Iowa G.O.P. to Walker: Drop Adviser Who Trashed State

[Formerly Once-Ler]

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/03/17/iowa-g-o-p-to-walker-drop-adviser-who-trashed-state/

Iowa’s Republican leadership blasted Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin on Tuesday for hiring a senior adviser who has mocked the state’s caucus and its voters, and called on Mr. Walker to fire her.

Jeff Kaufmann, the state Republican chairman, said Mr. Walker, who leads in polls of Iowa Republicans, should dismiss Liz Mair, who was hired by Mr. Walker’s political action committee to lead online communications for his likely 2016 campaign.

“It’s obvious she doesn’t have a clue what Iowa’s all about,” Mr. Kaufmann said. “I find her to be shallow and ignorant,” he added, “and I’ll tell you, if I was Governor Walker, I’d send her her walking papers.”

Ms. Mair, who directed online strategy for the Republican National Committee in 2008 and for Mr. Walker’s 2012 recall election, is known for strongly worded Twitter messages often laced with profanities. But it was a series of swipes she took at Iowa’s Republican voters and at the caucus that infuriated party officials.

Others besides Ms. Mair have complained that the caucus holds disproportionate sway over the presidential nominating process, but generally in less pungent terms.

During a forum for 2016 hopefuls in Iowa in January, where Mr. Walker gave a breakout speech, Ms. Mair tweeted, “In other news, I see Iowa is once again embarrassing itself, and the GOP, this morning. Thanks, guys.”

A minute later, she wrote, “The sooner we remove Iowa’s frontrunning status, the better off American politics and policy will be.”

Ms. Mair also ridiculed the state’s reliance on federal support of agriculture and ethanol, the subject of a recent gathering of Republican candidates where Mr. Walker said he supported those subsidies.

“Morons across America are astounded to learn that people from *IOWA* grow up rather government-dependent. #agsubsidies #ethanol #brainless,” Ms. Mair wrote on Jan. 22.

“We play nice in Iowa,” said Sherill Whisenand, a co-chairwoman of the Republican Party in Polk County, who read about Ms. Mair’s tweets in The Des Moines Register on Tuesday. “That’s like slapping someone down who’s in your home.”

The co-chairman of the state party, Cody Hoefert, also took umbrage. “When anybody who works for a presidential campaign thinks it’s OK to insult Iowa, Iowa voters and Iowa farmers, I find it absolutely disgusting and repulsive,’’ he said.

Republican leaders said they had called Mr. Walker but had not yet heard back.

uggghhhh!

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Logan Act Scholar ‏@JohnEkdahl 35m35 minutes ago

Take a God damn star off the flag. So bleeping tired of Iowa.

[truth_seeker]

In a more rational world, bigger states would have influence closer to their electoral clout.

A few Socons in Iowa, dependent on various Ag. subsidies from a big, costly Fedgov, is repugnant.

Instead give voice to what Republican voters in Texas, California and Florida want in candidates.

Does anybody else grasp that the 3 largest states are ALL in the
West and South?

Americans population has moved. Too bad the political-media complex disregards this, as do early primaries.

[aligncare]

Aaah, primary season. Before it's over we will witness many Republican skirmishes.

Anyway, You know what I would do if one day I woke up in Iowa?

Run screaming to the airport.

[truth_seeker]

Aaah, primary season. Before it's over we will witness many Republican skirmishes.

Anyway, You know what I would do if one day I woke up in Iowa?

Run screaming to the airport.

As a kid we lived in northeastern Colorado, now corn country. Corn country now, for Fedgov subsidies.

But when I lived there over 60 years ago, it was sugar beet country, and we had 2 fuzzy B&W channels on our new TV.

Think how happy I was, to return to SoCal, to the other grandparents, more kids to play with, and to 7 clear B&W channels !!

Visited Colorado a few years ago, and that little town would NOT be someplace I would chose to live. No offense to people that live in such places.

[Fishrrman]

Ms. Mair:
[[ A minute later, she wrote, “The sooner we remove Iowa’s frontrunning status, the better off American politics and policy will be.” ]]

She's absolutely right.

The lady stays...

[mountaineer]

Dana Loesch
‏@DLoesch   Crap like what the Iowa GOP just pulled is why fewer people identify as republicans. Great job shooting yourselves in the foot, geniuses.

[jmyrlefuller]

A few Socons in Iowa, dependent on various Ag. subsidies from a big, costly Fedgov, is repugnant.

What more is there to be said than this?

[Free Vulcan]

I've nearly been the lone voice in the Iowa GOP that hates the straw poll, first in the nation status, and ethanol.

The Presidential race is a distraction here, try running a lower level campaign and you'll know what I mean. Only Presidential candidates now are hardly worthy of paying attention to, and occasionally a US Senate candidate.

Thankfully, the farm subsidies are over with, but we now have the Renewable Fuel Standard, which makes the ag industry complacent and not innovative. We hitch our horse to ethanol at the expense of other tech that can also make better and more profitable things from ag products for the farmer.

It really makes me want to move sometimes. It is definitely is why I've mostly dropped out of Iowa politics.