Two Offices that Republicans Cannot Ignore

Wednesday, May 5, 2010, 4:00
Iowa, News Center, Top Story
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18 comments

Capitol Dome By James Johnson

State Treasurer. Secretary of State. Two important offices. Two ignored offices.

While Iowa’s political reporters are fixated on the 2010 gubernatorial race, history has taught us that he who holds the purse and he who counts the votes are powerful players in the political process. Thus, Republicans cannot afford to ignore them.

For nearly four years, Republican State Auditor David Vaudt has been warning about reckless spending by the Democrat legislature and governor. Yet he has been virtually ignored because State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald has been silent on the issue.

Television, radio, and print media outlets have paid little attention to Auditor Vaudt’s constant warnings of a rising sea of red ink. Beyond their periodic mentions of “possible inconsistencies” in the state budget, these traditional news mediums have been spiking this very newsworthy story.

But what would have happened if the Republican Party had controlled the State Treasurer’s office? Imagine if the State Auditor and State Treasurer had visited all 99 Iowa counties together, and had held press conferences and town hall meetings to expose the reckless Democrat spending going on under the Golden Dome.

The outcome would have been a political lynch mob of Iowa taxpayers from river to river, voting Democrats out of office in the legislative elections of 2008, and buying new rope for a gubernatorial hanging in 2010.

Also, for the last four years, ultra-rich Democrats like George Soros have been engaging in what they call “The Secretary of State Project.” Never heard of it? Not surprising. Because you are not meant to.

It is an under-the-radar political strategy to pick off the all-too-often ignored Secretary of State seat in every state, beginning with targeted states like Minnesota, Washington… and, yes, Iowa.

They picked off the Minnesota seat in 2006. Two years later, on Election Day 2008, Republican U.S. Senator Norm Coleman won reelection over Democrat challenger Al Franken. The statewide recount a few days later showed the same thing: a Coleman victory.

But the Secretary of State refused to certify the win, and spent the next six weeks stealing the election from Coleman and giving it wholesale to the former Saturday Night Live jester.

By claiming that upon closer inspection many of Coleman’s votes were invalid, and that many Franken votes had been “found” during the process, the Minnesota Secretary of State gave the Democrats their future “60th Vote” for the 2010 government takeover of the American healthcare system.

Scary? Yes! But that was nothing compared to what the Democrats did in Washington state four years earlier.

In 2004, Republican Dino Rossi beat Democrat Chris Gregoire outright. That is, on Election Day. In the days that followed, the Democrat Secretary of State refused to certify the win, and claimed that his office had detected voting irregularities in heavily Democrat precincts. Wouldn’t you know it that weeks later, the Secretary of State certified that the Democrat candidate was the actual winner, because thousands of uncounted ballots were suddenly “discovered,” nearly all of which were designated for the Democrat candidate.

We are in a war. A war for Western Civilization. If “We the People” can no longer ensure free elections in our own country, than “We the People” have ceased to be our own rulers, and are instead ruled by a cabal of dark, sinister, and evil men who will stop at nothing in their lust for power.

State Treasurer. Secretary of State. These offices matter. Do not ignore them.

Tags: Democratic, George Soros, GOP, Iowa, Primary, Republican, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, United States, Washington

About the Author

James M. Johnson has written 22 stories on this site.

James M. Johnson is the president of the Iowa Republican Assembly, which works to get constitutionally minded conservatives elected to leadership positions in the Republican Party, and to elective office on the local, state, and federal level. He has worked on over 50 political campaigns and holds an M.A. in public policy with a concentration in political communication.

18 Comments on “Two Offices that Republicans Cannot Ignore”

Deace voted for Obama wrote on 5 May, 2010, 5:33
Thank you for this timely article Democrats do not care how they achieve an office. They will use fraud if they have to. Their goal is to just get close and then they’ll use whatever means necessary to get over the finish line.

Between outright fraud and the stupid “third party” voters in MN, we have Al Franken in the senate instead of Coleman. Saving just this one office would have saved America.

Stalin said, “It’s not who votes that counts but it’s who COUNTS the votes.” Take back the Sec. of State office and the State Treasurer.
Timmy wrote on 5 May, 2010, 6:06
ALL of the Statewide offices matter!!! One of the biggest things overlooked about the Governor’s race is who has the biggest “coattails”? Why is it Branstad gives props to Brenna Findley at every opportunity? It’s because he understands the importance of taking back the office of Attorney General. After June 8th, it will be just as important for the nominee to canpaign for these “down-ticket” candidates and for Republicans to go out and support them!!!
GMH wrote on 5 May, 2010, 6:36
Tremendous article. The war against Western civilization has many important fronts. This is one of them.

