This afternoon, former Governor Terry Branstad’s 2010 campaign announced Branstad now has the backing of twice as many legislators as Roberts has.  Branstad served 16  years as Iowa governor, from January of 1983 through January of 1999 (the reference below to 1991-1999 is to the legislator’s time of service which coincided with Branstad’s tenure as governor). Read the Branstad news release below.

(URBANDALE, Iowa) – Gov. Terry Branstad today announced the support of two legislators, Sen. Jim Hahn, R-Muscatine, and state Rep. Renee Schulte, R-Cedar Rapids.

“Terry Branstad is the person who can best lead this state through our budget crisis,” said Hahn, who served during Branstad’s term, 1991-1999. “I have seen firsthand his effective, conservative leadership. I look forward to working with him to identify ways to streamline our services.”

Schulte stressed the need for a governor who works with Iowans and comprehends the challenges families face.

“We need a leader who understands the concerns of Iowans, and Governor Branstad is out there, working every day to offer new ideas,” said Schulte. “We need jobs, a responsible state budget and a better educational system. Terry Branstad understands this and is offering meaningful solutions.”

Branstad pledged to work with Hahn and Schulte.

“I welcome the support of Jim and Renee, because it will take all of us working together to lead Iowa’s comeback,” said Branstad. “They are on the legislative front lines every day, and I appreciate their commitment to job creation, fiscal responsibility and to my campaign.”

Hahn and Schulte join Sen. Jerry Behn, R-Boone, Sen. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull , Sen. David Johnson, R-Ocheyeden, Sen. Larry Noble, R-Ankeny, Sen. Pat Ward, R-West Des Moines, Rep. Steve Lukan, R-New Vienna, Rep. Ralph Watts, R-Adel, Rep. Jeff Kaufmann, R-Wilton, Rep. Rich Arnold, R-Russell, Rep. Lance Horbach, R-Tama, Rep. Annette Sweeney, R-Alden, Rep. Henry Rayhons, R-Garner, Rep. Dave Tjepkes, R-Gowrie, Rep. Erik Helland, R-Grimes, Rep. Linda Miller, R-Bettendorf, and Rep. Doug Struyk, R-Council Bluffs. 

Read some of Gronstal’s comments on the IASB situation.  (That Radio Iowa story was posted at 12:10 p.m.; it will be updated with additional information as soon as possible.)  As of 1 p.m., the story has been updated and includes the tidbit that during a six-minute discussion about the IASB, Gronstal used the word “outraged” or “outrageous” five times.   He also used the word “unbelievable” once.  The questions about the IASB were at the start of the Q&A on Iowa Press.   Here’s the show’s home page.  The video from today’s show may be posted soon.  The video from today’s show is posted online.

UPDATE at 4:47 p.m.:  IASB spokeswoman Megan Forgrave emails a response:  “The Iowa Association of School Boards has been looking into financial matters here, and hired an external financial firm to help do that. We are happy to respond to the Legislative Oversight Committee. IASB has over 60 years of history serving school districts. We have worked to keep dues low, so that a minimal amount of tax dollars are used for operational costs – they are about a third of our revenues. Our business services are competitive with others and many of them in fact help stretch tax dollars. The Safety Group Insurance Program, for example, will pay Senator Gronstal’s Council Bluffs school district a dividend of $33,196 this spring and they paid dues this year of $10,366. We are committed to resolving this issue and moving on.”

Des Moines, IA (March 11, 2010) – The Iowa Association of School Boards’ Board of Directors took several actions Wednesday and Thursday during a meeting in Des Moines to continue evaluation of the organization’s finances and to address allegations of wrongdoing that have surfaced in whistleblower complaints.

In addition, they voted to hold member dues at their current rate or lower them if possible, in order to help districts deal with the 10 percent across-the-board cut announced last fall; the Board also emphasized that many of IASB’s programs that help stretch tax dollars continue to be strong and secure.

