Statehouse

Iowa GOP pours money into advertising for statehouse candidates.

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• published: 20 Oct 2016
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http://globegazette.com/news/iowa/iowa-gop-pours-money-into-advertising-for-statehouse-candidates/article_ec2aebff-b3b8-5913-8e94-b4d997d95cbe.html Iowa GOP pours money into advertising for statehouse candidates. DES MOINES — U.S. Representative Steve King does not believe the inter… WATERLOO -- “Our Islamic Center here is awesome, Madam Secre… DES MOINES -- Iowa Republicans are making robust investments in their attempt to win control of the Iowa Senate, outspending Democrats by nearly 70 percent in the chamber’s most critical election races. In four races that will go a long way toward deciding which party sets the agenda in the Iowa Senate the next two years, Republicans outspent Democrats by an average of roughly $117,000, according to campaign fundraising reports filed Wednesday. The new reports cover statehouse fundraising from July 15 to Oct. 14. The majority party in the Iowa Legislature determines which pieces of legislation are debated and voted on. Republicans control the Iowa House and Democrats control the Senate. Going into the November election, the Senate is comprised of 25 Democrats and 23 Republicans, with one independent senator and one vacant seat to be filled by a special election in December. That vacant seat in a Democratic-leaning district was created by the death of Senator Joe Seng, a Democrat from Davenport. That means Republicans likely need to flip three seats if they are to gain control of the Senate. Republicans have targeted roughly a handful of seats, and for the seats most vulnerable to change the GOP has significantly outspent the Democratic incumbents on campaign advertising. In a key northern Iowa race, where Democratic incumbent Mary Jo Wilhelm faces Republican challenger Waylon Brown, Republicans more than doubled the Democrats’ spending. The state GOP devoted nearly $300,000 in mostly advertising to Brown’s campaign, while the Senate Democrats’ campaign organization devoted roughly $142,000 to Wilhelm’s campaign. In a Muscatine County race that is expected to be one of the most contested Senate races this fall, Democratic incumbent Chris Brase faces a challenge from former state legislator Mark Lofgren. The Republican Party of Iowa devoted nearly $259,000, most of it in advertising, to Lofgren’s campaign during the three-month period, while the Iowa Democratic Party devoted roughly $237,000 to Brase’s campaign. Brase did well on his own, raising nearly $130,000, but he also spent much of his war chest and has just more than $5,000 remaining. Lofgren raised just $25,000 during the period, but still has nearly $43,000 in his account heading into the home stretch. In a critical Cedar Valley race, the state Republican Party poured more than $314,000 in mostly advertising into the campaign of Craig Johnson, who is challenging Democratic incumbent Brian Schoenjahn. The Democratic Party, meantime, devoted roughly $193,000 to help Schoenjahn. On his own, Schoenjahn raised nearly $69,000 in the period compared to the roughly $21,000 raised by Johnson. Visit CHAOS View Archive For More CHAOS NEWS: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUiFq-IUU64l62ygPdbVnIA