Gabe Haugland
Hadenough wrote on 5 May, 2010, 7:03
Thanks to the TIR for pointing out the importance of these races. Remember that if there had not been a Democratic SOS in MN, then there would be no Sen. Franken. Elections do have consequences.
Because SOS and Treasurer do have primaries to decide the winner is most likely why Branstad is not making any comment. Brenna Findley does not have a primary opponent. I am sure once all of the nominees are determined that the GOP candidates will be working together to insure a Republlican sweep of statewide offices.
Timmy wrote on 5 May, 2010, 7:14
We have our best opportunity to take these seats back in decades, let’s not pi$$ it away!!!
Deace voted for Obama wrote on 5 May, 2010, 7:15
Hadenough: I hope you are right. We must think BIG PICTURE. This means taking back both houses of the legislature and Terrace Hill.
Herbie Hancock wrote on 5 May, 2010, 7:36
Don’t overlook another benefit: People like Matt Schultz (if he wins the primary) are going to deepen our bench for the future as well if we get them in the SOS office.
Timmy wrote on 5 May, 2010, 7:41
Herbie, I’ve already “endorsed” him! If you have any spare change, I’m sure he could use a donation. You are right, we need younger folks to run for office. The GOP looks too much like the Gray Old Party!!!
Iowans Rock wrote on 5 May, 2010, 8:28
Herbie, where have you been? We have a four term governor running to take back his position who threw lots of other “future” leaders out of the race. If TB is on the top of the ticket expect a bright young star like Matt Schultz (if he wins the primary) to go down the tubes also. And Timmy, if you need the definition of hypocrite just look in the mirror. “We need younger folks to run for office. The GOP looks too much like the Gray Old Party!!!” Hail, hail to Terry Branstad and the old white man party!!!!!!!!!!!
TheThinker wrote on 5 May, 2010, 8:28
Matt Schultz and Dave Jamison are going to win these primaries. No doubt.
Herbie Hancock wrote on 5 May, 2010, 10:42
IR, the coattails Branstad provides will bring in a new wave of young up and comers running for house and senate races. BVP is hardly a “future leader” after running for governor for ten years. Not to mention, when the entire general campaign becomes about gay marriage instead of jobs, we lose, therefore eliminating the coattails that Branstad would otherwise provide. In 4 years (or whenever Branstad were to step aside), we would have a huge bench of people like Brenna Findley, Matt Schultz, Renee Schulte, Annette Sweeney, Erik Helland, Chris Hagenow, Peter Cownie, Shawn Hamerlinck, Kim Reynolds, etc., waiting in the wings to potentially step up and be the next stars of the party.

If we sink the top of the ticket with a BVP nomination, we potentially lose a lot of the names listed above as well.
CVN 76 wrote on 5 May, 2010, 10:46
Wow, IR…

Just couldn’t pass up and opportunity to smack at TB could you? Everyone can see the desperation in the Vander Plaats campaign by the day. Its almost sad to watch, really.

To see a candidate who quite frankly, should have been walking away with this nomination, be reduced to also-ran status..and is looking at the very real possibility of finishing THIRD in this primary.

Then we’re going to hear all summer people like you bashing the Republican Party..throwing your little temper tantrums because Republican voters didn’t coronate BVP.

Face the facts, IR…Vander Plaats has run an absolutely HORRID campaign. He wasted his campaign funds, marginalized himself into a single issue candidate, and alienated supporters by allying himself with hypocritical groups like IFPC.

Come June 9th..BVP will have no one to blame..but..BVP. Now, whether or not supporters like you get that through your skulls is another matter altogether.
Shane Vander Hart wrote on 5 May, 2010, 10:57
Great post, whoever ends up being the Republican nominee for Governor – they need to campaign for these down the ticket offices.

IR – BVP would have a hard time enforcing the executive order w/o an Attorney General in his corner. That office will be crucial in the gay marriage battle, as well as, other legal challenges that may crop up down the road.
heart iowa wrote on 5 May, 2010, 11:47
I think it’s important to have someone like a Rod Roberts whose religious views govern the decisions he makes. As a Christian conservaitve (and a pastor!), Rod Roberts is the true conservative with his moral compass pointed in the right direction.
Venti Americano wrote on 5 May, 2010, 12:21
George Eichhorn should not be counted out. He knows election lawn, and he chaired the CIETC investigation. Yes, he is older than Matt Schultz, but I am not convinced that Schultz has the legal experience that he does.
TheThinker wrote on 5 May, 2010, 13:10
Venti Americano,

There is no way George wins this one. He loses everything he runs for. George might be a smart guy, but he doesn’t campaign very well. Schultz has tons of energy and from what I can tell he will be a winner. Experience won’t defeat Schultz.

It looks like we have a great lineup of rising stars in Brenna Findley, Matt Schultz and Dave Jamison.
GrassRoots Conservative wrote on 5 May, 2010, 14:14
Thinker, True! Energy counts a lot, and on a down-the-ticket race like SOS, it may overcome the experience issue. But “I-Corn” is lining up a lot of endorsements, even from the eastern part of the state. Not sure how those affect voter turn out, but perhaps a little.
Timmy wrote on 5 May, 2010, 15:01
“Terry Branstad…. the old white man of the Republican party”(Unlike the “youthful’ BVP???).

BTW, what kind of “coattails” does a guy have that can’t even vote for himself???