GOP cattle call in Iowa a ‘circus,’ Democrats say

DES MOINES — Iowa Democrats are calling the cavalcade of Republican presidential hopefuls in Iowa this weekend “a circus,” claiming every one of them is supporting tired anti-middle-class policies.

The Iowa Democratic Party went on the offensive Friday, visiting with reporters about Saturday night’s Republican Party of Iowa fundraiser. Nearly a dozen GOP presidential candidates and potential candidates are scheduled to speak at the event.

Iowa Democratic Party vice chairman Jim Mowrer and state Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald criticized the Republican candidates for failing to support a minimum-wage increase or allowing college students to refinance student loans.

“Every member of the Republican presidential field is following the same recycled playbook that Republicans in Washington and the Iowa Legislature have used before,” Mowrer said.

Democrats also criticized some of the candidates individually, in particular the current or former governors. They swiped at Jeb Bush for his multiple answers to a question of whether the United States should have invaded Iraq; Scott Walker for his proposed state budget that includes $300 million in cuts to the University of Wisconsin system; Rick Perry for increased poverty levels in Texas; and Bobby Jindal for high unemployment in Louisiana.

“These aren’t partisan barbs. These are their records,” Fitzgerald said. “And they’re a nightmare for Iowa’s middle-class families.”

Republican Party of Iowa spokesman Charlie Szold fired back, maintaining his party’s message of calling the Democrats’ caucus season a “coronation” of prohibitive favorite Hillary Clinton and criticizing her for not taking more questions from reporters.

“The Democrats are so busy working on their coronation of Hillary Clinton that they might have forgotten what debate looks like in a healthy political party,” Szold said in a statement. “One thing’s for certain (Saturday): our presidential hopefuls will answer more press questions in five minutes than Clinton’s deigned to take in a month.”

 

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