As you may recall, former Iowa Congressman Greg Ganske of Des Moines was a wrestler. Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois was a wrestler, too. Hastert wrestled in both high school and college and he was a high school wrestling coach who had a team win a state title.
Former Iowa State wrestler and wrestling coach Jim Gibbons is one of the Republican candidates for Iowa’s third district congressional seat. Hastert will be at Ganske’s house for a St. Patrick’s Day fundraiser for Gibbon’s campaign. Read details below.
Des Moines, IA—Jim Gibbons, Republican candidate for Congress in Iowa’s Third Congressional District, announced today that former Congressman Greg Ganske will hold a fundraiser for Gibbons at his home on March 17, 2010. This event will feature former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Dennis Hastert.
When asked about the fundraiser for Jim Gibbons, Congressman Ganske said, “In 1994 when I beat 36-year incumbent Congressman Neal Smith to help Republicans take back the House of Representatives, it was time for a change. It’s almost like déjà vu all over again. Speaker Hastert and I are hosting this event for Jim to help him win his primary and then beat Congressman Boswell.”
Jim Gibbons added, “I am truly honored to stand next to two great men like Congressman Greg Ganske and Speaker Dennis Hastert. I am grateful for their willingness to help me build a foundation that will help me win this election.
Congressman Greg Ganske was the last Republican to represent the Des Moines area in Congress, serving from 1995-2003. Speaker Dennis Hastert represented the Illinois 14th Congressional District from 1987-2007. He was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1999-2007.
During the last fundraising quarter, Gibbons raised over $207,000, outpacing embattled incumbent Democrat Congressman Leonard Boswell, who raised $169,000.
UPDATE: Dave Funk, one of Gibbons’ competitors in the GOP primary, issued a statement critical of Hastert. Read it below.
From The Funk for Congress Campaign;
Last summer, Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana spoke eloquently of the real problem in Washington while traveling through Iowa. “Republicans lost their way” is how Rep. Pence described it in multiple speeches.As a pilot, I know if you don’t chart a clear course and stay ever vigilant, you’re going to lose your direction and get lost. I hate to say it, but that happened under Dennis Hastert’s watch. The House Republican caucus lost its way with excessive spending and policies that didn’t represent the values and ideals of our party or the majority of American voters.
To be honest, Dennis Hastert was the “earmark king” of the Republican Party. And now Jim Gibbons has aligned himself with Dennis Hastert and the very philosophy and actions that resulted in our party losing control of Congress, the Senate and the White House.
How can we in Iowa’s Third District expect real leadership from Jim Gibbons, when he is joining forces with the leader who led the House Republicans on the spending spree with taxpayers money that cost conservatives their reputations as fiscally responsible small government leaders?
About O.Kay Henderson
Kay is a founding member of the Radio Iowa network newsroom. In 1994, she became the network’s news director. She’s a featured reporter and commentator on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press,” and the 2002 recipient of the Shelley Award.
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