IA-3: Dems Lose Top Contender

Real estate developer Theresa Greenfield’s congressional candidacy was seesawing between qualifying for the ballot and not during the past few days.  Enough of Ms. Greenfield’s ballot petition signatures were ruled invalid to keep her from attaining official candidate status.  After the Iowa State Objection Panel decided that she did not earn ballot placement, the 3rd District Democratic Committee attempted to apply an obscure withdrawal law to override the panel’s decision, but in the end their efforts failed.  When Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller issuing an opinion supporting the Objection Panel’s ruling, Ms. Greenfield announced that she will end her candidacy.
 
The administrative bungle is a major blow to Democratic chances of unseating two-term Rep. David Young (R-Van Meter/Des Moines).  Since the Committee fought hard to get her on the ballot, it is obvious that the party insiders felt Ms. Greenfield was their best candidate.

--Jim Ellis