Slow Filing Week

Slow Filing Week

The middle week of candidate filing is always dead, dead, dead. None of the novelty of filing first, none of the element of surprise in filing at the last second.

So far this week only three candidates, all for state House, have filed - two independents and a Republican.

The lone Republican is Tea Partier Richard Gates of Keokuk. Fresh off the third place Christopher Reed congressional campaign, he's now challenging freshman Democrat Jerry Kearns.

The two independents who've filed haven't left much political presence on line. Jason Marshall of Cedar Rapids is challenging Rep. Tyler Olson in House 38, while Dallas Ford of Panora filed against Republican Clel Baudler in House 59 (this, as I often ranted, is the district where would-be lieutenant governor Barb Kalbach lives).

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TheIowaRepublican claiming political grandstander Matt Schultz with a lead over serious election administrator Mike Mauro, with "undecided" in the lead. The common thread through the campaign rhetoric: Schultz talks about making it harder to vote, Mauro talks about helping people vote.

And Chuck Grassley joins the Dred Scott Republicans.