Republican Party of  Iowa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 9, 2012

Iowa GOP Chair Applauds
Selection of New Iowa Victory Director

DES MOINES, Iowa– The Republican National Committee announced today that Republican Party of Iowa staffer Ryan Gough will lead the Iowa Victory effort. Gough has worked for the state party since 2010 in various roles including Caucus Coordinator, Deputy Communications Director, and most recently Organization Director.

“Ryan Gough has been instrumental to the party for the past two years and I am confident that with his level of commitment and energy we will have a successful Iowa Victory program this year,” said Republican Party of Iowa Chairman A.J. Spiker.

“This is the most critical election in our lifetimes and I look forward to working with Ryan and the RNC to elect Republicans to every office from the White House all the way down to the Court House.”

More about Ryan Gough:

Since 2010 Gough has served in various roles within the Iowa GOP including, Iowa Caucus Coordinator, Organization Director and Deputy Communications Director. Previously, Gough served as a field director in Des Moines organizing, managing, and mobilizing volunteers to help usher in big Republican victories in 2010. Gough’s experience in the field and organizing volunteers puts him in a prime position to help the RNC run a fully comprehensive get-out-the-vote program to elect our Republican candidates this November.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 9, 2012

Iowa GOP Chairman Statement on
Obama’s Gay Marriage Decision

DES MOINES, Iowa– The Republican Party of Iowa released the following statement from Chairman A.J. Spiker in response to President Obama’s gay marriage decision:

“Marriage is an institution that can only be between one man and one woman. While President Obama continues to play politics, the Republican Party of Iowa will continue to support maintaining the traditional view of marriage as between one man and one woman.”

RNC Platform: Preserving Traditional Marriage

Because our children’s future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman, so that judges cannot make other arrangements equivalent to it. In the absence of a national amendment, we support the right of the people of the various states to affirm traditional marriage through state initiatives. Republicans recognize the importance of having in the home a father and a mother who are married. The two-parent family still provides the best environment of stability, discipline, responsibility, and character. Children in homes without fathers are more likely to commit a crime, drop out of school, become violent, become teen parents, use illegal drugs, become mired in poverty, or have emotional or behavioral problems. We support the courageous efforts of single-parent families to provide a stable home for their children. Children are our nation’s most precious resource. We also salute and support the efforts of foster and adoptive families. Republicans have been at the forefront of protecting traditional marriage laws, both in the states and in Congress. A Republican Congress enacted the Defense of Marriage Act, affirming the right of states not to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states. Unbelievably, the Democratic Party has now pledged to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which would subject every state to the redefinition of marriage by a judge without ever allowing the people to vote on the matter. We also urge Congress to use its Article III, Section 2 power to prevent activist federal judges from imposing upon the rest of the nation the judicial activism in Massachusetts and California. We also encourage states to review their marriage and divorce laws in order to strengthen marriage. As the family is our basic unit of society, we oppose initiatives to erode parental rights.

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For Immediate Release: May 2, 2012

Iowa GOP Increases Voter Registration
Lead on Democrats in April

DES MOINES – Voter registration numbers from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office yesterday revealed that Republicans in Iowa increased their lead on voter registration in the month of April. This comes after the Republican Party of Iowa surpassed the Iowa Democratic Party in voter registration in March for the first time since 2006.

The number of registered voters for each party as of May 1 are as follows:

Republicans – 608,096

Democrats – 599,225

“With real median household income declining over $4,000 since President Obama took office, record high gas prices, and unforgivable unemployment among young people it comes as no surprise that Iowans continue to flee the Democratic Party in droves,” said Republican Party of Iowa Chairman, A.J. Spiker in response to the news.

“The Republican Party of Iowa’s ideals of individual liberty and lower taxes are clearly resonating with Iowans. We will continue to reach out to voters all across Iowa in the months ahead and I am confident that we will be able to grow our Party even more in the lead up to the general election.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 25, 2012

Iowa GOP Chairman Spiker’s Statement on
President Obama’s Visit to the University of Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa– The Republican Party of Iowa today released the following statement from Chairman A.J. Spiker in response to President Obama’s visit to the University of Iowa today.

For Immediate Release: April 20, 2012

Iowa GOP Chairman Comments on President Obama’s Iowa City Visit

DES MOINES – Iowa GOP Chairman A.J. Spiker today released the following statement in response to President Obama’s planned visit to Iowa City next week.

“President Obama has delivered nothing more to the young people of Iowa than broken promises and empty rhetoric. Since President Obama has taken office, he has accumulated over $5 Trillion in new debt,” said Chairman A.J. Spiker.

“What President Obama will not mention in his speech on Wednesday is that he has put an additional $16,000 burden of debt on the back of each and every student who comes to hear him speak.

“After President Obama promised jobs and affordable college tuition the past three years, many graduating college seniors will be forced to move back home with mom and dad due to record high unemployment among young adults and rising tuition costs. This new reality is disastrous for the younger generation and Iowa students deserve better.”

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For Immediate Release: April 20, 2012

DES MOINES – Today the Iowa GOP announced the featured speakers for the District Conventions, set to take place on Saturday April 21, 2012.

Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds will speak at the 1^st District Convention in the morning before speaking at the 2^nd District Convention in the afternoon.

The 1^st District Convention will also host Rod Blum and Ben Lange, 1^st District Congressional candidates.

The 2^nd District Convention will also host Secretary of State Matt Schultz in addition to John Archer and Dan Dolan, 2^nd District Congressional candidates.

