Palin endorses Branstad

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has endorsed former Governor Terry Branstad’s bid for a fifth term as Iowa’s governor.  Read what she had to say on Facebook.  Below is a copy & paste of what she wrote on Facebook:

Iowa, your great state’s motto is “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.” That motto will be well served by voting for Terry Branstad for governor next Tuesday!

Please join me in supporting Governor Branstad’s campaign. Visit his website here, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

I’m told by Branstad’s campaign staff that Palin herself called Branstad’s campaign office right before she posted her endorsement on Twitter & Facebook.  She talked with the man who answers the phones at campaign HQ, and the receptionist passed the message along to Branstad.

Branstad 2010 statement on the endorsement of Sarah Palin

(DES MOINES) – Governor Branstad 2010 spokesman Tim Albrecht released the following statement on Sarah Palin’s endorsement of Terry Branstad for Iowa governor:

“Sarah Palin joins thousands of Iowans in recognizing that Terry Branstad is the honest, conservative leader Iowa needs to fix Gov. Culver’s mismanagement of Iowa’s budget. Terry Branstad signed the state’s largest tax cut in history, left the state with a $900 million surplus and led the state to record employment. She, along with conservatives across the state, recognize Terry Branstad’s strong record of leadership in Iowa.

“This latest endorsement further demonstrates the broad base of support that Gov. Branstad continues to build in his campaign for governor.”

UPDATE:  the Iowa Democratic Party issued a statement.

BRANSTAD CALLS IN REINFORCEMENTS
 
DES MOINES, IA – Today, Sarah Palin, half-term former Governor of Alaska, surprisingly endorsed former Governor Terry Branstad.
 
“Iowans finally saw a primary poll this week and the Branstad campaign was so worried about their support that they asked Sarah Palin for an endorsement,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan.
 
In a recent primary poll, Branstad polled at only 46% among primary voters with Bob Vander Plaats polling at 31%.1  Branstad has never won a Republican primary with less than 52%.2
 
The Branstad campaign has been airing television ads since January and they have spent $2 million on television ads attacking Governor Chet Culver, only to see his lead against Governor Culver cut in half and lose ground to his primary opponents. It must be time to call in the reinforcements.
 
“Terry Branstad is a former four term governor. How he will manage to come out of this primary without a solid majority of Republicans is amazing to me. I am not sure Sarah Palin’s endorsement is going to help much,” said Kiernan.
 
“Much like Terry Branstad, she doesn’t exactly embody commitment to public service and fiscal responsibility. When tough economic times hit the country, Chet Culver rolled up his sleeves. But, Sarah Palin cut and ran.”