IA District 4...Latham running unopposed

[pstans]

I saw this post and noticed that Tom Latham is running unopposed. I live in District 4 and see beating Latham as important as beating Leach and winning in District 1.

Original post in GD-Politics here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

From PDAmerica e-list mail:

If You're Still Asking, "What Can I Do?"
By Rita A. Weinstein of WA

Can you believe it? The following is a list of 70 congressional districts where Republicans are running unopposed.

It's possible that in some of these districts, Democrats have stood up as candidates since the list was created, but this is what PDA is all about. Where Republicans are unopposed, democracy is critically endangered. If you live in one of these districts, you, too, can be an American hero. You owe it to yourself and to our nation's future either to become a candidate or to help identify someone willing to run. If a Democrat has declared their candidacy since this list was created, now is the time find out who your candidate is and acquaint that person with your PDA chapter.

Want to take our country back? This is how we do it. This is where it starts. If you're not sure which district is yours, you can find out at http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/dbq/officials /

Alabama 1, 2, 3, 4
California 2, 3, 19, 22, 25, 42, 44
Florida 1, 4, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, 18, 25
Georgia 6, 7, 9, 11
Kansas 2, 4
Indiana 4, 5
Illinois 13
Iowa 4
Missouri 7, 8, 9
Nebraska 1
New Jersey 2
New York 13
North Carolina 3, 6, 9, 10
Ohio 4, 8, 12
Oklahoma 1, 3, 4
Pennsylvania 9, 5
South Carolina 1, 2, 4
Tennessee 1, 2, 7
Texas 1, 2, 11, 12, 13,19, 23, 24, 31, 32
Utah 1, 3
Virginia 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10
Washington 5
Wisconsin 6

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/11/9/23658/7602 >

[Debi]

1. The Iowa Democratic Party cannot let this happen on what could be

a banner year for Democrats!

Do you know anyone in the 4th District who would be interested? The Party must work to recruit and help anyone who would want to run. Latham is think in Delay's problems, think in the Iraqi war, think in the republican tax cuts...this is a slightly Democratic District, we CAN take it back.

Anyone??

Counties in Iowa's Fourth District:

Allamakee
Boone
Calhoun
Cerro Gordo
Chickasaw
Dallas
Emmet
Floyd
Franklin
Greene
Hamilton
Hancock
Hardin
Howard Humboldt
Kossuth
Madison
Marshall
Mitchell
Palo Alto
Pocahontas
Story
Warren
Webster
Winnebago
Winneshiek
Worth
Wright

[amesdem]

6. It's sad day if Dems don't step up!

With the current siuations in our country and the national leadership failing. I'm wondering why can't we find people to stand up in this district and fight a politican that doesn't need to be there!

[Critters2]

17. With Ft. Dodge and Marshalltown

in the district, there should be some union leadership.

I do know that in Wright County people tend to vote Repug just because they always have, without even thinking about the issues. I knew people who voted Repub because Mary Louise Smith (RNC chair years ago, from Eagle Grove) was a friend. They admit they aren't religious right-types, don't think the war was a good idea, etc, but they've always voted Repug. It'll be hard to win against such thinking.

[IA_Seth]

2. How bout you Pstans??

I don't know anyone in any of the counties listed, but it would be a shame to just cede this district to the Republicans without fielding ANY candidate.

Any county chairs? Any Union Leaders?

There has to be someone?!

[progressoid]

3. I just sent an email to someone in that district

will let you know what I find out.

[blueloo]

4. Drew Miller blog notes some names

http://blog.drewmiller.net/archives/2005/11/whats_going_on.html

I like this blog.

[pstans]

5. This summer I heard that a former Professor in the Ag Dept from ISU was...

going to run. That might be the Neil Harl that the Drew Miller Blog had. I haven't heard anything since.

Are there any good state Senators or Reps?

[Critters2]

16. Neil Harl would be great!!

Does anyone know if he is seriously considering running?!

As for state senators, etc...the state senator who represents the part of the 4th where I lived (Eagle Grove), is Stewart Iverson. Nuff said.

[pstans]

7. Found this interesting stat on Latham

http://lathamwatch.blogspot.com/2005/05/farmer-latham.html

For someone who reported no income from actually farming on his latest financial disclosure, Tom sure has been raking in the subsidy bucks - he pulled down $438k from 1995 to 2002, which represents 8,429% of the national average subsidy for farmers. That is not a typo.

[DU9598]

8. I live in DSM

Maybe I should move from Polk County out to Waukee (Dallas County) and run against him. I am only 32 yo, but I am a trial lawyer and could probably debate him pretty well ... it is Latham afterall. He is certainly no rocket scientist.

[IA_Seth]

9. Please? n/t

[Debi]

10. You'd have my support!

:kick:

[ISUGRADIA]

12. actually you can run for any congressional seat as long as

you live in the state. people are unlikely to vote for someone who is not a resident, but it's constitutional.

"Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution sets forth three qualifications for representatives: each representative must be at least twenty-five years old, must have been a citizen of the United States for at least the past seven years, and must be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state he or she represents. It is not, however, requisite for the representative to live in his or her district. The age and citizenship qualifications for representatives are less stringent than those for senators."

[progressoid]

11. What the....? Is that for real? Amazing.

[Hungy]

13. Paul Johnson Ahoy!

Last time around, Latham was challenged by Paul Johnson. His posters featured wind turbines and he lacked organization. Needless to say, he didn't stand a chance in IA-4.

I've been considering folks to run against Latham, but no one who has enough real interest comes to mind. I've known State Senator Amanda Ragan for quite some time now, and I'll be working to convince her to run against Latham in a few years, but for now she's working to retain her seat in the state legislature.

In any case, I agree that someone needs to step up. I'm from Mason City, and I know that Latham is far from unbeatable. The question now is who it'll be.

[Debi]

14. Ragan would be a great choice

But in conversations with her prior to the 2004 race she had no interest in running for Congress.

Tim LaPointe? Chris Pederson (sp)? Someone earlier said Paul Fitzgerald from Story County. I just hate that, with Latham at such a vulnerable time, you can't find a candidate!!

[Hungy]

15. CP

Pederson is a great guy and all, but there is absolutely no way that he could win that seat from Latham... I mean, the guy quoted facts and figures for fifteen minutes straight and refused to say much of anything when he was invited to speak at the ICAN forum on Social Security in Mason City this June. It was a terrible time.

What about Foster? Zook just took his city council seat away, but I bet that if he was serious enough and hired the right people, he might have a chance. Foster's a very personable guy and his politics make sense.

Then again.... I don't know.