Chet Culver

Candidate for Governor of Iowa
Election Date: November 7, 2006

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The Candidate

Chet Culver, 41, is running for Governor of Iowa. Currently Iowa's Secretary of State, Chet Culver won election to this statewide office on a platform to increase overall accessibility to politics and voter turnout -- especially among Iowa's youth. Culver is a "proud progressive Democrat" who can honestly say he has delivered on his promises. He is not a career politician, having been first elected to office in 1998 at age 33. Before running for office, Culver worked as an educator, in the Attorney General's Office and as a youth advocate.

Secretary Culver comes from an Iowa family with a history of commitment to public service. He is the youngest child of former Democratic US Senator John Culver and Ann Cooper Culver. Chet's father served Iowa over two decades in the US House of Representatives and in the US Senate starting in 1965, the year that Chet was born. It was that dedication to public service that led Culver to major in Political Science at Virginia Tech, where he played football for the Hokies. After graduating from Virginia Tech, Chet returned home to Iowa and earned his master's degree in teaching from Drake University, which he put to use while serving as a high school teacher at Hoover High School in Des Moines up until his election as Secretary of State.

Culver is married to Mari Thinnes Culver with whom he has two children, Clare Honour and John William. Mari is a life-long Iowan and currently a partner at a law firm. Chet lives with his family in West Des Moines and is a member of Central Presbyterian Church where he serves as an Elder.

• Economic Development: Culver proposes a detailed plan to enhance Iowa's economic competitiveness. For example, as Governor Culver would work to create tax incentives for the creation of good jobs with benefits and abandon those tax incentives that do not achieve such results. Culver is emphasizing improvement of the technology infrastructure, protecting manufacturing and promoting small business entrepreneurship. He would also raise the minimum wage to at least $7 an hour and create portable pension programs so that work means economic security for more Iowans.




• Education: To prepare Iowans for higher-earning, higher-skilled jobs, Culver will invest heavily in the education system. Culver has made a promise to Iowans that those who graduate from high school will be prepared for higher education or a good job. He would also ensure that all those admitted to college can afford it. But Culver realizes that human capital investments are even more effective when done early. That is why he has proposed improving the quality of and access to early childhood education. Importantly, while the former high school teacher Culver has consistently advocated greater support for education, Culver has not hesitated to point out that his opponent, Congressman Jim Nussle, has a history of voting against the interests of Iowa on education issues.
  
  
  
• Affordable Health Care: Culver understands the importance of health care coverage to Iowa's families and he has a plan to help small businesses offer insurance to their employees at lower cost, create portable health coverage for independent workers and reward those companies that do provide insurance through state contracting preferences.
  
  
  
  
• Alternative Energy: Culver appreciates deeply the importance of agriculture, and especially corn, to the people and economy of Iowa. He has proposed an innovative $100 million Iowa Power Fund intended to help Iowa's small, medium and large businesses expand into the high growth renewable energy, alternative fuel and "Clean Technology industries." Culver will also modernize government and regulation to promote new business creation and moving the state government's use of energy away from reliance on oil. As is emblematic of Culver?s can-do attitude, he has committed to ensuring that every car in the State of Iowa's fleet will be a hybrid or an E-85 Ethanol vehicle.

Culver's opponent, Congressman Jim Nussle, 46, has represented Iowa's 1st District for sixteen years. Nussle has served as the Chairman of the powerful House Budget Committee since 2001. Unopposed in the Republican gubernatorial nomination this year, Nussle is running on a platform outlining his extensive experience in politics and governance. But while Culver's GOP opponent Jim Nussle has been in Washington, Culver has experienced first-hand how Iowa has changed and he understands the challenges that lie ahead. He knows well what needs to be done to ensure a high quality of life for Iowans in all corners of the state.

Culver's running mate, Patty Judge is a popular Secretary of Agriculture who previously served as a State Senator from rural, southern Iowa. In light of the electorate's frustration with Congress and representatives in Washington, Culver and Judge offer a refreshing choice to Iowa voters. Culver has an impressive track record as a straight shooter who, as Secretary of State, has followed through on his promises to the people of Iowa.

Although Culver has broken Democratic fundraising records--raising three times as much as Nussle in June and July -- the campaign spent much of its cash on a tough primary race. They will need additional money to close the cash-on-hand gap with Nussle. With an early advantage in the money race, Nussle had two weeks of television ads before Culver was able to get on the air. Though the race is tight, there is no doubt that with some additional support, Culver can deliver his progressive message throughout the state and win this November. The most recent polls show Chet Culver with a small lead (within margins of error) among likely voters.

This is an important seat for Democrats to retain as they hope to control a majority of Governor's Mansions this fall. CNM believes that Chet Culver's campaign against Jim Nussle highlights the critical distinctions between what a progressive Democrat has in store for Iowa's future and what a so-called conservative Republican, who while in Washington has overseen the largest expansion of government deficit spending in our history, can offer the Hawkeye State. While Jim Nussle has chosen to focus on divisive issues and using ideological cover as an excuse for inaction, Chet Culver has shown that he recognizes that this race is about giving Iowans pragmatic answers and solutions to the real problems facing their state.

CNM believes that Chet Culver's vision and unwavering commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Iowans will serve him well as the state's next Governor.

Attn: Michael Fertik

Campaign for National Majority
251 W. 89th St. #7D
New York, NY 10024