Will Jim Leach finally be retired?
Thu Sep 07, 2006 at 06:58:31 PM PDT
Is it possible that one of the most progressive districts in the country will finally get a Progressive Democrat to be its representative in Congress? Well, finally, the answer is looking like a big "YES, YES, YES"
Jim Leach has represented Iowa-02 for a long time, 30 years to be exact. You know, since people were still playing records and tapes and phones were still attached to a wire in the wall. I think computers were still a dream back when Leach won his first election in 1976.
And in 30 years Leach has had a few good moments, most of them early. He has cast himself as a "moderate" and as such has been of little use to the ultra right wing that has led the Republicants for more than a decade.
Leach does have a working agreement with them. On tight votes his vote is solid Republicant. In exchange he is allowed to throw out a liberal vote or two to play to the folks back home. The original "catch and release" Republicant.
It is finally catching up to him. And helping folks understand how Leach has been playing this game is Dave Loebsack. Dave Loebsack is Leach's opponent and a long time activist. Dave is a professor of political science and a very proud beneficiary of Democratic programs that allowed him to become a life success.
So yesterday a new poll came out that shows Dave is in a very good position to finally put Jim Leach out to pasture! When Dave wins in November media around the country will hail this as one of the biggest upsets of the election season.
Dave is out every day from sunup to sundown and beyond shaking hands and passionately telling the story of how government once good has gone bad.
Dave has done this mostly out of the media spotlight, making this even more improbable. I am so excited!
Dave could use some help if you would like to. Here is his website:
http://www.loebsackforcongress.org/
Or just wish him your best in his Quixotic effort.
Here are a couple of key excerpts from an extended story I received via email:
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Summary:
The environment in Iowa 2 appears to track with the national trends favoring
Democrats, especially challengers against incumbents. Thirty-year incumbent
Jim Leach has only a 38% re-elect, in a district he won with 59% in 2004, and
52% in 2002. He also has an upside down job approval rating, 42-49. In an
initial head-to-head with Democratic challenger Dave Loebsack, a professor at
Cornell College, in Mt. Vernon Iowa, making his first run for office, Leach is
held to 47%, with 53% either choosing Loebsack or uncertain between the two.
Following a paragraph of biographical and issue information about Loebsack,
the ballot test swings widely, with Loebsack on top, 51%-28%.
Jim Leach Job Rating
Please tell me whether you rate each of the following public officials'
performance as excellent, good, only fair, or poor.
Excellent Good Only fair Poor Not sure
Jim Leach as Congressman 6 36 35 14 8
---------------------------------------------------------
Informed Ballot Test
This test was run after providing one paragraph of information about
Democratic
challenger Dave Loebsack to the respondent.
Loebsack 51%
Leach 28
Other/Neither (Vol.) 2
Not sure 19
Summary: Excellent/Good: 42%
Fair/Poor: 49%
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