Gubernatorial debates, Schickel for Roberts

I'm catching up on email as I wait to head over to Governor Culver's bill signing for the "reorg bill". Everyone at the statehouse seems to shorten reorganization to reorg. It saves a lot of time apparently. I'm curious what the governor will have to say about the savings. The bill doesn't seem to save enough money as he needs to make his budget numbers work.

Here are a few items from my inbox this morning...

Bill Schickel, the former state rep from Mason City and currently the main main at http://www.thebeanwalker.com/ ,(Publisher Tim Albrecht took a leave of absence to serve as communications director for Terry Branstad's campaign for governor) is leaving his party position to help out with Rod Roberts' campaign for governor.

Here's the release:

Republican Party of Iowa State Central Committee member Bill Schickel has resigned as Secretary of the Party in order to support the gubernatorial campaign of State Representative Rod Roberts. Schickel said he resigned because officers have agreed to remain neutral in the primary. He will, however, complete his term as a member of the State Central Committee representing the 4th District.

“I can no longer remain neutral,” said Schickel, a former state representative and Mason City mayor. “Our party is currently divided. Neither of the frontrunners has shown that they can bring the two sides together. If the current division continues we will certainly lose in November. Rod Roberts has the best chance of beating Chet Culver.”

“He is the only candidate who has demonstrated he can bring together the fiscal and social conservative wings of our party. He has also proven that he can attract the Independents and Democrats that are critical to victory,” Schickel said. “He has done it during the campaign. He did it as a state representative. And he did it in five previous elections.”

“Rod is an underdog right now, but he is also the candidate with momentum,” Schickel said. “While the numbers for the frontrunners have remained essentially flat, Rod in the past three months has gone from almost no voter recognition to capturing 19 percent of the Republican vote in the Dallas County straw poll and winning the Guthrie County straw poll this past weekend.”
“Whenever Republicans meet him, they are won over,” Schickel said. “He is a solid fiscal and social conservative who is also a fresh face. That is exactly what our party needs, and more importantly, what Iowa needs.”

As of today, it appears the 3 Republican candidates for governor will have 3 debates before the primary. And it appears former Terry Branstad's camp is setting the terms of this. Challengers, Bob Vander Plaats and Rod Roberts, want more debates. But here's part of the release from Branstad:

The Governor Branstad 2010 campaign has accepted an invitation to an April 7 debate to be held at KTIV studios in Sioux City. KTIV is partnering with sister stations, KWWL in Waterloo, and KTTC in Rochester, MN.

The second debate will be held in Cedar Rapids on May 1, and is sponsored by the Iowa Broadcast News Association.

The Governor Branstad 2010 campaign will also accept an invitation to participate in the traditional Des Moines Register debate in Des Moines, which is held each primary campaign.

“This will give Iowans all over the state a chance to view the Republican gubernatorial candidates, and where each stands on the issues,” said Boeyink. “We are excited to participate in these debates.”