Blast from the past: George Kinley

Some of you old timers may remember former State Senator George Kinley, a Democrat from the south side of Des Moines who ran for governor in 1986. Kinley, who is now 72 years old, had served as Majority Leader of the Senate.  But in the late ’80s and early ’90s, Kinley was part of the “Montana Mafia” in the Iowa Senate — a small group of senators who had a penchant for tying the senate up in knots.  Montana’s was a bar that was near the statehouse back in the day.  “Montana Mafia” members/senators were Kinley, along with fellow Democrat Berl Priebe of Algona; Jack Rife, a Republican from Moscow, Iowa; and John Soorholtz, a Republican from Melborne, Iowa.     

If you drive in and out of the Des Moines airport, you will see Kinley’s business — Kinley Golf & Sports — at 5101 Fleur Drive, just across the street from the airport.  Kinley was first elected to the Iowa House in 1972, then he was elected to the Iowa Senate in 1974.  It seems that while Kinley left the Iowa Senate in 1993, he kept his campaign committee intact.  Today, you can read that after 17 years, Kinley has donated the $606.37 that remained in the account to three Catholic-connected charities, closing the books on his campaign account.