This week SCC member Mark Doland was sworn in as a Mahaska County Supervisor. Mark won the seat by a razor thin margin in a special election. The election is notable because, newly-elected GOP Senator Ken Rozenboom who held the supervisor seat previously, publicly endorsed Mark’s Democrat opponent in the last days leading up to the election. Doland had initially intended to run against Rozenboom for the Senate seat but withdrew. At the time Doland endorsed Rozenboom and publicly expressed interest in the supervisor seat.
The endorsement came only a few days before the special election. There was some informal discussion on the SCC about how to respond to a GOP senator endorsing a Democrat supervisor candidate against a GOP challenger. Given the timeframe, it was not possible to call a special meeting of the SCC. So the party leadership responded and AJ Spiker made a robo-call into Mahaska County urging Republicans to get out and vote for Doland.
… AJ Spiker chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, and I’m calling to urge you to vote for Mark Doland, the Republican candidate running for Mahaska County Supervisor. The election is tomorrow, Tuesday, January 29th and the Republican in this race, Mark Doland supports the conservative values of less government and lower taxes. So, please come out tomorrow, Tuesday, January 29th and vote for Mark Doland the Republican candidate for Mahaska County Supervisor.
This message was paid for by the Republican Party of Iowa, not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
When ballots came in, Doland had a 16 vote lead. After absentee ballots were resolved Doland won by a 21 vote margin. In a race this close, the robo-call very likely made a difference. If not putting Doland over the edge, at least padding the margin so there was no recount.
So, what’s the problem? The problem is that I have been getting calls and Facebook messages from Republicans demanding to know whether I voted for RPI to spend money in this county race. The people who contacted me are upset because they feel that county races are not in RPI’s purview, and that since Doland is on the SCC it was somehow unethical for RPI to get involved in his race. None of the people who contacted me expressed any concern about Rozenboom endorsing the Democrat in the race. Some expressed concerns that this was just another case of Ron Paul supporters in the SCC funneling money to one of their own. (Doland actually worked on the Bachmann campaign.)
I was at a county central committee meeting this week and a couple of the attendees asked me about factions within our party. I said that the factions were as divided as I can remember. To my fellow Iowa Republicans, let me make this plea:
The caucuses are over, 2012 is over. In 2014 we will have an open US Senate seat and possibly two open US House seats, we will have a governor’s race along with all the other statewide races. The entire Iowa House will be up for re-election along with half of the Iowa Senate. This is not the time for in-fighting. A robust primary season in 2014 will be healthy for our party — if when it is done, we come together to turn Iowa red. 2014 will be all hands-on-deck, the staked are too high, we must work together to win.
The decision to get RPI involved in this race was made by the RPI leadership, the SCC could not have met the 10-day notice requirement to meet and act between the Rozenboom endorsement and the election. AJ Spiker is entirely responsible for getting RPI involved in the Mahaska County race.
In the end, the Republican Party of Iowa did something that everyone says we never do. RPI provided support to a GOP candidate in a county race. That support may just have helped put our candidate over the top. RPI’s actions were meaningful and relevant and resulted in a GOP victory. Instead of celebrating, some Republicans across the state are complaining.
The grassroots of this party choose the candidates and the leadership works to see them elected. It’s time to take off the tinfoil hats. I have and will be critical of our leadership when they deserve it but I will praise them when they succeed as well. AJ, thank you for your leadership — a job well done!
[The photo in this article was originally displayed without attribution. The copyright is now displayed. The photographer is Ken Allsup of the Oskaloosa News, used with permission.]
Agreed!
Always the gentlemen David, but I think sometimes you try just a little too hard to see the good in people. I agree that the state party needs to get involved in county-wide and higher profile municipal races and I’m glad to see that finally happen, but it is more than just a tad bit ironic that the one time it happens it is for a SCC member. There are 99 counties and nearly 1,000 cities and townships in Iowa with several thousand candidates and the one candidate he helps coincidentally is someone he can curry favor with on the scc to keep the Paulbots in power. When they start helping anyone else besides scc members or away team members of the Mothership, I will pat A.J. Spiker on the back. Not till then though.
