ROUNDUP: Agriculture and Business Groups Snub Zach Lahn for Governor
DES MOINES – In a major snub to Kansas carpetbagger and career political operative Zach Lahn’s campaign, Iowa agriculture and business groups are breaking with their longstanding practice of supporting the Republican nominee in the governor’s race by withholding their support from Lahn this election cycle.
The Iowa Farm Bureau and the Iowa Association of Business and Industry are both made up of Republicans and backed Republican candidates in other statewide and federal races, but both organizations have refused to endorse Lahn.
What Iowans are reading about farming and business leaders snubbing Lahn:
- The Gazette: “The political arm of the Iowa Farm Bureau this week announced its candidate endorsements for this fall’s midterm elections, with one glaring absence … Unlike past campaigns, the Iowa Farm Bureau PAC did not endorse a candidate for governor.”
- KGAN: “The Iowa Farm Bureau Political Action Committee announced its endorsements for statewide races but notably missing is an endorsement in Iowa’s race for governor … They do have a history of mainly endorsing Republican candidates.”
- KGAN: “The political action committee for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry endorsed Republican candidates in several statewide races but did not make an endorsement in Iowa’s race for governor … Lahn’s campaign has not responded to Iowa’s News Now’s request for comment.”
- Radio Iowa: “The Iowa Farm Bureau and the Iowa Association of Business and Industry have recently made endorsements in high profile Iowa races, but did not announce a preference in the governor’s race.”
- Storm Lake Times Pilot’s Art Cullen: “An act of omission bolsters Sand … It indicates that the Republican base is fractured.”
- The Gazette’s Todd Dorman: “Elsewhere down on the farm, the Iowa Farm Bureau declined to make an endorsement in the race for governor. Republicans are supposed to get the endorsement. The Farm Bureau hasn’t endorsed a Democrat for governor since 1998 … The snub hurts Lahn the most.”
- Bleeding Heartland’s Laura Belin: “Wow: The Iowa Association of Business and Industry PAC is NOT endorsing a candidate for governor this year. Iowa ABI is a powerful lobby group—technically nonpartisan but its PAC typically endorses Republicans in every competitive state race.”
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