Column – History Candidate?

Posted on Oct 18, 2009 by Todd Dorman.

Years ago, at a Terrace Hill Christmas party hosted by Gov. Tom Vilsack, I marveled at a copy of “Main Street” by Sinclair Lewis.

It was a rare edition, illustrated by Grant Wood. Christie Vilsack said it’s among her favorite books. Her column in the Mount Pleasant News borrowed the title. The Vilsacks truly lived on Main Street.

It’s the story of a young, sharp woman, Carol Kennicott, who graduates from college in the Twin Cities and marries a doctor from Gopher Prairie, Minn. She hopes to shake up his sleepy, rustic town with literature and culture. Things don’t exactly work out.

At one point, Carol takes off for Washington D.C.to catch a break from Gopher Prairie.

Now, Christie Vilsack is in D.C. while her husband serves as secretary of agriculture, the post he got after things didn’t exactly work out for his presidential ambitions.

But she may soon be returning to Hawkeye Prairie to shake up Iowa’s political history and try to grab a U.S. Senate seat away from the rustic Republican Chuck Grassley.

“I’m well-qualified to serve, so time will tell,“ Christie Vilsack told WHO-TV this past week when asked about her plans. It reminded me of what she said in Denver a year ago.

“The one thing I learned over the past 10 years is that I could,” she said. “I know how to do all this stuff. I know how to give a speech. I know how to raise money. I could do that.”

But is she, in fact, “well-qualified?” By her husband’s standards, perhaps not. He served as a mayor and state senator before seeking statewide office. Still, she was a very active and outspoken first lady who clearly loved campaigning. And the heft of a resume’ she’s written may not be as important as the history she could make.

For all of the gold stars on Iowa’s political history — first-in-the-nation caucuses, civil rights victories, talented Iowans in the highest reaches of power — a black mark remains. Iowa has never elected a woman to the governor’s office or Congress. Iowa and Mississippi are the only ones left in the error club for men.

Vilsack’s desire to make that history is palpable. The former journalist knows a big story. And she might just be able to bring a lot of voters along for the ride. She’d have to win a Democratic primary first.

Grassley remains very formidable, but he’s also never been more vulnerable. This is going to be a tough election for incumbents of all stripes. Polls suggest Grassley won’t skate if he gets a worthy opponent. Vilsack has name recognition, a network of political pros who will work for her and a good knowledge of Iowa.

It could be a great race. It might even make a good book.

■ Contact the writer at (319) 398-8452 or todd. dorman@gazcomm.com

Related articles by Zemanta

• Grassley May Get Top Tier Challenge (politicalwire.com)
• IA-Sen: Could get interesting (dailykos.com)