State Senate Special Election

Ready, set, vote: Charles Dickens wrote the classic, "Great Expectations" but politicians are notorious for their own expectations' games. You know how it works, the politician tries to lower expectations on the outcome of an election. And then the media get all fired up when that politician exceeds those expectations. But I found it curious this week just how much Iowa Governor Terry Branstad tried to lower expectations for that special election for Senate 18 in eastern Iowa. I think the basement is still one level about these expectations. The Republican's name on the ballot today isn't the one the Gov wanted. He wanted Cedar Rapids businesswoman, Mary Rathje. Instead, another Cedar Rapids businesswoman, Cindy Golding, earned the party's nomination. And longtime Cedar Rapids/Waterloo tv anchor, Liz Mathis, gets the Democrat's nomination. The only poll I have seen on this has Mathis up 6%.

The gov talked up Mathis again and again and downplayed Golding's chances.

Here are some of his comments...

Mathis advantage: She "had been on tv for a long period of time".

Golding disadvantage: "Considerable name recognition disadvantage. Also, the Democrats have way outspent the Republicans in this special election."

What the outcome of this race means: "When you look at special elections, they're not much of an indication." They're an indication of that particular district at that point in time. So I don't think people should read too much into it."

On Golding getting the nomination instead of Rathje: "I respect the right of the community to choose their own candidate." "I'm very satisfied with the candidate that was chosen."