The board:
• Retained Brick Gentry P.C. as outside legal counsel to investigate all whistleblower complaints and other allegations.
• Placed IASB executive director Maxine Kilcrease on administrative leave, until an investigation into all allegations is complete.
• Appointed Harry Heiligenthal, IASB’s leadership development director, as the interim director of the organization. Harry has worked for IASB, out in the field with boards, for 10 years. He has done extensive board training with boards in the Lighthouse program and works on IASB’s research team. He is a former middle and high school teacher and principal.
• Voted not to increase member dues for the 2010-11 school year; the Board may in fact choose to lower them to help districts weather the 10 percent across-the-board cut announced by the governor last fall, but will wait to decide whether that is feasible until after they’ve heard all financial reports. The Board has been discussing lowering dues since that across-the-board cut was announced last fall.
• Will continue using the outside services of LWBJ Financial to conduct accounting services and Brooks Lodden to complete the annual audit. We expect the 2009 audit to be completed in May.
• Strengthened internal financial controls by, among other things, adding new board member Roger Shaffer of Sumner, who is a certified public accountant, to the audit committee.
“The IASB Board and staff are working long hours and are committed to dealing with this financial situation so we can get back to focusing on our top priority, which is our members and quality education for all kids,” said Russ Wiesley, IASB board president and a Waukee school board member. “Although IASB is currently also managing its own difficult financial situation, we want to emphasize that many of our services to members are incredibly beneficial, financially and otherwise. To address financial stewardship, districts are about to receive their Safety Group Insurance Program dividends, which typically outweigh their dues by far and stretch tax dollars to the benefit of the public.”
A spreadsheet that shows what every school district pays in dues, and the dividends they will receive this spring through the Safety Group Insurance Program, will be made available today at www.ia-sb.org. The Safety Group Insurance Program allows schools to pool their buying power and receive lower insurance rates and better coverage than they could get alone; in addition, districts receive a dividend back at the end of the year, based on the premium they put into the group. Dues are calculated based on enrollment.
The Independence school district, for example, paid $4,805 in dues last year and received a dividend of $20,262. The Dubuque school district paid $10,366 in dues last year and received a dividend of $150,031. The Safety Group is only one of several IASB programs that help schools make the most of their taxpayer dollars in a responsible way. On the non-financial side, IASB also provides many valuable services for its dues-paying members, ranging from legal and policy advice to training for newly elected board members. A few other examples of district savings are highlighted below, to illustrate what various districts gain from IASB.
Burlington CSD    Dues: $10,366     Dividend: $25,290
Cedar Rapids CSD       Dues: $10,366     Dividend: $84,522
College CSD     Dues: $10,366     Dividend: $87,488
Council Bluffs CSD      Dues: $10,366     Dividend: $33,196
Dubuque CSD               Dues: $10,366     Dividend: $150,031
Fairfield CSD                Dues: $5,887       Dividend: $32,213
Independence CSD       Dues: $4,805      Dividend: $20,262
“The Safety Group is one of the valuable services IASB provides for its member schools. When you think it’s a 3 to 1 here in Council Bluffs, that helps us stretch our tax dollars further,” said Marvin Arnpriester, Council Bluffs school board president. “That’s $20,000 last year, which is a partial teacher salary or books we’re able to buy, that’s what we’re talking about. When we look at what we pay in dues and what is paid back, it feels good.”
Melissa Kiliper-Ernst, the Cedar Rapids school board president, echoed that. “IASB has provided many valuable services to school districts over the years,” she said. “We look forward to the resolution of their current financial issues and the resumption of trust, fiscal responsibility, and high quality service.”

IASB is a private, nonprofit organization representing Iowa’s 361 school districts,
10 area education agencies and 15 community colleges.

Revenue Estimating Conference members, from left to right, David Underwood, Richard Oshlo and Holly Lyons

The three-member State Revenue Estimating Council met early this afternoon. Their estimate of state tax collections in fiscal year 2010 was reduced by about $900,000.   (Fiscal year 2010 began July 1, 2009 and concludes June 30, 2010.)  Their estimate of state tax collections in fiscal year 2011 increased by over $30 million.  (For you insiders, it’s up $33.1 million from the December, 2009 estimate.)  Here’s a pdf if you like to read lots of numbers.

