As you may or may not have noticed, I've been dedicating this week towards the Iowa U.S. Senate race because this has been a bad week for Tea Party Extremist Joni Ernst (R. IA) and this doesn't help her:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Recent Democratic political messaging and a number of news reports have compared Iowa Republican Senate candidate Joni Ernst to tea party darling and former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. But the Iraq war veteran just proved that on one issue, she's closer to the GOP establishment -- and some Democrats -- than the more anti-government wing of her party
Ernst said in a CNBC interview that aired Wednesday that she supports the Export-Import Bank, a federal agency that provides loans to foreign companies seeking to purchase American products.
"I would want to look at it carefully, but Iowa's economy ... we have many spin-off industries, like Vermeer, we have John Deere, and they rely on Ex-Im Bank," Ernst told CNBC correspondent John Harwood. "As long as other countries offer that opportunity to their exporters, I think that's something that we need to offer to our industry also."
That argument echoes those of the program’s supporters, like former Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), a one-time chairman of the Financial Services Committee. Frank told The Huffington Post last month that cutting off the bank's effective subsidy for American exporters would amount to "unilateral disarmament."
"As long as other countries subsidize their exports, we would be putting our guys at a competitive disadvantage," Frank added. - Huffington Post, 8/20/14
Rep. Bruce Braley (D. IA) also supports the Export-Import Bank but for a Tea Party candidate, it's probably not a good sign to find yourself on the same side as Barney Frank. Then again, Ernst' stances on the issues are out-of-touch and also hurting her chances:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/...
Just this week, for example, Ernst justified her opposition to raising the minimum wage because the current rate is "great starter wage for many high school students"—even though most minimum wage workers are adults. Braley's campaign had already been attacking Ernst for saying she wanted to get rid of the federal minimum wage.
Meanwhile, Democrats have stocked away some controversial statements Ernst made during her primary—like suggesting impeachment should be an option for President Obama, or her comments about states being able to "nullify" federal laws—since the general election began. Some Republicans worry that enough of these comments could sink Ernst's campaign.
"All of the footage that they shot of her in the primary is problematic," said Craig Robinson, the editor of the Iowa Republican and the state GOP's former political director. "We've seen repeated times where she's walked back a position that she held in the primary—that's problematic for politicians to have to do that."
Still, Democrats say if the race is about substantive issues, they'll win here. From the minimum wage to Social Security to women's health issues, party strategists say, Ernst holds positions that are "too extreme" and outside the state's mainstream. The minimum wage was the subject of Braley's first big general-election ad against Ernst, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is out with an ad tying Ernst to Sarah Palin and "tea party" politicians.
National Democrats also contest the idea that Ernst's biography is enough to put her in Iowa voters' good graces, saying their internal polling shows ads from Braley and his allies are making a dent and have raised Ernst's unfavorables above Braley's this summer.
"Their campaign knows that if the race is focused on the issue contrasts, they're at a disadvantage," said Braley communications director Jeff Giertz. "Ernst and her campaign have embraced some real out-there, tea party ideas in order to win the primary, and those ideas just do not resonate with middle-of-the-road Iowa voters." - National Journal, 8/21/14
Braley and Democrats just need to keep highlighting how extreme she is and make it about the issues and they can hold on to this race. By the way, Joe Walsh from The Eagles is helping raise money for Braley's Campaign:
Joe Walsh here, guitarist for the Eagles.
Bruce and his wife first met at an Eagles concert back when they were both students at Iowa State -- and while I didn’t know him then, I’m proud to say I know him now and that I support Bruce in his campaign to become the next U.S. Senator of Iowa.
We’ve got a concert coming up in Des Moines on September 6th, and I can’t think of a better way to say “I back Bruce” than by giving one of his grassroots supporters a pair of tickets and passes to a private meet and greet -- the VIP treatment! -- at our show.
Contribute $5 or more today and not only will you be automatically entered to win a pair of tickets to the show, but also a chance to hang out backstage with us and Bruce.
https://secure.brucebraley.com/...
It’s not hard to see that Washington is dysfunctional and it isn’t working the way it should be. But there are a few folks in Congress who are trying to fix that, and Bruce Braley is one of them.
Of course, you also know that Bruce has a seriously tough race ahead of him. He’s tied in the polls with his Tea Party-backed opponent, and he’s facing more than $12 million in special interest spending through election day.
You’re part of Bruce’s grassroots team. To say thank you for all of your hard work, I want to give you the chance to win a pair of tickets to see me, Bruce, and the Eagles on September 6th. Just chip in $5 or more and you’ll be automatically entered to win -- but you better hurry because time runs out at midnight on September 1st.
https://secure.brucebraley.com/...
Hope to see you in Des Moines,
Joe Walsh
Click here to donate to Braley's campaign and enter a chance to win tickets to see The Eagles:
https://secure.brucebraley.com/...