Sioux city Journal, IA
06-04-06
War chests fill up in race for Iowa governor
By Charlotte Eby Journal Des Moines Bureau
DES MOINES -- When Mason City Democrat Pat Steinfort mailed a $10
contribution to gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver in March, she wished she
could have given more.
"If I had had the money, I'd load him up, but I don't," said Steinfort, a retired
cafeteria worker from North Iowa Area Community College who is on a fixed
income.
Instead, the 69-year-old who describes herself as a "die-hard liberal" has helped
gather absentee ballots for Culver and convinced her two friends to make $5
donations.
Steinfort's modest contribution pales in comparison to the thousands of dollars
some Iowans are contributing to the race for governor.
But Steinfort, like most other donors, is hoping her contribution can help out a
candidate who shares her political views.
Bruce Heerema, a Republican from Pella, donated $2,000 to Republican Jim
Nussle's campaign for governor after he met with local business leaders.
Heerema said he was impressed with Nussle's congressional career, especially
his time as chairman of the House Budget Committee.
"I think that the state of Iowa needs somebody with good fiscal responsibility, and
I think that's what Jim Nussle can offer the state," Heerema said.
Heerema, 65, serves as board chairman of Heritage Lace, which manufactures
lace products. He isn't counting on anything in return for his contribution to
Nussle, whom he believes has "good conservative values."
"I don't expect to ask for anything; I don't expect to get anything," Heerema said.
Steffen Schmidt, a professor of political science at Iowa State University,
compares both big and small campaign donors to "investors" in the political
process.
"Everybody is interested in having someone in office who will do something that
improves their bottom line, whether it's teachers' unions, whether it's real estate
developers, whether it is farmers," Schmidt said.
In a year where an influence-peddling scandal involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff
has gripped Washington, D.C., the fundraising in Iowa's governor's race in Iowa
has blazed a record-setting pace.
Capitol Resources' Nicole Schlinger, a full-time fundraiser for Republican
candidates, also likens campaign contributions to an "investment in good
government."
"Whether you're a person who gives a dollar or you're a person who's going to
give $25,000, you give because there's a person and a philosophy that you
believe that is best for the state or best for the country," Schlinger said.
Jeff Link, a Democratic political consultant and veteran of Iowa campaigns, said
Iowa donors are often "cause" donors who give to candidates if they are on the
same side of an issue they believe in, whether it's the environment, or women's
issues.
"There are a lot of people that feel strongly about the direction that the state goes
in, and that's why they give," Link said.
No Limit
Although federal candidates are limited in what they can raise from donors, the
door is wide open for candidates running for state offices in Iowa, which has no
legal limit on campaign contributions.
Nussle's campaign raised $1 million in a single night during a dinner featuring
President George W. Bush in April. The most expensive pair of tickets, which
included a photo with the president, went for $10,000.
Nussle's campaign also had a handful of donors who pitched in more than
$10,000 -- donors who form a relative who's who of Iowa's business leaders.
They include Wild Rose Casino executive Gerald Kirke, who pitched in $20,000
and Ruan Transportation Management Systems founder John Ruan, who
donated $10,000 in the last reporting period.
Culver also had his own high-dollar contributors, including real estate developer
Bill Knapp, who donated $25,000 in a single contribution.
But none of those big bucks donors wanted to talk about why they gave to
campaigns. Calls to them seeking comment went unreturned.
Others were more willing to talk, like 75-year-old Priscilla Brown, of Cedar Falls,
who has donated close to $200 to Democrat Ed Fallon's campaign for governor.
She said the state representative from Des Moines first came to her attention
because he opposed reinstating the death penalty when the issue was before the
Iowa Legislature.
"He came right out and supported our stand on that when it was not a real
popular stand at the time," said Brown, a former Republican.
Brown, a retired medical technologist, said she was excited to learn Fallon was
running for governor. She's also been impressed with his ability to win re-election
without spending so much money on his campaign.
"I think he summed it up very well when he said our elections have become an
auction instead of being an election and people are very much restricted in
running for office, which is not, in my opinion, not a real Democracy," she said.
Rick Mullin of Sioux City wrote a $250 check to Democrat Mike Blouin's
campaign after talking with him over breakfast.
"It seemed to me like he's exactly the kind of candidate we should have running
for governor in Iowa," Mullin said.
The former Woodbury County Democratic Party chairman typically writes smaller
checks to candidates than the one he wrote to Blouin's campaign.
Mullin said he can't fathom the type of fundraising event Nussle sponsored, and
contrasts it to a recent event featuring former Democratic vice presidential
nominee John Edwards that cost $20 per person to attend.
"We're trying to appeal to average homeowners, average working-class Iowans neveryday people. And you don't throw $10,000-a-plate fundraisers for everyday
people," Mullin said.
Charlotte can be reached at (515) 243-0138 or {M7chareby@aol.com.