“I hope we’re wrong, but we wanted to err on the conservative side,” Legislative Services Agency director Holly Lyons said to conclude the meeting.

These estimates are used by lawmakers to build the state budget plan.  UPDATE: Lawmakers and the governor have issued statements.  Read them below, in the order they were received by yours truly.

(DES MOINES)—Today House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) released the following statement on the Revenue Estimating Conference recent report on Iowa’s revenue:

“The Legislature cannot use this slight increase in revenue as an excuse to spend more taxpayer money.  As we’ve learned over the past three years, excessive spending for short term goals is not the answer.

“House Republicans offered $290 million in savings this session and over $600 million in savings in the last two sessions.  Spending less, saving more and enacting reasonable savings is the path House Republicans prefer.”

tDes Moines, IA — Governor Chet Culver issued the following statement after the March meeting of the Revenue Estimating Conference. The Conference, which meets quarterly, includes the Director of the Department of Management, Dick Oshlo; the Division Director of the Legislatives Service Agency, Holly Lyons; and a member representing the general public, David Underwood. Under Iowa law, the REC determines the official estimate used by the Governor in preparing the budget for the following fiscal year.

“Just as my Council of Economic Advisors told us last week, today’s Revenue Estimating Conference shows that Iowa is on the road to recovery.  While this $33.1 million increase in next year’s budget is small, it shows that our efforts to grow our economy are working. The REC’s report also confirmed FY10 budget remains balanced.

“I understand that this increase in state revenues – while good for State Government – is little comfort to those who still are without a job or are concerned about the impact this national recession is having on the services they rely upon.  And with only weeks remaining in the legislative session, there are many tough decisions we must make.   However, I want Iowans to know that as Governor, I will not stop fighting to make sure that we protect our priorities, keep our fiscal house in order, and make the sound investments that will put Iowans back to work and move Iowa forward.”

tStatement from Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, Senate  President Jack Kibbie, House Speaker Pat Murphy, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy
“The updated revenue estimate confirms what most Iowans already knew: The lingering national recession continues to hit Iowa workers, families, communities and businesses.

“While the new estimate gives us hope that our economy has stabilized and we’re in the beginning stages of recovery, we know Iowa families continue to struggle to make ends meet. Everybody is continuing to cut back, including state government. That’s why we are keeping our focus on budgeting responsibly, reorganizing state government, finding other savings wherever possible, and keeping our state’s fiscal house in order.

“Our intention is to deposit the projected new revenues into the state’s ‘rainy day’ fund to avoid the need for mid-year cuts in education, health care and public safety in the upcoming fiscal year. As announced earlier, a portion of the ‘rainy day’ fund will be used next year to protect Medicaid services for vulnerable Iowans, including critical health care services.

“In the final days of the 2010 session, Democrats are more committed than ever to balancing the budget without raising taxes, continuing to listen to Iowans, and creating more accountability in state government. We are moving ahead with an economic plan to ensure that middle-class Iowa families and small business recover from the national recession stronger than ever.”

DES MOINES – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) today commented on the Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) report detailing Iowa’s estimated revenue levels:

“With spending far exceeding revenue during the last three years, it should come as no surprise to anyone that Iowans are upset with the current fiscal condition of our state. Senate Republicans believe we should take the new revenue projections and ensure Iowa’s new budget spends less than our state takes in and truly reflects the priorities of Iowans. This is not the time to continue the unsustainable spending of the last three years that have resulted in higher job-killing property taxes.”

