Western Iowa is stuck in time and not in a nice way. I live in Iowa City and have lived in five different countries, and I would sooner return to any of those than take a leisurely drive only three hours away in western Iowa. The reason people like King (state legislators from there are just as bad) are that the residents have absolutely no exposure to the outside world. There are no cities, no minorities, and everyone under 30 has left. What remains is an aging, insular, insufferable, hostile, charmless, cheerless, and sickly population scared to death of a young and multiracial America normal to the rest of us but is foreign to them, and Steve King is just the man to exploit those fears.

Still, I don't see him winning any more than Todd Akin.

But put away your broad brush. I'm from southwest Iowa, there are a number of us who didn't support King when he was our representative. Its not that insular, Omaha is right across the river.

Gronstal is from Council Bluffs and he has been a champion in the Iowa Senate.

I've had the misfortune of hearing him on multiple occasions on WNAX radio in nearby Yankton, SD, where the local DJs are Limbaugh wannabees. He's like a caricature of a know-nothing Republican. I can't believe he could win statewide.

Making King sound like a formidable candidate so the Republicans will feel more secure in nominating him thus pretty much assuring the seat remains Democratic.

not underestimate your opponent no matter how obnoxious they are to reality based people.

[img][/img]

. . . to that one.

[img][/img]

Actually, the second one is scarier.

(Sorry, but I couldn't resist that. )

... complacency is always a bad idea.