Congressman Tom Latham will speak at the 3^rd District Convention, while Congressman Steve King will address delegates at the 4^th District Convention.

Senator Grassley will also address the 4^th District Convention.

Governor Branstad will speak at the 4th District Convention in the morning and the 3^rd District Convention in the afternoon.

Locations for all District Conventions are as follows. Please note start times.

First District

10:00 a.m.

Grinnell Middle School

132 East. St.

South Grinnell, IA

Second District

10:00 a.m.

Iowa Wesleyan College

Howe Student Center Gymnasium

601 N. Main St.

Mount Pleasant, IA

Third District

9:30 a.m.

Stuart High School

3299 White Pole Rd.

Stuart, IA

Fourth District

10:00 a.m.

Hodges Fieldhouse

Iowa Central Community College

330 Avenue M.

Fort Dodge, IA

For Immediate Release: April 18, 2012

Iowa GOP Announces Two New Hires
In Preparation For General Election

DES MOINES, Iowa– Iowa GOP Chairman A.J. Spiker announced today the addition of two new staff members as the Party begins preparing for the general election in November.

Megan Stiles will act as Communications Director. Most recently she served as the National Media Coordinator for the Ron Paul campaign. Ms. Stiles holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.

Drew Selden has assumed the role of Convention Director. Most recently he served as a field director for the Rick Perry campaign. Mr. Selden holds a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University.

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For Immediate Release: April 18, 2012

Iowa Caucus Review Committee Chairman Announces

Latest Committee Updates

DES MOINES—Subcommittees on public information, vote tabulation and volunteer training will give initial reports at the first meeting of a committee charged with reviewing Iowa’s first in the nation caucuses on Thursday, April 26 at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC).

The meeting will be 10 a.m. at the Board Room in Building 22, on the Ankeny campus.

Preliminary dates have also been set for a second and third meeting of the committee Wednesday, May 30^th, in Cedar Rapids and Monday, June 25 in Sioux City.

“Having open, honest and transparent caucuses is in the interest of not only Republicans, but all Iowans–indeed all Americans,” said Bill Schickel, committee chair.  “It is important that we have a process that gives a cross section of people in different parts of the state a chance to participate.”

The public information subcommittee will review the process that was used in releasing voting information to the media and public.  It is chaired by David Oman, with members Rev. Jamie Johnson, West Enos and Gwen Ecklund.

The operations and tabulation subcommittee will research caucus night voting tabulation procedures, vote reporting systems and the vote certification process.   The chair is David Chung with co-chair Chad Olsen and members David Fischer, Richard Schwarm, Steve Grubbs and State Sen. Nancy Boettger.

A training subcommittee will review caucus training procedures, volunteer recruitment and training timelines.   The chair is Kathy Pearson with members Randy Erickson, Judy Davidson, Steve Scheffler and Kim Lehman.

Schickel has asked the subcommittees to gather ideas and recommendations from county chairs, central committee members, volunteers, Republican Party of Iowa staff, Republican National Committee members, experts and others. Each subcommittee has also been asked to hold at least one open meeting at which interested parties may speak.

Schickel and committee co-chair Mary Mosiman will serve on a research work group, which will survey county chairs, central committee members, party activists and others.

The subcommittee chairs have been asked to draft preliminary recommendations by the May 30^th meeting in Cedar Rapids.  Comment will be solicited on the recommendations between the Cedar Rapids meeting and the June 25 Sioux City meeting.

The caucus process has been used since Iowa became a state in the 1840s. It came into prominence in 1976 when the little known Governor Jimmy Carter beat expectations, and went on to capture the White House.

For Immediate Release: April 18, 2012

Iowa GOP Chairman Applauds Iowa House on Passing

Amendment Banning Taxpayer Funded Abortions

DES MOINES – Today Iowa GOP Chairman A.J. Spiker released the following statement in response to the passage of HR-8489, which prohibits state money from being used to finance abortions.

“Many Iowans, including myself, are morally opposed to abortion. It is simply wrong to force an individual to finance something that is against his or her conscience,” said Chairman Spiker.

“ As Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘to compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.’

“I applaud the Iowa House for standing up not only for life but for all Iowans who are morally opposed to their tax dollars being used for abortions.”

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For Immediate Release: April 16, 2012

Contact: communications@iowagop.org

Statement from Iowa GOP Chairman Spiker on the Buffett Tax

DES MOINES – Today, Iowa GOP Chairman A.J. Spiker released the following statement regarding the Buffett Tax vote in the U.S. Senate.

“There is one thing you need to know about President Obama’s Buffett Tax – it won’t help a single Iowa family find a job. The facts are simple, President Obama has once again chosen politics over fixing the economy,” said Chairman Spiker.

“The President’s hard sell on this tax has been all over the place. First, Obama claimed the Buffett Tax would, ‘stabilize our debt and deficit for the next ten years,’ and when that was proven false, he claimed it wasn’t meant for deficit reduction. President Obama has changed his explanation for this tax no less than six times, but not once did he claim this tax would improve the economy or help folks find a job – and that’s what this all boils down to – a shiny object that does nothing to help struggling Americans.

“President Obama should be focused on fixing the economy, but he’s spending his time rolling out political gimmicks. This President is focused on saving one job – his own– and he’s resorted to the politics of division and envy to achieve his goal.

“I applaud the Senate for voting down Obama’s Buffett gimmick. Iowa families deserve better; they deserve real leadership and someone who is focused on helping Americans struggling in this economy.”