Hoffmann Out Soon? McKibben to follow?

Just how bad are things getting for Iowa Republicans? A few factors...

Democrats attracted way more Caucus votes...

Prez Bush still isn't popular...

The Iraq War...well, it's still going...

Dems already control the Gov's Mansion, House and Senate...

Repubs seem to be running for the door (8 house members are quitting, 4 senators, too, so far)...

On WHO TV 13's "Insiders" program (taped on Friday afternoon, airs Sunday at 9:30am), Romney's State Chair and former Gov candidate Doug Gross said Ray Hoffmann is out as State Chair of the Republican Party. He says the State Central Committee will make it official at its meeting next weekend. Stewart Iverson (the former Senate Majority Leader) and Marlys Popma (former McCain advisor and Iowa GOP Exec Director) I'm told are interested.

Will Larry McKibben, the Repub State Senator from Marshalltown, be the next one to hit the door after his term is up? Senate Minority Leader Ron Wieck said he expected to hear early this coming week whether he needs to plan for at least the fifth senator from his party to say he's leaving (Angelo, Lundby, Putney, Gaskill). Repubs spent a ton of money (more than $400k, if my memory serves) to help him win re-election last time around.

Democratic House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy also on Insiders doesn't seem to be too jazzed about Governor Culver's bottle bill plan. The first plan, I mean. It sounds like the Gov's looking for a deal on this. Any deal.