7 Dems contending to succeed Vilsack

Iowa Democrats insist that they are optimistic about their chances for holding onto the governor’s office in 2006 even as they face the uncertainty of a crowded and potentially rugged fight for the party’s nomination.

Seven Democrats have formally entered the June 2006 primary race. Six hopefuls were scheduled to appear at the party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson fundraising dinner Saturday night, which was billed as the campaign’s ceremonial start.

“I can’t remember it ever being this crowded,’’ said Joy Lowe, a Waterloo Democrat who has been active in party politics since the 1960s.

“I haven’t seen a primary yet that was polite,’’ she said. “I think it’s going to be kind of hot and heavy.’’

The current field includes former state economic development director Mike Blouin, Shenandoah Mayor Gregg Connell and Iowa Secretary of State Chet Culver, who officially joined the race Thursday.

Rep. Ed Fallon of Des Moines, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge, Sioux City engineer Sal Mohamed and Mark Yackle, the mayor of tiny Wallingford in Emmett County, also are running.

By contrast, the Republican primary is a two-man race between U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle of Manchester and Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats.

But none of the Dems can be considered to have achieved front-runner status as yet, and each brings their own "baggage" into the race, particularly involving their differences on some core Democratic issues.

The abortion debate centers on Blouin, a former congressman, who is anti-abortion in a party dominated by abortion rights supporters. Blouin has said he will not actively seek to place further restrictions on abortion, nor will he sign any bill that breaks existing constitutional protections.

But his rivals have pounced on the issue. Judge recently called on Blouin to explain why, as a congressman in the 1970s, he supported efforts to ban abortion. He also has faced questions about his opposition to embryonic stem cell research.

“The question is: Can a pro-life candidate capture the Democratic nomination?’’ said Dave Nagle, a former Democratic congressman from Waterloo who supports Culver. He contends that Democrats might be wary of supporting Blouin if they believe a newly configured U.S. Supreme Court will curtail abortion rights.

But Culver supports a limited death penalty, a position that puts him at odds with many Democrats. His rivals oppose reinstatement of capital punishment.

“I think we’re a big party, a big tent. I kind of welcome that debate and discussion,’’ said Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs, who has endorsed Blouin.

“The real center-stage issues are the ones that Iowans are talking to us about. And those continue to be the economy and education and access to health care,’’ he said.

But the economy is also dividing Democratic candidates.

Blouin, who directed the Iowa Department of Economic Development, has touted the impact of the Iowa Values Fund, a $75 million-per-year effort to entice new and expanding businesses. He contends that the program, championed by Vilsack, has helped create and retain thousands of jobs since 2003.

Fallon, who represents a poor central-city legislative district, has drawn applause from Democratic audiences by decrying the Values Fund as “corporate welfare’’ that takes resources away from schools and health care. Other hopefuls have said they would change the state’s development strategy.

Culver opened his campaign with a proposal for spending $100 million to boost Iowa’s alternative fuels industry.

Any of you political sooth-sayers care to handicap this race?