Clinton Politics Update.

Our long-time Mayor, LaMetta K. Wynn (pictured) is a very nice person. Now serving towards the end of her third term she has been a moderating influence on the council and is a terrific ambassador for Clinton and Iowa. Her status as a Republican has been generally overlooked or simply unknown. It wasn't really an issue the non-partisan atmosphere of Clinton's home rule City Council elections, in the community as a whole, or the rest of Clinton County, which tends to run about 60% Democratic.

So, just about everyone in the area was shocked to hear that she is planning to run for State Senate against Roger Stewart, Democrat of Preston. Roger is also a very good person, a popular legislator of moderate temperament. Most-importantly for Roger's continued existence as a senator he is very good with business interests in the area. Those two factors have left us all just scratching our heads here at what appears to be a rather suicidal and quixotic decision for a last political act for Mayor Wynn, who will not be running for re-election next year.

As someone who is both a Democrat and a personal admirer if the Mayor I would urge her to reconsider her run. I think her prospects are small and my personal respect for the individual person is not matched in any way by my faith that she is acting independently from a GOP institution which I despise and mistrust. Therefore, if she runs I'm going to have to work hard to defeat her.

If, as I strongly suspect Mayor Wynn is running at the behest and under the direction and financing of Stewart Iverson, Terry Branstead, and Ray Hoffman, then things could get very ugly indeed. I really don't want to see that happen. It has all the makings of a Shakespearean tragedy; The wise old queen, too nice in her dotage to say, 'no' to the schemes and machinations of her ministers, embarks on a final adventure that leads to ruin for her and her reputation. Also reminds me of Ralph Nader, but that's another post.