NIT – The 2014 election primary is over, and the remaining candidates for governor from the major parties – Terry Branstad and Jack Hatch – are wasting no time in going for each others throats.
On Wednesday day, the Jack Hatch – who ran unopposed in the primary – campaign released a stinging fundraising letter, saying the 5-term governor is hanging with some unsavory company.
“Terry Branstad has traveled this country looking for help, and now he’s getting some.
“After going to New Jersey to get pointers on expert denial and deflection from Chris Christie and ask Donald Trump for funds and advice, Branstad hopped on a private jet to Florida to soak in the wisdom of the Bush family’s next offering, former Gov. Jeb Bush.”
The Hatch campaign says that Branstad is trying to “buy” the election.
“And now, Branstad has a pile of cash. About half a million dollars just this week in television advertising courtesy of the Republican Governors Association (RGA), the former playground of both Christie and Bush.
This is how the RGA does it. Pull in the big money from donors in Washington, and use it against an Iowan who dares challenge one of their own. They buy elections. Don’t let them buy this one.”
Earlier this week, Hatch signaled more criticism of Branstad, saying “the Governor’s thoughtless vetoes of millions of dollars from a balanced bipartisan [budget] carried out in the quiet of a Friday evening hoping no one would notice are yet another example of a Governor who’s been there too long.”
Meanwhile, in a newly-released ad for Branstad, Jack Hatch is criticized for supporting a bill that placed limits on government authority to seize private property in Iowa for development. Hatch was also criticized in ads for not releasing his tax returns.
Branstad – who won his primary election 83% to 17% over Tom Hoefling, has started a 14 city tour to mark the beginning of his re-election campaign. His campaign recently announced $4.7 million cash-on-hand, with a significant over Hatch.
Hatch has been campaigning around the state, most recently in southeast Iowa.
“I’ll be back to southeast Iowa often this summer and fall,” he said last weekend.