There will be no change, however, in what had been among the most controversial proposals:  imposing new restrictions on the state tax credit companies like Rockwell Collins, Pioneer and John Deere claim for “research activities.”  Democrats are proposing changes in what’s known as the “supplemental research activities credit” but those credits are awarded by the Department of Economic Development to research-oriented companies that promise to create new jobs.  Democrats didn’t have the votes to significantly change the research activities credit that is part of the tax code, despite the desire on the part of some Democrats to end the practice of the state cutting checks to some of the companies that claim the research activities credit.  If you’ve not been following this debate closely, companies sometimes have a research activities credit that is worth more than the amount of overall taxes they owe the state.  Therefore, the Iowa Department of Revenue writes a check to the company equal to total taxes owed minus the companies research activities credit.  That last part would look cooler and perhaps be more understandable if I was writing on a chalkboard and wrote:

State tax liability – research activities credit = check for our biz

Democrats do propose a new ”cap” on Department of Economic Development tax credits, lowering that cap from $185 million to $120 million.  Senator Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City), the chairman of the Senate Ways & Means (tax policy) Committee, put it this way in a news conference earlier today:  “I think we felt that everybody needs to share in the pain of this downturn, not just teachers and not just health care providers and prison workers and state employees but that this part of spending, which is kind of over here and out of our site, needs to step up.”

The bill passed on a 35 to 13 vote.  Senator Matt McCoy (D-Des Moines) sat at his desk in the senate, but did not vote for or againt the legislation.  A few moments ago, he described that as a sort of “protest.” 

“I am so torn because my local government officials tell me it is almost impossible to live under the law and not break the law innocently,” McCoy said.  McCoy also suggested the legislature hasn’t done enough to ensure its own operations are conducted in public and not behind closed doors.  He cited the increased frequency of what are called “caucuses.”  Caucuses are meetings in which members of one political party stop the action of a public meeting (or public debate) and go into a private meeting.

The next stop for HF777 is the Iowa House which must consider changes senators made in the legislation.

At this hour the Iowa House is in the midst of a debate about guns.  Representative Matt Windschitl, a Republican from Missouri Valley, is a former Marine and he is also a trained gunsmith.  He works in the family business in Missouri Valley, the Double Barrell Shooters Supply.

Windschitl has offered a new plan as an alternative to a bill that would take guns away from people who’ve been convicted of dometic violence.  Instead, Windschitl proposes a state tax credit for domestic abuse victims who buy a new gun.  And he also wants to create a new state fund that would provide self-defense training to domestic abuse victims, including the technique of shooting “to wound” rather than shooting to kill.  That new state fund would be financed by a new $500  fine assessed to those who are convicted of domestic assault.

Representative Wayne Ford (D-Des Moines), on two occasions, brought up the subject of sexual assault among members of the military because he’d seen a “60 Minutes” piece on the topic. 

“Even when you give a woman a gun and a right to kill, she is still a little nervous of pulling the trigger on a man who is beating her or doing something wrong to her and that’s mind-boggling to me,” Ford said.  “….How many times have we heard, ‘Oh, I love him.  He won’t do anything.’ And then we go to the funeral.”

Ford then asked Representative Ray Zirkelbach (D-Monticello) to “yield,” which means Ford asked Zirkelbach a question or questions during House debate.  And you should know that Zirkelbach was in the Iowa National Guard unit which spent nearly two years on active duty in Iraq.  ”Did you see anything on how females were treated in the service fighting and protecting us Americans?” Ford asked.

“Yes, they were treated terribly by our government,” Zirkelbach replied.

“Can you expound upon that?” Ford said.

“I remember a few cases over there where — and it was always kind of a hush-hush deal because you’ve got to remember we were under the Bush Administration so, I mean, everything about the war was kind of messed up, so,” Zirkelbach said.

Representative Clel Baudler (R-Greenfield) shouted “point of order” at this point, interrupting Zirkelback mid-sentence.

House Speaker Pat Murphy (D-Dubuque) let Baudler have the floor. “I hate to interrupt, but this is getting far off the subject of domestic abuse.  This is not sexual abuse from people that basically don’t know one another. This is domestic abuse by intimate partners or spouses so I would ask that you confine your conversation to that and not (speak) about political positioning,” Baudler said. 

