Deace’s Take: Jeff Lamberti

Of the four men in our field, no one has a more accomplished political resume than Lamberti. That resume, along with his family’s bank account and business connections, will instantly make him a formidable opponent in the race. I also agree with Craig’s assessment that Lamberti could benefit from a geographical advantage if he’s the only candidate in the race from Polk County. That Polk County money has to go somewhere, and Lamberti is a logical candidate to receive it.

However, I don’t agree with Craig that Lamberti’s biggest problem in his race against Boswell in 2006 was it was a bad year for Republicans. Lamberti’s biggest problem was Lamberti.

He failed to take the fight to Boswell. For example, he absolutely allowed himself to get obliterated on embryonic stem cell research with nary a counter-punch. How does that happen to a pro-life Catholic in a congressional district that has a lot of pro-life Catholics? Probably the only reason Lamberti ran a more credible campaign against Boswell than Stan Thompson did in 2002 and 2004 is because Lamberti had more money than Thompson.

While in the state senate, Lamberti also voted to confirm homosexual activist Jonathan Wilson to a six-year term on the state board of education, a vote that is absolutely inexplicable for any Republican that wants Christian conservative support under any circumstances but particularly in the post-Varnum v. Brien environment we live in today.

Lamberti’s money will certainly make him a force to be reckoned within the GOP gubernatorial primary, but as the recent Iowa Caucuses have proven money isn’t everything. To avoid being the next well-financed bridesmaid he has to adequately explain the Jonathan Wilson vote, and as a Catholic exhibit some moral conviction on the marriage/separation of powers issue that so far he’s been completely silent on.