Barry - Thanks for sharing you thoughts about Senator Grassley and his need to retire.
I voted for Chuck when he ran for the Senate in 1980. I was a young Republican working for the Iowa House Caucus Staff and former Pocahontas County Republican Chairman. While I would have preferred Grassley’s More moderate Primary opponent, Tom Stoner. But at that time in my life I couldn’t imagine anything more horrifying than voting for a Democrat so I blindly voted for Chuck that November. I was at that election night party at the Fort Des Moines Hotel ballroom and watched gleefully as my party took control of the Us Senate for the first time in my lifetime.
But much has changed since that 1980 election night. My former Republican Party is no longer the party I once loved. In fact, I can’t imagine anyone like Bob Ray, Art Neu, Mary Jane Odell,Jim Leach, George H.W. Bush or even Ronald Reagan ever being able to get through a GOP Primary today. There is no longer a place for voices of moderation, no longer a seat at the table for people like me or the elected officials I so for admired.
I was still a Republican when I moved back to Iowa ten years ago and was chatting with the then State Party Chairman a theGOP Fair Booth. When I expressed my concern that the party was working against the retention of an Iowa Supreme Court member who had voted f to allow gay marriage in Iowa, the Chairman said it sounds like you would be happier as a Democrat. So I took him up on his suggestion and walked across the aisle to the Democrats booth and reregister as a Democrat and was welcomed into the fold.
While I will be gladly voting for Democrats up and down the line this number I still long for the days when I worked in the Iowa legislature when Democrats and Republicans were able to put partisan differences aside and work together for a better Iowa. Maybe it’s a pipe dream but one can always hope. Mike Triggs (like you I started kindergarten in 1959)
Barry - Thanks for sharing you thoughts about Senator Grassley and his need to retire.
I voted for Chuck when he ran for the Senate in 1980. I was a young Republican working for the Iowa House Caucus Staff and former Pocahontas County Republican Chairman. While I would have preferred Grassley’s More moderate Primary opponent, Tom Stoner. But at that time in my life I couldn’t imagine anything more horrifying than voting for a Democrat so I blindly voted for Chuck that November. I was at that election night party at the Fort Des Moines Hotel ballroom and watched gleefully as my party took control of the Us Senate for the first time in my lifetime.
But much has changed since that 1980 election night. My former Republican Party is no longer the party I once loved. In fact, I can’t imagine anyone like Bob Ray, Art Neu, Mary Jane Odell,Jim Leach, George H.W. Bush or even Ronald Reagan ever being able to get through a GOP Primary today. There is no longer a place for voices of moderation, no longer a seat at the table for people like me or the elected officials I so for admired.
I was still a Republican when I moved back to Iowa ten years ago and was chatting with the then State Party Chairman a theGOP Fair Booth. When I expressed my concern that the party was working against the retention of an Iowa Supreme Court member who had voted f to allow gay marriage in Iowa, the Chairman said it sounds like you would be happier as a Democrat. So I took him up on his suggestion and walked across the aisle to the Democrats booth and reregister as a Democrat and was welcomed into the fold.
While I will be gladly voting for Democrats up and down the line this number I still long for the days when I worked in the Iowa legislature when Democrats and Republicans were able to put partisan differences aside and work together for a better Iowa. Maybe it’s a pipe dream but one can always hope. Mike Triggs (like you I started kindergarten in 1959)
Thanks Mr. Piatt. Great writing here.
Barry - Thanks for sharing you thoughts about Senator Grassley and his need to retire.
I voted for Chuck when he ran for the Senate in 1980. I was a young Republican working for the Iowa House Caucus Staff and former Pocahontas County Republican Chairman. While I would have preferred Grassley’s More moderate Primary opponent, Tom Stoner. But at that time in my life I couldn’t imagine anything more horrifying than voting for a Democrat so I blindly voted for Chuck that November. I was at that election night party at the Fort Des Moines Hotel ballroom and watched gleefully as my party took control of the Us Senate for the first time in my lifetime.
But much has changed since that 1980 election night. My former Republican Party is no longer the party I once loved. In fact, I can’t imagine anyone like Bob Ray, Art Neu, Mary Jane Odell,Jim Leach, George H.W. Bush or even Ronald Reagan ever being able to get through a GOP Primary today. There is no longer a place for voices of moderation, no longer a seat at the table for people like me or the elected officials I so for admired.
I was still a Republican when I moved back to Iowa ten years ago and was chatting with the then State Party Chairman a theGOP Fair Booth. When I expressed my concern that the party was working against the retention of an Iowa Supreme Court member who had voted f to allow gay marriage in Iowa, the Chairman said it sounds like you would be happier as a Democrat. So I took him up on his suggestion and walked across the aisle to the Democrats booth and reregister as a Democrat and was welcomed into the fold.
While I will be gladly voting for Democrats up and down the line this number I still long for the days when I worked in the Iowa legislature when Democrats and Republicans were able to put partisan differences aside and work together for a better Iowa. Maybe it’s a pipe dream but one can always hope. Mike Triggs (like you I started kindergarten in 1959)
Barry - Thanks for sharing you thoughts about Senator Grassley and his need to retire.
I voted for Chuck when he ran for the Senate in 1980. I was a young Republican working for the Iowa House Caucus Staff and former Pocahontas County Republican Chairman. While I would have preferred Grassley’s More moderate Primary opponent, Tom Stoner. But at that time in my life I couldn’t imagine anything more horrifying than voting for a Democrat so I blindly voted for Chuck that November. I was at that election night party at the Fort Des Moines Hotel ballroom and watched gleefully as my party took control of the Us Senate for the first time in my lifetime.
But much has changed since that 1980 election night. My former Republican Party is no longer the party I once loved. In fact, I can’t imagine anyone like Bob Ray, Art Neu, Mary Jane Odell,Jim Leach, George H.W. Bush or even Ronald Reagan ever being able to get through a GOP Primary today. There is no longer a place for voices of moderation, no longer a seat at the table for people like me or the elected officials I so for admired.
I was still a Republican when I moved back to Iowa ten years ago and was chatting with the then State Party Chairman a theGOP Fair Booth. When I expressed my concern that the party was working against the retention of an Iowa Supreme Court member who had voted f to allow gay marriage in Iowa, the Chairman said it sounds like you would be happier as a Democrat. So I took him up on his suggestion and walked across the aisle to the Democrats booth and reregister as a Democrat and was welcomed into the fold.
While I will be gladly voting for Democrats up and down the line this number I still long for the days when I worked in the Iowa legislature when Democrats and Republicans were able to put partisan differences aside and work together for a better Iowa. Maybe it’s a pipe dream but one can always hope. Mike Triggs (like you I started kindergarten in 1959)