David, quite frankly–I find your explanation somewhat lacking.
1. There was PLENTY of time for AJ Spiker to bring this issue to the attention of the SCC.
Doland filed his statement of candidacy with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board on January 7th of 2013. The special election in Mahaska County was held on January 29th–more than enough time to meet the 10 day requirement.
Plus, in the day of modern communication we live in–a teleconference could have easily been organized for SCC members to participate in on short notice if time was of the essence.
2. As I stated to you previously–now that RPI has made the unprecedented move of getting involved in a county election race–RPI is now obligated to get involved in EVERY county election race in Iowa’s 99 counties.
RPI’s financial resources are stretched thin every election year to put together the statewide organization that is necessary to win races at the federal and state level.
Just how do we propose to provide that support now to local candidates as well?
3. Local elections like this are more about parochial issues rather than the larger scale issues that are in our platform or are dealt with in the state legislature or Congress.
By directly supporting Doland–RPI has now tacitly come out against the regional airport that was the main issue of contention in this election.
This is an issue that crosses party lines in Mahaska County–(my home county, btw).
This proposed airport would be extremely positive for economic development in the region– especially for growth by Pella and Vermeer–both of whom employ thousands of residents of Mahaska County.
The continued vitality of these major employers is critical for the region. They help to keep people living in Mahaska County, and help to keep other small businesses throughout the region going as well.
By directly supporting Doland–who opposes this airport–we send the message to those residents that we don’t want those major employers to continue to grow and remain competitive.
That’s the wrong message that we should be sending, David.
4. Finally, there still remains serious ethical concerns about RPI providing direct support to an individual whom is on the State Central Committee and is the Secretary for RPI.
Obviously, Doland has a connection with Spiker that nearly every other local GOP candidate running for office does not have.
Plus, its well known that Doland supported Spiker for chairman in the recent RPI elections. The actions Spiker took give the appearance of a “payback” being given for Doland’s support.
I know that you are a stickler for ethics, David. The prudent course of action is not to engage in any activity that could even raise the possibility of crossing ethical lines.
Todd,
Good points all, but let me respond.
1) This action was a response to Sen. Rozenboom’s last minute endorsement of Doland’s Democrat opponent. had this not been the case, RPI would not have been involved. RPI bylaws require 10 days notice for ALL meetings. So the SCC could not officially address the issue.
2) The rationale in this case was not to set a precedent but to respond to the issue of a Republican office holder endorsing a Democrat in place of a Republican. Add the special circumstance of a special election and that’s why RPI was involved.
3) As far as the county issues involved, RPI has not taken a stand. I have said before that RPI should support every Republican candidate in the general election. I do not know if Doland had a challenger in the nominating convention, but if his views are out of sync with Mahaska County Republicans, they could have nominated someone else. Ron Paul supporters have been widely criticized for not supporting ALL Republican candidates, so I am uncomfortable making the argument that this particular candidate was/or was not worthy of support.
4) No matter what the Paul’s do the Gods and the mods will be suspicious. The same is true in reverse. Any local candidate could call AJ or theis SCC member and complain if they were in the same situation (an elected R official endorsing their opponent). The ethical point that I will concede is that if an SCC member wants to run for office, I would prefer that they resign and devote their energies to that effort.
If I decide to run for the open 1st CD seat, I promise that I will resign from the SCC first
If RPI came to a county to render assistance in local special election, great. RPI is is supposed to serve the counties, not vice versa.
When RPI comes to effect county leadership elections, that is out of line. When RPI shows up to dictate whom the County Central Committee members involved chose for a special election candidate, that is out of line.
On the subject of help needed for a County Supervisor special election, Deb Thorton and the Republicans of Johnson County currently could use help. If anybody can come and help, contact the Johnson Republicans.