Governor Mike Huckabee is coming out with a new book called A Simple Christmas:  Twelve Stories That Celebrate the True Holiday Spirit on November 3rd only a year after his last book Do the Right Thing hit the top five on the New York Times Best Seller list.  This book, however, is much different from the last in that it is not a policy book but instead a people book.

“The first Christmas was a simple one. So simple that it had all the makings of a first-class disaster. It’s miracle it turned out well at all. In fact, that’s the whole point. It really was, and remains, a miracle - the greatest miracle of all time. And it really was simple.”

Huckabee recounts twelve Christmas memories - often funny, sometimes deeply moving - that range from his childhood in Arkansas to his years as a young husband and father to his time as a governor and then a presidential candidate. These true stories will help you smile, take a deep breath, and maybe slow down your own holiday treadmill.

If you’re looking for a little clarity, sanity, and inspiration at this insane time of year, you’re sure to enjoy A Simple Christmas.

Huckabee will once again be hitting the trail in an exhausting sixty city stop book signing tour in November and will make three stops in Iowa (Davenport, Cedar Rapids, and Des Moines) on the 8th.  You can get details of the tour here.  This is the seventh book that the Governor has authored.

With the battle for the Republican nomination for governor well underway other races around the state seem to be getting less press time. With the public opinion at the moment heavily anti-incumbent these races should be and are just as important as the battle to challenge Governor Culver. But because of the high profile nature of the gubernatorial race these races tend to be overshadowed. One such race is the battle for the Republican nomination to challenge Democrat Leonard Boswell in Iowa’s 3^rd US Congressional District. This race is has the potential to become very crowded very quickly. Currently there are two candidates that have declared their intentions to enter this race with at least two others considering throwing their hats in the ring.

The first candidate to toss his hat in the ring for this nomination was David Funk. Back in August Mr. Funk authored a piece of guest commentary for Iowa Defense Alliance in which he described why he is running for office. While I have yet to meet with or speak with Mr. Funk, like what his website has to say. His take on the issues is constitutionally based and he takes specific aim at the incumbent’s lack of respect for our founding document. He points out that Boswell has voted for and supported legislation that has increased America’s debt load and growth of the government in direct defiance of the Constitution. If you haven’t had the opportunity to do so yet I strongly urge you to check out Mr. Funks campaign website if you have not yet done so.

The second candidate to enter this race is one that I have had an opportunity to meet with on two occasions, Dr. Pat Bertroche. Our first chance meeting was when we both tried to attend Congressman Leonard Boswell’s first Town Hall on healthcare. As you have read before, we were turned away at the door because, not being union members, we were not aware that you had to RSVP for the event. That day I sat down at the Pizza Ranch in Sigourney to listen to what he had to say. The second time was when he came to a meeting of the Iowa Defense Alliance to speak with us. One of the first impressions that you get from Mr. Bertroche is that he is NOT a politician. He doesn’t speak with political correctness and he is not afraid to tell you his opinion. It does not bother him if it costs him your vote, he is being true to himself. He doesn’t pander. As for the issues he discusses, it is very evident that he has spent a fair amount of time studying them. As for his campaign, his website doesn’t seem to be as well developed as Mr. Funks, but he has his Twitter feed right there on the home page. Perhaps this is because he is running his practice at the same time as his campaign, or perhaps it is because he is not a politician. Only time will tell.

The purpose of this post was not to compare the campaigns, but to simply introduce you to two of the candidates set to do battle for the right to challenge Leonard Boswell. And if the public sentiment that I witnessed at some of Boswell’s Town Halls holds true, Boswell will have his hands full. His political career is in trouble. I will keep you updated as I learn more.

A week has gone by since former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad resigned from his job at Des Moines University to "explore" the possibility of running for a 5th term.  I know that some out there thought the other Republican candidates would buckle in fear and bow out of the race in order to make way for King Branstad but I haven't noticed that happening.  In fact, I haven't noticed much at all.

In the week leading up to Branstad's announcement it was his opponent, Bob Vander Plaats, who was capturing the news.  First with a historic endorsement from the President of the Iowa/Nebraska chapter of the NAACP, Rev. Keith Ratliff, and then landing a cover spot on Citizen Magazine.  The main hype leading up to Branstad's announcement that I saw was on the news where poster child for GOP destruction/Branstad's former Lieutenant Governor, Joy Corning, was interviewed for her insight.  Her only advice to her former running mate was to "pick a pro-choice female" to share the ticket with him in order to get those voters back that the party has lost.  Boy, she really knows how to kick-off a campaign.  Nothing like pissing off the grassroots immediately.

Since then Vander Plaats siezed the opportunity to remind Iowans that maybe Terry Branstad isn't quite as conservative as they remember.  To be honest,  Terry Branstad become Governor before I was old enough to vote and left office when I wasn't old enough to care.  I now care and I am now paying attention.  I predict as this primary process moves on there will be many voters out there like me; ones who remember Branstad's legacy and either forgot the not so proud moments or never realized there were any.  Some things are better left in the past.

Oh the glory of living in a battleground state that holds the First in the Nation Caucuses.  It seems the GOP is laying some ground work in Iowa to prepare for the 2012 primary season.  Iowa really isn't seeing a whole lot of presidential contenders right now but we are getting a lot of advice about who we should vote for, what principles to leave behind, and the importance of party unity.  (Notice there was no discussion about advancing the Republican party platform in there.)

