2012 Election: Epilogue, State Edition

[bedsitter23]

Equally important as the National election were some statewide races.

One of the most high profile was a judicial retention vote.

David Wiggins was up for retention, but Iowa's loudest Conservative mouth Bob Vander Plats went after him hard.

He drove around the state with Rick Santorum in a "No Wiggins' bus, ran at least two No Wiggins tv ads, and of course a NoWiggins website -spending tens of thousands of dollars in their effort.

So whether it should have or not, it seems like the Wiggins vote came down to a vote about gay marriage.  Both sides put some effort into it, though none worked harder than Vander Plats.

Wiggins was retained with 54%, although Vander Plats (a perennial failed candidate for governor) called it a victory of course-  saying that he had a large base of support that won't be ignored.

It was also a tough week for the Ames Straw Poll.

Iowa's Republican governor has said it has "outlived its usefullness."

Of course, it's not up to him and I  doubt it goes away.  It's a big fundraiser, a big boost for the state, the local economy, and the party.  Party chairman AJ Spiker has been pretty defensive about it in the wake of the governor's comments.

Still, let's look at last year's poll which was won by Michelle Bachmann (rarely considered a serious threat to Obama) and scared a possible contender in Tim Pawlenty out of the race.

Eventual caucus winner Rick Santorum finished 4th (getting just under 10% of the poll's support) and eventual GOP nominee Mitt Romney skipped it all together (as did Rick Perry who waited until it was over to announce his candidacy).

The Poll hardly picks a winner and is a list of failed attempts - Bachmann in 07, Romney in 03, Gramm in 95 (he tied with Dole), Pat Robertson in '87 and Georger HW Bush in 1979.

If you give it too much thought, you might a slo conclude the Iowa GOP caucus is about useless too (winners like Santorum and Huckabee, and way too much support for runners-up like Robertson and Gary Bauer). 

Still, I dig this stuff, so hopefully no one notices this fact as well.