Terry Branstad re-elected to historic sixth term

Gov. Terry Branstad swept back into office and into the history books on Tuesday with a commanding re-election victory over challenger Jack Hatch.

Branstad, a Republican, will be sworn into an unprecedented sixth term in January, positioning himself in about a year to claim the undisputed title of longest-serving governor in American history.

He thrashed Hatch in the final (although still unofficial) returns, winning with 59 percent of the vote and by almost 22 percentage points and capturing 98 of Iowa's 99 counties. It matches his largest margin of victory in sixth runs for governor.

"Four years ago, I returned to lead Iowa's comeback. Ladies and gentlemen, we've done just that," Branstad said in his victory speech in West Des Moines on Tuesday night. "We've laid the foundation to make Iowa the envy of the nation and I'm proud to say we're well on our way, but we're not done yet."

Running on a record of bipartisan accomplishment, and with the benefit of a solid economy and widespread sense among Iowans that the state is on the right track, Branstad was never seriously challenged by Hatch, a Democratic state senator from Des Moines.

Still, the governor conducted his campaign with overwhelming force, raising more than $9.5 million, filling the airwaves with TV ads and relentlessly traveling across Iowa's 99 counties. His sales pitch to Iowans leaned heavily on the achievements of the past four years while sketching a modest agenda for the term to come.

He emphasized the passage of a commercial property tax cut that he says ultimately will reduce tax bills by more than $4billion; a K-12 education reform package offering better pay and training for teachers; and a long list of new investments by Internet companies, agricultural firms and alternative energy producers.

His new proposals, by contrast, are decidedly small-bore, including calls to expand high-speed Internet in rural Iowa; create more affordable degree options at public universities; improve coordination between existing job training and economic development efforts; and create a new process for funding cultural and leisure projects.

In his victory speech, Branstad described his success as a victory for his party's governing philosophy.

"Iowans support our Republican message of a smaller and more efficient government, of good jobs for our citizens, of improved and more affordable education for our kids and health care that our families can count on," he said. "We have a different way in Iowa, and we want to show America how it can be done."

As Branstad cruised toward victory over the past year, his opponent struggled to move his campaign out of neutral.

Hatch failed to convince donors of his viability, leaving him perpetually short of the money necessary for a proper challenge, and never succeeded in raising his name recognition against the nearly universally known incumbent.

He offered detailed and far-reaching policy proposals on income taxes, the gas tax and the state's economic development strategy, but built his campaign on criticism of Branstad's administration, which he castigated as the most "scandal-ridden" in Iowa history.

The accusations never stuck, though, at least in part because Hatch never had the resources for a sustained media campaign to introduce himself and lay out the case against Branstad.

"It was about money all along," said Alan Kessler, Hatch's longtime clerk in the Senate. "We were giving $10 and $15 where the Republicans were giving $1,000 to $1,500. I believed in the message, but you have to have money to get the message out."

Branstad's priorities

INTERNET: Expand access to high-speed Internet in rural areas to spur business growth and to take fuller advantage of Internet-connected farm equipment.

HIGHER EDUCATION: Create affordable degree options at Iowa's three public universities, including $10,000 fixed-price courses of study in popular programs and "value degrees" at 50 percent of current tuition prices.

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY: Establish a "government accountability portal" that Iowans could use to submit questions, complaints and comments about state government. Initial responses would be guaranteed within 24 hours, followed by acknowledgment from the relevant agency within 48 hours.