Why I’m for Todd Prichard
Todd didn’t ask me to write this, but I’m doing it anyway. See, for more than a year now I’ve been hoping Todd would consider a run for Governor, and as the chatter intensifies and the candidates start lining up, I hope you join me in urging him to get in the race.
It’s not that I oppose any of the other candidates who have announced or are considering a run — in fact I consider all of them my friends. I just think the times we live in demand his candidacy, and his convictions and electability will propel him to Terrace Hill.
I’ve known Todd for years and first met with him in December as he was considering a run for governor. I was struck by how nearly the entire conversation centered around WHY he was running rather than HOW he is going to win. I’m actually obsessed with this when it comes to candidates. Too many times candidates talk about the tactics and strategies around running for office but leave out the WHY, and that’s how we lose. Without core convictions and a compelling rationale for running, especially for governor, your message becomes a muddled mess and leaves voters confused and unenthusiastic.
As Todd explained it to me, he’s considering a run because folks in his hometown of Charles City have been left behind by the current administration. Pretty straightforward. He walked me through challenges related to education and low-wage jobs, and made a compelling case for the need to increase access to community college. He weaved in personal stories in a natural, unforced way that reminded me of how my mentor Tom Harkin always talked about policy. Less about bullet points and more about people he actually knows.
Because he won’t say it, I will: Todd understands the very real problems facing rural Iowans in a way many living in Des Moines do not. Let’s be honest, Des Moines is doing pretty great right now — commercial development everywhere you look, quality jobs, thriving workforce, great schools, booming cultural and outdoor recreation scene. Nearly every friend from out-of-town who has visited me in the last couple years wants to move to Des Moines. It’s kind of strange, truth be told. I usually take them to Raygun to buy a couple shirts to scratch their Des Moines itch and send them on their way.
Rural Iowans are not feeling the prosperity felt in Des Moines, and Democrats need a candidate who can clearly articulate what is needed to improve their lives. To win statewide we need to close the gap in places like Harrison county, win Clinton county, and stop crossing our fingers hoping for Tom Vilsack to run.
Now let’s talk electability, and I want to be as clear as I can here: Todd Prichard is the most electable Democratic candidate in a general election. Don’t take my word for it, just ask Republicans. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Republicans on many projects and charitable causes over the past several years, and one of my favorite things to do is ask them who they are most afraid of in the governor’s race. Many dismiss the question saying “Iowa is a red state now and Reynolds will win by 20.” The ones who say that forget Democrats controlled EVERYTHING merely a decade ago. However, smart Republicans single out Todd in the same way I did with Joni Ernst in 2013. They do it either by name or saying something to the effect of “the rural guy who’s in the Army scares me.” (yes, Todd was in the National Guard, deployed overseas and remains active in the Army Reserves). To date Todd remains the only potential candidate identified to me as a threat by Republicans. That’s not to say we can’t win with another candidate, but the Republican playbook includes running up the margins in rural Iowa, and they are nervous about running against a military guy from Charles City.
The 2018 election will be a tough-fought race and, like all Iowa elections since 2006, the outcome will be closely tied to national trends. If history is any guide 2018 will be a change election because mid-term elections in a new president’s first term usually are. That said, Trump has defied all odds and political norms to date, so we should prepare for anything that comes our way. I want a candidate who tough, progressive, hard-working, decent to the core, and has a proven track record of winning in places Democrats have not won in a while.
So, if you know Todd, shoot him a note and let him know you’d like to see him get in this race. #ItsTimeForPrichard.