Murphy didn’t hesitate.  “Representative Baudler, your point is well taken.  The amendment that is before us deals with the withdrawing of weapons from somebody that’s been convicted of domestic violence and we would like people to keep it in the general comment area of that point…Representative Zirkelbach, would you like to approach the well?”

Zirkelbach replied: “Yes I would, Speaker Murphy.  I object to what Representative Baudler had to say.”

At this point, Murphy used his “dad” voice — the dad voice you might hear when you’ve done something really wrong as a child.  “Representative Zirkelbach, please approach the well right now.”  (The well is the central area of the House floor, where the House Speaker sits as he presides over debate.)

After a couple of minutes, Zirkelbach returned to his seat. Murphy told the House in a very calm voice that Ford had ”four minutes and 23 seconds left to speak.” (House members are allowed to speak in 10 minute increments.)

Ford then, again, asked Zirkelbach about the incidents of domestic abuse within the military.  “Before I comment, I’d like to apologize for editorializing my answer,” Zirkelbach said to begin.

A few moments later, just as Representative Windschitl was recognized to speak before a vote on his gun-related proposal, House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen asked for a time out.  Republicans left the floor of the House and met in private.

When debate resumed, there was no explanation, but debate on Windschitl’s tax credit for gun purchases and self-defense training for dometic abuse victims was tabled and House members moved on to other amendments that made changes to the bill which would allow law enforcement to take guns away from those convicted of domestic abuse.

Read the news release about Schickel’s endorsement after the jump:

Republican Party of Iowa State Central Committee member Bill Schickel has resigned as Secretary of the Party in order to support the gubernatorial campaign of State Representative Rod Roberts. Schickel said he resigned because officers have agreed to remain neutral in the primary.  He will, however, complete his term as a member of the State Central Committee representing the 4th District.

“I can no longer remain neutral,” said Schickel, a former state representative and Mason City mayor. “Our party is currently divided. Neither of the frontrunners has shown that they can bring the two sides together. If the current division continues we will certainly lose in November. Rod Roberts has the best chance of beating Chet Culver.”

“He is the only candidate who has demonstrated he can bring together the fiscal and social conservative wings of our party. He has also proven that he can attract the Independents and Democrats that are critical to victory,” Schickel said. “He has done it during the campaign. He did it as a state representative. And he did it in five previous elections.”

“Rod is an underdog right now, but he is also the candidate with momentum,” Schickel said. “While the numbers for the frontrunners have remained essentially flat, Rod in the past three months has gone from almost no voter recognition to capturing 19 percent of the Republican vote in the Dallas County straw poll and winning the Guthrie County straw poll this past weekend.”

“Whenever Republicans meet him, they are won over,” Schickel said. “He is a solid fiscal and social conservative who is also a fresh face. That is exactly what our party needs, and more importantly, what Iowa needs.”

AUDIO: Santorum’s speech

“It wasn’t what I was planning on talking about, but I have to do a little aside because I understand that there have been some robocalls being made to people, talking about my pro-life convictions,” Santorum said about two minutes into his speech.

At the 16 minute mark of the speech, Santorum was addressing the specific criticism of his decision to endorse Senator Arlen Specter’s reelection bid in 2004.  “That was against the advice of my wife.  You would think after 20 years I would know better, but I was wrong in retrospect.  Now, the odd thing is I actually did it was for the pro-life cause…The reason I did was because he gave us a promise as chairman of the judiciary committee….to support two Supreme Court picks that the president was going to have after 2004 — Justice Roberts and Justice Alito.  Good intentions, not always a good result.”

This is what Santorum had to say about the people who may be behind the robocall:   “Those…who say I’m not pro-life enough — I appreciate their zealotry.  I love their commitment and I will not criticize them for holding anybody to the highest standard and, look, I make mistakes.”

Santorum, at about 4 minutes into the speech, said Pennsylvania was a “tough state” politically for pro-lifers.  “I was a busy man.  I was an ambitious man. I was a pro-lifer, but I dared not talk about.  I never said the word abortion on the floor of the House of Representatives, not once in the four years that I was there and the first year I was in the United States Senate, I felt the same way.

