These Iowa candidates don't want you to know about their positions

Sunday, May 25, 2008

(The Des Moines Register)

Thistles & Roses

The Register's editorial

A thistle to candidates for Congress or the Iowa Legislature who refused to respond to a legitimate questionnaire on issues. For 16 years, Project Vote Smart has provided voters nationwide with detailed reports on candidates' positions on key issues. Increasingly, however, candidates are not responding. Iowa candidates have among the worst records in the country. That won't be improved by the response rate for June's primary: Only 10 of 246 Iowa House and Senate candidates and only three of 20 congressional candidates responded to the nonpartisan survey. Candidates apparently are advised by party officials and consultants not to participate. Voters should demand to know why these candidates and their handlers want to keep the people ignorant

A rose to Iowa candidates who responded to the Project Vote Smart questionnaire (see above): For Congress: Ed Fallon (Democrat, 3rd District); Thomas Latham (Republican, 4th District); Kurt Meyer (Democrat, 4th District). For the Iowa House: Lionel Foster (Democrat, District 13); Thomas Hansen (Democrat, District 16); Marshall Shoemaker (Republican, District 19); Don Shatzer (Democrat, District 22); Jeremy Walters (Republican, District 62); Charles Hoffman (Democrat, District 65). For the Iowa Senate: Merlin Bartz (Republican, District 6); John Hulsizer (Republican, District 14); Tim Kapucian (Republican, District 20); and Jim Parker (Republican, District 48). Maybe they could give their fellow candidates a dose of courage.