Shane Vander Hart: Thoughts on the Branstad Endorsement

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Our friend and colleague Shane Vander Hart, who regularly blogs from Iowa at Caffeinated Thoughts, had one of his posts published Monday on the Des Moines Register blog. Although he's a Rod Roberts backer, Shane says he understands Sarah Palin's endorsement of Terry Branstad in the Iowa GOP governor's race:

I’m not buying into the meme that Governor Palin committed political suicide... People were saying that after she endorsed Rand Paul in the Kentucky Senate Primary, and he won in a landslide. Obviously Republican voters in Kentucky disagree with that sentiment. Even James Dobson (who endorsed Vander Plaats) changed his endorsement from Trey Grayson to Rand Paul.

You hear it from some Chuck DeVore supporters in the California Senate Primary when she endorsed Carly Fiorina. Fiorina may not be as conservative as DeVore, but she is conservative. The latest poll shows her leading by double digits the RINO in the race, Tom Campbell (who is also ahead of DeVore in the polls). Should DeVore win that primary it is unlikely he could beat Senator Barbara Boxer.

So cries that she “sold out” don’t wash with me. Sure she campaigned for Senator John McCain, did you really think she wouldn’t? She was also one of the first to endorse Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate in the NY 23 special election since Dede Scozzafava was more liberal than the Democratic candidate. She’s been making a number of good endorsements. Also, she didn’t endorse the incumbent pro-abortion Republican Senator in her own state of Alaska, Lisa Murkowski, she endorsed Joe Miller instead.

Shane points out that even though Terry Branstad isn't the most conservative candidate in the race, he advocates cutting taxes and state spending, is prolife, and is a far sight better than incumbent Chet Culver, which is why Shane says he would have no problem voting for Branstad in the general should he win the GOP primary:

So is her political career in shambles? How many people have said that in the past, but she keeps coming back? If Branstad wins I doubt this hurts her at all. While she likely wouldn’t be supported by campaign surrogates, it could win her some favor by those who voted for him. I also think most people don’t base their choice on who they will vote for President on an endorsement made two years before. That would be pretty shallow. Those who are saying they won’t vote for her (if she even runs) because of this, likely weren’t going to vote for her anyway.

But, I think ultimately this endorsement was about seeing Chet Culver get beat, not a possible 2012 run. Otherwise I think she would have been more invested in it.

Shane's bottom line: He's "not going to throw Sarah Palin under the bus" because of an endorsement he doesn't agree with. If only more who consider themselves conservatives were capable of such rational thought. Read his full post here.

Related: Dave Davidson at The Iowa Republican:

Nothing indicates that Vander Plaats will win the nomination on Tuesday night. For all of the persistence that Vander Plaats has shown, he needs more than Chuck Norris. He needs a miracle.

- JP