“There’s one thing about representing a state like Pennsylvania: it’s a tough state.  You know, to win in a state like Pennsylvania, you have to be very smart politically I was told over and over again.  You’ve got to know what battles you have to pick…and certainly, don’t pick the pro-life issue…and I was content to do that.  Vote pro-life, work behind the scenes, try to get some votes.”

Santorum told the crowd his life changed in 1995 when he and his wife joined a new church and they began what Santorum described as a new “faith walk.”

“As I grew, I recognized the blind spots as a husband, as a father, as a leader,” Santorum said, leading into a story of leading debate as the senate attempted to override President Clinton’s veto of a partial birth abortion ban.

“I had not said a coherent sentence in my entire congressional career on the issue of abortion and there I was, hour after hour, leading this abortion battle,” Santorum said.

Santorum also spoke about the fatal defect that caused his third child to die soon after he was delivered.  ”We didn’t have an abortion.  We didn’t give him a death sentence.  We gave him a name: Gabriel…He was born premature…He lived two hours.  I got to hold him for two hours. I got to love him for two hours.  How many lives know only love?”

A few moments ago a “young man” sidled up to the press table where four reporters and three laptops are positioned and left a neon yellow flier which hits Santorum for being “opposed to Right to Work.”  The flier suggests Santorum has something “in common” with five “big labor chronies” who are also pictured on the flier — the five would be President Barack Obama, U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, State Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, Governor Chet Culver and Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy.  There’s a “paid for by the National Right to Work Committee” line on the back of the flier in fine print, below these words in large, bold print: “On July 10, 1996, Rick Santorum joined liberal politicians like Ted Kennedy and Tom Harkin in voting against S. 1788 (National Right to Work Act) on the floor of the U.S. Senate.  Please ask Senator Santorum to pledge to support Right to Work and to never support forced unionism again.”

Candidates for a variety of offices have tables surrounding the edgeof the sanctuary in which this event will be held.  

I’ve chatted with several people in the crowd to get a read on whether folks who’re part of the Christian Alliance have already chosen a candidate in the GOP gubernatorial primary.  Several spoke of Bob Vander Plaats with affection.  One woman said he would restore “Christian values” in the state.  Another said she had contemplated supporting former Governor Terry Branstad, but the recently-renewed scrutiny of his 16-year tenure as governor has prompted her to look elsewhere for a candidate. 

The most common sentiment I’ve heard, however, is that the crowd is most interested in having a Republican win the governorship in November.  As one man put it:  “We don’t want the ‘Big Lug’ anymore.” That would be a reference to current Governor Chet Culver, a Democrat who ran a campaign ad in 2006 which was narrated by his wife. ‘This big lug is my husband,” Mari Culver said.

The three GOP candidates (Terry Branstad, Rod Roberts and Bob Vander Plaats) will be speaking this evening.  (UPDATE:  click here to listen to all three speeches.)  At about 6:08 p.m. the crowd finally settles into their seats and a prayer is said to start the program.

At 6:30 p.m. Branstad steps to the mic for his three minutes, opening with a tribute to past leaders of the Christian Alliance, like Ione Dilley.  “I think it’s all of our obligation to carry on their legacy,” Branstad said. 

Then, he sought to reestablish connections with the group.  “I want to remind you that we worked together on a lot of things,” Branstad said, listing state laws on statistical reporting of abortions, banning partial birth abortion, and requiring parental notification.

Branstad then talked about his wife, Chris, and their wedding date, which is the day of the Watergate break-in. “We have an infamous anniversary,” he said, to a few chuckles. 

Then he started talking about gay marriage and noting he signed the Defense of Marriage Act into law, the law which was overturned by last April’s Iowa Supreme Court decision.  “I was deeply disappointed that the Iowa Supreme Court struck that down.  I believe the people of Iowa deserve the right to vote…to restore one man/one woman marriage in our state.”

