilities Board, creating a vacancy that required a special election. If Tea-Publicans could win this senate seat, there would be a tie in the Iowa Senate, giving the Tea-Publicans the right to control the leadership of the Senate. Very Machiavellian; I'm impressed. This would allow Tea-Publicans to move forward with their regressive agenda, including a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in Iowa.

This Machiavellian scheme fell apart when Tea-Publicans got lost in an Iowa corn maze on their way to the polls on Tuesday. Democrats retained control of the Iowa Senate with a big win by Liz Mathis in the special election. Mathis captures seat in Senate, preserving Democrats' control | The Des Moines Register:

Democratic candidate Liz Mathis won the $1 million special Iowa Senate race Tuesday, allowing her party to retain control of the chamber.

Democrats will maintain a 26-24 edge through the 2012 legislative session. Republicans had hoped for a 25-25 tie and the potential to move forward on now-gridlocked priorities, such as a move to begin the process to ban same-sex marriage in Iowa.

Unofficial counts show that Mathis received 56 percent of the vote in one of the most expensive races in legislative history. Small business owner Cindy Golding, a Republican, received 44 percent. Third-party candidate Jon Tack received 1 percent.

* * *

A split Senate would have offered greater opportunity for Republicans to push ahead on Branstad priorities such as lowering the income tax for corporations.

The showdown created intense focus on the district, which includes Marion, a small portion of Cedar Rapids and much of northern and western Linn County.

Hundreds of volunteer party activists and elected officials from across the state spent the past six weeks in the district, making calls and knocking on doors.

Nearly $1 million was raised for the race as of last Friday.

* * *

The money is an indication of what was at stake, said Bob Vander Plaats, a former Iowa Republican candidate for governor and statewide crusader against same-sex marriage.

Vander Plaats’ group, the Family Leader, helped campaign for Golding. But the group viewed the larger goal as neutralizing the power of Senate Democratic Majority Leader Michael Gronstal. As majority leader, Gronstal has single-handedly blocked GOP priorities, such as the push for an amendment to the Iowa Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Keep in mind that more than $1 million dollars was spent in this race. And yet, roughly 23,618 people, or 16 percent of registered voters in the district, cast their ballots Tuesday. No, seriously. And that percentage of participation was far above that of other races in the state Tuesday. Unbelievable.

Like I said, "idiots out wandering around" lost in an Iowa corn maze. There is NO WAY that Iowa should have the first presidential primary contest in the nation. Let 2012 be the last year for this abomination.