Incumbents in Trouble

Government spending is up. Unemployment is up. Bankruptcies are up. Foreclosures are up. Frustrations are up. You get the picture. Many Iowans may not like what they see. That has some experts predicting a tough 2010 for incumbents. The Des Moines Register's Iowa Poll shows Democratic Governor Chet Culver has lost a third of his support so far this year. Even Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley has lost 18% percent of his vote. I say "even", because even many Democratic insiders have told me for my entire time living in Iowa how Grassley is virtually unbeatable every election. Until this year, that is. Although, it seems only the most optimistic Democrats think Grassley could lose next year to a Democrat, like Des Moines attorney Roxanne Conlin.

I interviewed one of those frustrated Iowans today. His name is Richard Bockewicz. He lives in Urbandale. He's one of those purple people, not a Democrat or a Republican. He votes for the person or the issue, not the party. He'd vote for the politician who could help him get his life going in the right direction again. Bockewicz is working two part-time jobs to try to provide for himself and his fiance until he can find full-time work. He is tired of empty promises and he wants governmental leaders to start listening to the people again.



The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza took notice of the Register Poll. He writes that Culver appears to be "in a free fall".