(Iowa Lt. Gov.) Pederson will not run for Iowa governor in 2006

[Khephra]

Pederson will not run for Iowa governor in 2006
By Todd Dorman

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DES MOINES — Iowa Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson will not seek the Democratic nomination for governor in 2006, a spokesman for Gov. Tom Vilsack’s administration said Tuesday.
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Matt Paul said Pederson will announce her decision during a series of news media interviews this afternoon. Vilsack is not seeking a third term and Pederson was considered a top candidate to be they party’s next nominee.

http://www.qctimes.com/internal.php?story_id=1040111&l=1&t=Iowa+%2F+Illinois&c=24,1040111

[Debi]

1. Now that Vilsack has decided not to run for DNC Chair

I wonder if he REALLY won't run for re-election....hmmm :crazy:

[izzie]

2. Speaking of Gov. what is with MD?

Washington Post had two stories on him today. He sounds like he think he is a King.

[DU9598]

3. Dang

I love Sally. She would have made a great governor, something Vilsack could only dream of. I think this leaves the Democrats with only a few choices - unless Harkin comes calling from frustration in the Senate.

Sec. of State Chet Culver. Son of a former Senator and young, fresh face.

Econ Development Direction Michael Blouin. He is a former congressman and is finally making Iowa competitive economically. However, not much name recognition outside of Des Moines and NE Iowa. My only fear is that much of the state will resent the strong growth in DSM and the lack of growth in the rural areas.

We have to find a strong candidate to beat Rep. Nussle or Doug Gross (the last repub nominee). I think Vilsack (or Harkin or Boswell) could be our only hope.

[Blue Gardener]

4. Culver will more than likely be the candidate

He has name recognition and seems to be a pretty decent guy.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. I didn't see the stories you refer to, but he isn't safe

Our last governor was a dem, but pretty ineffective. His Lt Gov was Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, RFK's oldest child and a great lady ... but an ineffective campaigner, sadly, and one saddled with the legacy of her Gov.

Ehrlich came in as a Newt Gingrich accolyte (he was a freshman congressman in the great "Contract on America (tm)" sweep and stepped into the gov seat from that.

He will be opposed by the exceedingly popular Martin O'Malley, Baltimore's incumbent mayor, or one of the conty execs, Doug Duncan. I suspect it will be O'Malley (who actually could have a national future - he's charismatic and only 42 .... 43?)

Maryland stays Dem only because if it has a huge population imbalance between the Baltimore and DC metro areas and the rest of the state, which is very old south and conservative. The rural voters and the urban rednecks put Ehrlich in, but I suspect he won't last. He's already acting very much the nazi and in the mold of the great Chimpus Khan himself.

The wild card? Erlich's moderate (sounding), well spoken, reasonably attractive Lt Gov. African American from the heart of one of our urban population bases, he had a speaking role at NaziCon '04 in NYC.

In the end, I'm betting on O'Malley.