Branstad accused the top two Democratic leaders in the Iowa legislature of being “so arrogant as to say we are not going to let the people of Iowa vote on this issue.  We need to replace them with people that will respond.”

Branstad next told the crowd he and his wife ”have a deep Christian faith…I know we’ve made our share of mistakes, but I think it’s critically important that we ask Jesus Christ for foregiveness…I want you to know that I will do all I can to restore moral values in our state…and to make this a place we can be proud of again.” 

That is the end of Branstad’s speech.  Roberts is second in the order, starting out by lauding the  “traditional values that make our state strong and provide a legacy for a children and grandchildren that we all can be proud of.”

Roberts talked about his background as a church development director and a legislator for the past decade.

“I’m running for governor because Iowans deserve a lot better than what they’ve getting out of Chet Culver,” Roberts said, to applause.  “…I can and I will beat Chet Culver this November.”

Trish, his wife, stood up and waved to the crowd as Roberts introduced her.  Roberts next tells the crowd more about himself. “I am a conservative.  I believe in limited government and personal responsibilities….Marriage is a sacred covenant between one man and one woman.” 

Roberts next talked about gay marriage:  “The people of Iowa have made it very clear they want to vote on the definition of marriage.”  Roberts then criticized Democrats in the Iowa House for voting to suspend the House rules last night for a vote on a proposal related to texting while driving, while not suspending the rules to consider a resolution which would set up a statewide vote on a constitutional amendment which would ban gay marriage.

Roberts returned to his electability argument, with a slight swipe at former Governor Branstad who critics say was recruited by the party’s power elite to run in 2010.

“I can beat Chet Culver,” Roberts said. “I am a new candidate who has stepped out and emerged from the people.  No one approached me to be a candidate…Together we can build a better Iowa…We can do a whole lot better than what we have currently in Chet Culver.”\

The third and final GOP gubernatorial candidate to speak was Bob Vander Plaats. “For all of you who drove in this fog to be here, I bring you good news…Republicans, Democrats, independnet, tea party people — they are united that this state needs new leadership.”

Vander Plaats then introduced his wife, Darla, to the crowd, saying the two ”met in church nursery school.”   He also told the crowd his son, Josh, was “wearing dad’s suit.”

Next up, an economic message from Vander Plaats, about “opening up this state for business…You do not open up this state for business by expanding gambling in the state of Iowa.”  The crowd applauded, and he continued: “I believe Iowa can be the next economic engine, but it needs to built on real economics…We have people of high moral, high character…now all they need is a governor to show leadership…and a governor to market this state as a right-to-work state, not a union shop state.”

Next up, the topic of education and an homage from Vander Plaats to parents who home school their children or send them to a parochial school. “f we’re going to be an economic engine, we’ve got to have world class education….it is the parent’s responsibilty to raise…and nurture the child, not the government’s…No more federal government in our classrooms.  That is not their constitutional right.”

Vander Plaats brings up the electability issue. “Ladies and gentlemen…,.poll after poll after poll shows our candidacy beating Chet Culver in a head-to-head competition….We no longer have to compromise in order to win and to lead.  We can be a principled conservative with a compelling vision.” 

Next, Vander Plaats mentions gay marriage and his vow to issue a stay ”on day one” that would put a stop to same-sex marriage licenses in Iowa.  He gets loudest applause of the evening for this oft-repeated declaration.

“Leadership is about core convictions and it’s about conviction and it’s also about who you surround yourself with.  My lieutenant governor will share my core convictions,” Vander Plaats said, a slap at Branstad who in 1990 chose as his running-mate Joy Corning, who supports abortion rights.

Steve Sheffler, head of the Iowa Christian Alliance, spoke to the crowd next, telling them, “Bill Clinton looked like a Sunday School picnic compared to the administration we’ve got now.”

He introduced Ralph Reed as a long-time friend and Reed took the stage at about 7 p.m.  “Are you ready to make history in Iowa in 2010?” Reed asked the crowd.  He joked about his fog-impaired travel to Des Moines.  “I made it as far as Minneapolis and I ran into Al Franken in the airport and I was so frightened…I jumped in a car.”