The lead off batter for the GOP this summer was Governor of Mississippi and head of the Republican Governors Association, Haley Barbour.  He came to speak at a fundraiser and was he was giving a rock solid speech until he uttered this:

“There are tens of millions of pro-choice Republicans that are just as good Republicans as I am, and we need to support them,” he said, adding: “That’s what party building is about, and don’t think that is giving up your principles.”

So, the Governor from one of the most pro-life states in the country thinks that giving up your principles is not giving up your principles.

Next up to bat in Iowa for the GOP a few weeks ago was our favorite President's son, Michael Reagan, who also spoke at a fundraiser with the image of a big tent in the horizon.  What the image of this big tent includes is mainly letting go of those issues that we can't agree on (i.e. the social issues) in favor of party unity.  Hmmmm...........I wonder what Barbour and Reagan would say to welcoming those big government Republicans into the fold for the sake of the party even if we don't agree with them.  I already know the answer.

I don't know who the third batter will be for the GOP in Iowa but I already know what their message will be.  As for me, I choose principle over party and I think that the winner of the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit 2012 straw poll sums it up best.

And if you think about it, there have been so very many who have told us that what we need to do as conservatives is to abandon some of these attitudes toward the sanctity of life and traditional marriage and free enterprise, just move to the center.

Well, I’m not sure that moving to the center makes a whole lot of sense, especially when the advice is coming from people who certainly don’t have ours or the country’s best interest at heart.

On September 18th some members of Iowa Team Huck and members from Georgia and Indiana sponsored a fundraiser for Iowa gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats who is endorsed by Governor Mike Huckabee.  Conservative activists at the fundraiser were still experience the fallout of Michael Reagan's message during his visit here:  throw your principles under the bus just to get Republicans elected. 

In the wake of this type of message it was inspiring to hear candidates at this event (State Rep. Kent Sorenson and Vander Plaats) re-affirm their commitment to not move to the center but instead stand firm on the social issues while promoting other conservative ideals, and Sorenson made it a point to say that he defeated a Democrat incumbent in his district by doing just that.  It was also motivational to hear from one of the keynote speakers, Brian Donegan, on how disabled members of society need to be represented in this movement for conservative principles.

Brian Donegan is a Team Huck member from Georgia and he came to promote the organization that he founded, Can-Do Conservatives of America, and to endorse Bob Vander Plaats for Governor of Iowa.  Can-Do Conservatives promotes all the issues of the Republican party and was founded to give the disabled and their supporters a voice in the conservative movement.  Brian's speech told of this incredible journey of being born disabled and eventually becoming a political activist despite his disabilities which he calls "blessings."  He stated in his speech that he is looking for a hand up, not a hand out and he is in favor of liberty and freedom to pursue the American dream like anyone else.

Bob Vander Plaats admitted during his speech that the topic of disabilities is what got him started in politics and he whole-heartily supports Donegan's movement.  His speech also focused on his commitment to run on all of the issues despite what some of those in the GOP are recommending and that he is standing on the platform of freedom.  The Can-Do Conservative movement, his Executive Order to halt the runaway Iowa Supreme Court, the tea parties, and the town halls are all about freedom and that is what he will fight for as Governor of Iowa.

If someone follows politics at all they realize that bombshells are not dropped until an election draws near.  In that way it will not allow the victim/opposition time to recover in time before voters go to the polls (even if the allegations are false).  Christopher Rants and his week long launch of attacks on Bob Vander Plaats record as CEO of Opportunities Unlimited has unusual timing with the Republican gubernatorial primary still being a ways off.  Or was the timing unusual?  It was no secret that a popular former Iowa Governor was now in the mix of potential rivals for the nomination with a Draft Terry Branstad effort launching.  Also, Bob Vander Plaats was going to be a media focus because of his official announcement of his candidacy.  Perhaps Rants was feeling a little left out of the spotlight since most likely this primary will come down to Branstad vs. Vander Plaats.

Anyone who has witnessed Bob Vander Plaats speaking at an event these past few months realizes that come hell or high water he is going to forge forward with his campaign for Iowa Governor and he officially announced his candidacy yesterday in Sheldon.  In his speech he addressed  a wide variety of topics concerning Iowa's future that he is passionate about such as the debt, business climate, education, size of government, tax reform, strong families, and the balance of the three branches of government.

Vander Plaats has addressed Rants attacks in various ways and he is now moving forward in his quest towards the Governor's mansion.  I sure hope Rants moves forward also because it seems that his allegations have not stuck and he is playing the game of dragging another down to raise yourself  up.  Why has not one person come forward from Opportunities Unlimited and defended what Rants has said about Bob's record while he was with the organization?  Even the coroporate attorney from Opportunities Unlimited is defending Vander Plaats.  To the average Iowan out there who is not a political junkie Rants' efforts come across as picking apart a successful non-profit organization that deals with the rehabilitation of people with brian injuries for his own political gain. 

All this appears to be is a Hail Mary thrown by Christopher Rants before the Vander Plaats/Branstad season gets underway.  Now we just have to wait for the other official announcement.