According to Reed, “Iowa is a critical, all important state for changing the direction of the country in 2010….Everybody knows that the eyes of America are going to be on Iowa in 2012 and you all play a critical and central role in choosing the president of the United States, but before we ever get to that, we’ve got an opportunity to begin that job…to end the Obama presidency this November.”

Reed called himself the “Dick Clark of conservative politics,” telling the crowd he was 78 years old.  “If you want to know how you can look that good at this age, it’s clean living…and I never, ever watch MSNBC.”  The crowd laughed and applauded.

Reed then offered a wide-ranging critique of President Obama, calling him the “most extreme and radical individual…ever.”

Reed told the crowd he was helping establish an Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition that would help educate God-fearing Iowans about how the candidates stand.  “We need to raise half a million dollars,” Reed said before volunteers began passing plastic containers through the crowd to collect donations.  “Tonight, when you give, we’re not a PAC and we’re not a candidate…Therefore, there is no limit to what you give here tonight.”

He said the National Faith and Freedom Coalition would match whatever is raised tonight in the hall.

At 7:21 p.m., Reed begins introducing Santorum to the crowd.  “This is a special time in America,” Santorum said to the crowd to open. “This is a turning point in America.”

But quickly Santorum addressed recent robocalls made into Iowa, questioning his pro-life bona fides.  Santorum told the crowd he’d had a 100 percent pro-life record during his years in the House and Senate, but then he told the crowd he had been reluctant to speak openly on the issue for several years.  “There are very few people who stand up..out of the foxhole and fight for life,” Santorum said, adding pro-life crusaders “pay a price” for taking a stand.

“Silence is not golden.  It’s yellow,” Santorum said, quoting former U.S. Senator Zell Miller.

Santorum described his years in the House and the first year in the senate thusly:  ”I was a busy man.  I was an ambitious man, but I dared not talk about it.  I never said the word abortion on the floor of the House of Representatives and the first year I was in the US Senate it was the same way…I was content to do that, work behind the scenes.”

Santorum then described how his life began to change in 1995.  He invited to a Bible study.  “I found a great church with my family and a wonderful leader of that church who inspired both Karen and I…and as I grew, I recognized the blind spots.”  His lack of public action on the abortion issue was among the blind spots, according to Santorum. 

Santorum discussed a bid in late 1996 to override President Clinton’s veto of a ban on partial birth abortion. Santorum read from a Washington Post article about that partial birth abortion debate in the Senate as well as from his own wife’s book about their baby, which died a few hours after delivery. 

As for those who accuse them of not being pro-life enough.  “I appreciate their zealotry and I will not criticize them….and look, I make mistakes…I endorsed Senator Arlen Specter for reelection.  That was against the advice of my wife….but I was wrong in retrospect.”  Santorum said he had done so because Specter had promised, as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to support President Bush’s nominees for the Supreme Court.

At 7:40 p.m., Santorum ended his defense on that topic and embarked on a discussion of the Obama Administration, dismissing it as being akin to European socialism. He called gay marriage “an attack on religious liberty.” 

“We’re at a critical junction in every aspect of our lives and what I say to that, ‘Thanks be to God that we’re here,’” Santorum said, talking about the Israelites of the Old Testament.  He suggested God was asking:  “Who will fight for me?”

He went back to the partial birth abortion issue, saying he was thankful Clinton vetoed the bill because it sparked a national debate about the procedure.  “For the first time since Roe v Wade, attitudes on abortion changed in America…because it became clear what abortion was,” Santorum said.

Santorum at 7:48 p.m. said he would close with some encouraging words.  “You’ll probably end up losing more than you’ll win when you talk about fighting this culture…but if you are faithful, you will end up making a difference.”

He quoted Mother Teresa: “God does not call on us to be successful.  He calls on us to be faithful.”  

He closed with this exhortation to the crowd: “You will stand up and say, ‘Here I am Lord.’”